When you hear the term ‘office politics’ does it make you want to run and hide under one of the many office tables in your workspace? Probably so. If you thought you’d exited the crazy world of politics when you left school, it’s time to revisit those glory days.
Yes, office politics are alive and well in every single organisation, it just depends on the severity in terms of what separates one from another. Whenever you have groups of people, both male and female, mixed, or single groups, you’re going to get conflicts of some kind, usually taking place over contemporary boardroom tables at brainstorming sessions! The hope is that these conflicts will remain slightly bubbling under the surface and never erupt or cause issues within the office itself. However, if they do erupt, it’s vital that both managers and employees handle such situations in the right way.
Office Politics Explained
Office politics is an umbrella term used to encompass any type of conflict, niggle, or situation which arises between employees within a workplace. This can be office jealousy, it can be two people who simply don’t get on and the problem bubbles away on a constant basis, it can be problems with communication, or it can be one person who regularly takes the glory for collaborative ideas, causing a rift between teams. Office politics is a huge term which covers so many different areas, it’s impossible to break it down into a small, bitesized chunk.
Office politics can also be about hierarchy, e.g. knowing who the powerful people are within the organisation, the ones who sit behind executive desks, knowing who the influencers are, who the ones to avoid are, and who the ones to be wary of are. It’s difficult and it can be a minefield, but it’s part and parcel of office life in many ways.
When you’re in the middle of an office politics type of situation, it can be extremely difficult and it is the job of a manager to be able to effectively handle such situations, and avoid further ramifications amongst the workforce. It is very easy for such a situation to turn into a huge snowball effect, e.g. employees take side, fractions within teams appear, and before you know it, morale is on the low and productivity quickly follows.
Check out this infographic by Acas for a quick take on statistics and possible causes for office conflicts
Source: www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5989
It’s easy to start to think your office is the only one with such problems, but that’s certainly not the case. All offices have some kind of political situation going on, no matter how many calming office interiors they implement, e.g. art work and colour for calming vibes.
It could simply be that the people within that situation choose to ignore it and let it rumble along gently, without allowing it to explode into a problem which becomes more far-reaching. This is a common situation and one which can easily be managed without issues.
For this reason, knowing how to handle conflict at work is a vital part of the game. Managers also need to have conflict resolution training, in order to help them diffuse situations and act as mediator between two members of staff who simply cannot see eye to eye. Being able to do this effectively may be the difference between business success and failure. It all hinges on morale, and giving staff the equipment and tools they need to do their job without causing frustration and annoyance.
For example, if a member of staff needs to concentrate and they have everyone else collaborating around them, this is a potential cause for conflict. Managers can easily identify that type of situation and provide floor standing screens, general office screens or acoustic panels, and snuff out the problem. It can be that easy.
The Damaging Effects of Negative Office Politics
We should point out that there is a big difference between a little healthy competition between employees and a full on turf war.
The differences between people are always going to be there, but these differences should never turn into conflict in a healthy situation. There is nothing beneficial to be had for a business which has infighting and catty remarks on a daily basis. Many employees may start to wonder whether they have indeed been transported back to school, despite the fact they’re sat at a corner desk, rather than in front of blackboard!
A study in 2006 showed the real and negative effects of office politics and conflicts in the workplace. That study showed that conflicts such as these cost the organisation itself £33 billion per year. That’s a huge amount of cash! That is in lost business, lost efficiency and lost productivity. Within that, 80% of conflicts contributed to issues with the effective running of daily business.
Most managers also have an aversion to these types of conflicts, with 35% of those surveyed saying they would rather jump out of a plane with a parachute attached to their back than have to address a conflict at work. That should really tell you something about the difficulties that office politics can prevent when it all goes in the wrong direction.
The detrimental effects of office conflicts to a business include:
- The reputation of the company can be damaged if word leaks out
- Recruiting new staff in the future can be very difficult if the business has a reputation for infighting
- Morale is affected badly, which therefore affects productivity and profits, with deadlines being missed
- Relationships between employees can be damaged beyond repair, meaning that one or both members of staff needs to leave or be transferred
- An increase in the turnover of staff
- A damage to client and business relationships for future business, if the problem becomes public
For these very reason, conflict resolution training should be a vital part of your mandatory training package for employees.
