Organization politics: Managing office dynamics

Organizational politics, also known as office politics, involve actions to gain and use resources and authority. These politics affect workplace dynamics, influencing power distribution and employee relationships.

By Douglas Wade, Attorney

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Table of Contents

1. What does organizational politics mean?

2. What is the purpose of organizational politics?

3. Organizational politics types

4. Organizational politics examples

5. Organizational politics’ effects

6. HR advice on handling organizational politics at work

What does organizational politics mean?

The phrase “organizational politics,” sometimes referred to as “workplace politics” or “office politics,” describes the goals of every individual working for a corporation, as well as the actions they take to obtain, hold, and utilize resources and authority in order to achieve their objectives.

Most organizations have some form of organizational politics. Every firm has a hierarchy, and authority is distributed unevenly within this hierarchy. This authority is more likely to be sought after by some employees than by others, and it is regarded as political activity at work.

Throughout their careers, all employees encounter the effects of organizational politics, both favorable and unfavorable. Ascending the professional ladder and being as effective and productive as possible at work are two different things to some people. For others, it means participating in office gossip or belonging to a clique.

Recognizing political behavior within companies helps to reduce adverse or dysfunctional consequences, support staff members, as well as participate in beneficial political behaviors which help the organization as a whole.

What is the purpose of organizational politics?

Among the goals of organizational politics are:

Acquiring power
Increasing output
Getting recognition
Settling conflicts
Advancing individual goals
Defending one’s own interests
Getting paid and making money
Making powerful connections

Organizational politics types

Workplace organizational politics can take many different shapes, from covert power struggles to devious operations. These behaviors have a big effect on an organization’s morale, effectiveness, and culture. Knowing the various forms of organizational politics may help professionals in adeptly navigating and handling workplace relations.

Promotion of oneself

This is when a worker behaves in a way that advances their career without considering the effects on others around them. This involves actions such as putting down colleagues in order to elevate oneself and claiming credit for the ideas of others.

Office politics

The act of one group or employee trying to exert pressure, influence, manipulation, or persuasion over another group or employee. This has the potential to be advantageous if it means winning over some doubters to an organization’s goal or initiative, but it also runs the risk of causing conflict and friction if someone feels that they are losing out.

Divided Leadership

Common tasks and interests cause a group to splinter, and these smaller groups establish alliances with similar objectives. This can foster more creativity and agility in larger companies. However, since each faction is dedicated to victory at all costs, it frequently has unfavorable effects.

Gatekeeping

A worker or group of workers who hold a specific amount of influence obstruct other workers and ideas. They act in this way to hold onto their authority and stave off challenges. But it also inhibits creativity and keeps talent from moving up the organizational ladder.

Territorialism

An employee develops a strong attachment to a certain function or task and won’t let anybody else perform it. For instance, a manager who declines to relinquish control over a project.

Organizational politics examples

Here are a few examples of how organizational politics could actually appear in the real world:

Example 1: Forming partnerships

Managers and staff members may join forces with other members of the company to support proposals, ideas, or projects. To ensure a new corporate effort gets the resources and attention it needs, a manager could, for example, form an alliance with other department heads.

Example 2: Winning acceptance

Workers may take part in certain activities in an effort to win over important decision-makers or superiors inside the company. This form of organizational politics could be lending support to the leader’s ideas, taking on extra work to lighten their workload, or lining up with them in meetings to establish a good rapport and get their support for upcoming projects.

Example 3: Sabotage

Negative examples of organizational politics include attempts to damage someone else’s reputation or body of work in an attempt to undermine their authority or thwart their initiatives. This might be accomplished by disseminating inaccurate information, starting rumors, or keeping them out of crucial meetings or correspondence.

Organizational politics’ effects

Research has indicated that workers possessing political savvy are more adept at acquiring authority and handling pressure, are higher achievers, and have a bigger influence on company objectives. Furthermore, organizational politics could be the reason a business survives as it expands.

But when allowed to get out of hand, unbridled organizational politics have the potential to completely ruin a business. The following are some typical detrimental effects on workers:

Elevated stress brought on either uncertainty or job loss fears
Decrease in focus and output due to political distraction
Cynicism is on the rise, which lowers morale and decreases job satisfaction
High staff churn can result in a shortage of competent workers as well as a skills and knowledge gap
A lack of managerial trust and resentment

HR advice on handling organizational politics at work

Organizational politics in big companies cannot be completely eliminated, but managers, leaders, and HR professionals can reduce its detrimental effects in a number of ways, including:

Boost your interpersonal abilities
Be honest and transparent in your communication
Walk in your staff’s shoes and become familiar with the environment
Work together professionally across divisions
Keep cordial working connections with all of your coworkers
Don’t favor somebody or treat them better than others
If something isn’t working, alter your strategy to make sure staff members feel appreciated, noticed, and aware of their opportunities
Keep an eye out for any problems you find and encourage staff members to voice any concerns
When necessary, intervene
Provide a good example for your teammates to follow

HR advice

Concentrate on fostering an atmosphere of candid communication and openness within the company. Encourage managers and staff members at all levels to communicate honestly, address issues or conflicts in a constructive manner, and give thorough justifications for choices that have an impact on the group or individual responsibilities. This strategy aids in minimizing miscommunication and lowers the possibility of secret political actions that could erode cooperation and trust.

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