Office Politics: What They Are and How to Handle Them

Office politics (also called workplace politics) can cause great disruption and distraction from focusing on a team’s objectives and goals. Whatever your industry, whatever your role, you will likely encounter them throughout your career.

It’s a common phrase you may overhear often at work; but what exactly does it mean?

Office politics (n): The informal power dynamics, influence, and social maneuvering within an organization. They can involve networking, alliances, and self-interest, and may be used negatively or positively, but are crucial for career navigation. They are the unofficial ways employees jockey for status, resources, or development, revealing that hard work isn’t always enough for success.

Some say having an understanding of political dynamics at work is essential for career success. Others call it “a pervasive and unwelcome aspect of the modern workplace.” Both statements can be true.

While they can (and often are) used for malintent, they can also be leveraged for good. After all, office politics are wielded not only by those in power, but by people in any role. In fact, a common goal in wielding them is to rise in the ranks professionally. Hard work is, as mentioned above, not always enough to do so.

So, how can you learn to play the game in your own role? How can you navigate them shrewdly among colleagues?

Here are several methods you can employ to your own benefit, maintaining grace and integrity throughout.

Be aware. Ideally, a healthy and thriving workplace limits office politics; however, like a bad cold, they tend to appear anyway. Don’t let naivete impede your professional success, and don’t get caught unprepared. 

Pay attention. Who is trustworthy? Which folks don’t get along, and why? As soon as you can, learn the unique dynamics that surround you. More importantly, learn your place within them. Gather information so you can move through them vigilantly.

Be proactive. Wishing away your workplace politics is a pointless effort. Instead, get ahead of it. Don’t wait until you find yourself in a compromising dynamic, even if you didn’t intend for it. Failing to plan is planning to fail.

Focus on the goals of the business. One fatal mistake many make in the game of workplace politics is focusing solely on their own personal gain. While not inherently wrong to shrewdly consider your own interests, they should not be your primary aim. 

Setting your sights on the business objectives offers a bit of perspective above any dynamical drama. It can be helpful to remember the long game, the big picture.

Avoid gossip, no matter how tempting the tea. It is a general rule among the socially aware that what goes around, comes around. When you speak negatively about others when they aren’t present, people will notice (and those being gossiped about will eventually catch on).

If you’re doing it, ditch the habit. Not only is this mean behavior, but it’s uncouth, and you will develop a reputation for being a busybody. If it’s others peddling gossip, refuse to engage. Change the subject, shut it down (a kind but firm, “That’s not my business,” usually does the trick), or exit the conversation. Eventually, your office tattlers will get the hint and make fewer attempts to pull you into it.

Make sure your own work is beyond reproach. Should you find yourself in a compromising position, cover yourself by maintaining top notch quality of your work.

To Recap

It’s worth repeating: office politics can be a nuisance in one’s job environment. But to simply ignore them or avoid them is to neglect setting yourself up for success. Rather, learn their role in your workplace, and sway them to your advantage. Your future self will thank you.