Employers also need to send their managers on deeper training courses, to be able to act as a mediator in more difficult to handle situations. The hope however is that employees will be able to sort the issue out maturely between themselves, without the need for intervention.
It’s quite easy to see when a conflict is bubbling under the surface or about to explode. You can normally spot signs, such as arguments, or heated debates which have an air of something more. In some cases, one person involved in the issue may become withdrawn and cut themselves off from the team, perhaps not contributing to collaborative sessions at modular meeting room tables as much as they normally would. It is the job of an experienced manager to be able to spot these signs and monitor a situation which may be ongoing.
You may also be able to spot the following signs when office politics has taken on a rather negative feel:
- Employees aren’t as open in collaboration, and there is a lack of motivation to take on extra responsibility or new tasks
- The mood drops, and there is less out of work socialising going on
- Customers begin to complain about the quality of work, with more mistakes being made as a result of low morale and attention to detail
- There are more employee sick days occurring, due to stress, anxiety, and depression
- Members of staff begin to leave and feedback indicates trouble in the ranks
- Staff use the breakout furniture far more, e.g. needing time out on a regular basis, or to calm down
All of this can easily be the result of ongoing battles between employees, and when left unresolved, the problems simply become worse. For this reason, ensuring that conflict resolution skills are taught to employees is vital, but also understanding that whilst there will always be the odd niggle between people on occasion, it isn’t a normal situation to be at war with each other.
Dealing With Different Personalities
Within an office of any type there will be different types of personalities. We are all unique and different, and that means we respond to different management types in different ways. For instance, an introvert may not respond to a full on, vocal management type, and may instead respond more positively to a conversational, input-focused style. On the other hand, an employee who may be labelled as ‘lazy’ may need a more stern type of style. Extroverts may need to be encouraged, with boundaries set, and very sensitive employees may need a ‘hand holding’ type of management style, perhaps sat at office furniture sofas, rather than behind an official-looking desk.
An effective, high quality manager is able to identify personality types and adapt their management style accordingly. Within any type of conflict there is likely to be either two very similar personality types which are butting heads, or two very different personality types who simply can’t understand each other.
Some of the main causes of employee conflict are:
- Poor management techniques which have led to frustration
- Favouritism towards an employee or team, or treatment which is deemed unfair
- Job roles which have blurred lines, e.g. they are not clearly defined and causes confusion
- A lack of quality training and no conflict management skills included in mandatory training packages
- A lack of communication, or difficult communication between teams or employees
- An uncomfortable or substandard working environment, with unsupportive office furniture choices. This again leads to stress build up
- A lack of diversity and equal opportunities within the organisation
- Managers who turn a blind eye to bullying and general harassment, or who are unable to spot the signs of it happening
Of course, it can be as simple as two people who are so different, or so similar, that they butt heads. The types of personalities within the workplace can also cause an issue, e.g. if you have someone within your workforce who is quite strongly narcissistic. In many cases, this can cause rifts and problems with other employees and it can be an extremely difficult situation for a manager to resolve.
Can Office Design Have an Impact on Office Politics?
In some ways, yes it can! When employees are comfortable and supported in their working environment, there is far less stress pinging around the air. This means that problems are likely to be solved in a calm way, rather than bubbling emotions hitting a high and overflowing at the slightest disagreement with a colleague.
Think about how you’ve felt in the past when you’ve had to sit on office chairs which hurt your lower back and caused you to have shoulder ache at the end of the day. You were probably agitated and short tempered as a result of the way you were feeling. This can easily bubble over into an argument with a colleague at even the slightest rising issue. For that reason, ensuring that chairs are comfortable, such as ergonomic choices, or perhaps mesh office chairs, is vital.
The way an office is designed is so important in many different ways, e.g. open plan offices can sometimes be a source of frustration for many, and this could spill over if the design isn’t organised correctly. Giving it all some thought before you actually create the space is a good idea.
It can also come down to how much of an opportunity you give to employees to get away when they need it. If two colleagues are collaborating over a problem, trying to come up with a creative solution and tempers are becoming a little frayed, giving them the chance to get away from each other for ten minutes could be all that is needed to avoid a bubbling over of emotions, and an ensuing argument as a result. Having a breakout space, with comfortable modular breakout seating which can be moved around easily is a great idea in this situation.
When you combine a design which encompasses nature and art, e.g. greenery and elements of Mother Nature herself, you’re instantly creating a calming atmosphere, and when combined with that comfortable modular breakout furniture, you’re doing a lot to diffuse a potential hotspot, before it happens.
How to Deal With Office Politics as an Employee
Of course, office design can only go so far, and whilst it is a manger’s job to help sort out any conflicts within the workplace, employees should do their best to resolve any small issues before they turn into something far larger. This is simply two adults trying to sort out problems for the sake of a smooth and harmonious working environment. In most cases, this type of tactic works, and whilst they will probably never be best friends, they can work together in a professional manner, and get the job done, without the problem affecting others around them.
Generally speaking, human beings have a similar response to any type of conflict or upset in life. These are:
These responses are nature’s way of getting us to face up to a conflict and handle it in a calm and mature way, however the first response (fight) can be the one which most people get stuck on. When we respond with ‘fight’ we may shout or even literally attempt to fight the person. This is when anger takes over and we see red. It’s important to be able to handle this type of situation before it runs out of control. A member of staff seen trying to fight with another is not going to be in the good books, and could end up facing disciplinary action.
Flight is basically nature’s way of protecting us from what it sees as a dangerous or upsetting situation. In this case you would try and ignore the problem, pretend it’s not happening, and hope that it just disappears. This isn’t always the best way to deal with situation, but in some cases it might work. It really depends on the actual situation and the person you’re conflicting with. Maybe a little time away from the situation is all that is needed to diffuse it and for both parties to move on. Again, this is one to be mindful of, but also to know that sometimes a mature conversation is all that is needed. Freeze is also very similar to flight, i.e. we panic, but we don’t know what to do, so we might become withdrawn or indecisive.
Finally, face. Face is the best way to deal with any type of conflict in the workplace. This is the mature and successful way to overcome most issues. This is when you will approach a problem in a calm and measured way, keeping rational thought to the forefront of your mind, having planned out what you want to say and do beforehand. This is taking time away from the problem, in order to calm down and assess your thoughts, before attempting to see things from both sides.
In order to successfully deal with office politics and conflicts, the face approach is the one we should all be working towards using.
This is the approach which conflict resolution will teach you, and it is the approach which will sidestep major problems and allow the best of a situation to occur. If however you try this approach and you still get nowhere, it is a good idea to make an appointment to see your manager, or simply pop in if there is an open door approach, and informally discuss the problem.
By doing this, you’re not ‘telling tales’, you’re simply highlighting an issue that you believe could become out of control if it isn’t dealt with. You should make sure to tell only facts, and not to allow emotions to cloud the side of the story you give.
You should also be aware that the other person (or people) involved in the conflict will be asked to do the same thing.
How to Deal With Office Conflicts And Politics as a Manager
It may very well be that two or more employees are unable to sort the issue out themselves, and as as manger you are asked to intervene and mediate. This is the situation that no manager wants to be a part of, but it is within the remit of a manager!
We mentioned a study earlier which mentioned most managers would rather skydive than deal with conflict. The problem with that issue is that within that study, only 37% of managers surveyed felt confident enough and trained enough to deal with these types of conflicts. The other 63% (well over half) did not feel they had the tools or confidence to mediate the problem to a peaceful resolution.
That’s a rather worrying statistic. A large part of management training should focus on how to deal with conflicts when they occur and how to smooth over the waters of niggling office politics situations. A good manager is able to diffuse problems before they become huge issues and therefore avoid damage to the business and its hard-earned reputation.
Manager conflict resolution usually includes the following tactics:
- Having an open door policy for employees to approach the manager if they feel there is a problem they want to discuss
- Having an informal chat with both parties (or more if necessary) to ascertain the facts and give the best advice to sort out the problem. In many cases, this slight nudge in the right direction is enough to diffuse the issue at hand
- Matching the approach with specific personality types, e.g. not being too firm or raising your voice at a sensitive employee, and not being too softly-softly to a very confident employee
- If a quiet word doesn’t work, the conflict may need to be investigated in a more formal way. This will involve discussions with all parties involved, noting down the facts, and often the presence of Human Resources at the meeting
- Following policies and procedures regarding conflict management and disciplinary problems within the organisation
- Creating focus groups to help come up with ideas to resolve the situation and being the mediator within that group
- Monitoring progress and outcomes, and acting accordingly
- Keeping confidential records of all official meetings, and ensuring such information remains under lock and key, using secure, contemporary office storage methods
- Following disciplinary practices if a member of staff crosses the line, e.g. bullying
- Offering counselling or outside help to employees who may need support
- Knowing when to seek outside mediator input
Check out this video for a simple yet very effective look at how to help solve conflicts in the workplace, both for employees and employers.
The approach used will depend entirely upon the situation, and again, a quality manager will instinctively know which technique to use, according to the personalities involved in the problem. For managers who do not feel confident enough to deal with such situations, further training should be requested, particularly sessions which involve scenarios and practice. Of course, extra support can always be provided, such as HR being in attendance at conflict resolution meeting, or another manager alongside.
Ways to Prevent And Survive Difficult Working Situations And Team Breakups
For an employee, going to work every day when you’re in the midst of an office politics situation isn’t fun. If the problem is serious, or it is causing you stress and anxiety, the problem may also severely affect your mental health and cause you illness, e.g. needing to go off work due to stress.
Nobody should ever feel worried or stressed about the idea of going to work. A modern office workspace should be somewhere people want to go, somewhere that is inspiring and collaborative, and somewhere which presents healthy challenges on a daily basis, with a comfortable working environment provided as standard. A workplace should have trendy office interiors to create a calm space, and shouldn’t be a place which someone dreads entering every morning. We spend far too many hours of working lives in our office space, it’s really not worth making those hours miserable.
With that in mind, there are some key factors to bear in mind, to help you overcome any office conflicts, and also to side-step any potential office politics situations that may come your way over the course of your working life. The first step however is to accept that occasionally there will be conflicts and issues that arise. This is part of normal life. You are spending a large amount of time with your colleagues, often in challenging situations, due to deadlines needing to be met at work. This is bound to cause the odd niggle, but to also know that these niggles are just that - niggles; they don’t need to turn into a huge problem. Just as you would at home, remember to let them small things go.
To help you understand and avoid as many office politics issues as possible, try the following ‘survival’ and prevention techniques.
Identify the Hierarchy
Look at the organisational chart within your office and work out who is who. Obviously your manager is the one in power, but there are normally those below them who also have ‘clout’. For instance, is there someone there who has a small amount of authority within the office (e.g. supervisor), but doesn’t usually show it? Is there is a clear influencer? Is there someone who often looks after other employees and mentors them? By knowing who has the power and who has the influence, you can avoid potential sticking points. It’s also likely that petty office politics will not surround these people, because they are ‘above it’. In that case, you know who to spend your time with.
It’s also important to look at the unofficial hierarchy. This may sound a little like something you would expect to see on a US TV show, such as Gossip Girl, but there is always a social ladder within every office. Observe (very discreetly) and look at who is always trying to be around who, who is always left out of the loop, who is always in the middle of everything, and (quite interestingly) where there might be romances bubbling under the surface. By knowing this information, you can again side step any ‘in’ wrangling.
Treat Everyone The Same, With a Few Differences
Knowledge is power, and now you know the hierarchy within your workplace, you simply put that information to the back of your mind, knowing that you can pull it forward at any time. You then treat everyone the same. This will mean that you are the ‘good guy/girl’, and you’re not someone that others see as a threat. Of course, you’re good at your job and you’re going to work hard, but how you treat others within the workplace, no matter what standing they have, speaks volumes about you. Avoid becoming too close to any particular group, and by side stepping conflict and avoiding getting in the middle of the ‘in’ crowd (from the information you gained in our last step), you can quite successfully avoid problem for the most part.
A little earlier we mentioned that managers need to manage employees according to their personality type, but by getting to know people within your space (whilst not getting too close) you can also identify personality types yourself. This means you know how far you can go with one person, e.g. a sensitive person may need a quieter approach in collaborative sessions, whereas you may be able to challenge the ideas of a more confident person far easier. This information will see you through difficult situations.
Never Gossip or Backchat
It goes without saying that the cornerstone of office politics is ‘he said, he said’. Never pass on anything you have heard, never seem too interested to hear gossip, and don’t take sides. By being neutral you avoid being dragged into situations which could land you in trouble. Remain professional at all times, and if you do need to voice a concern or an issue, keep emotions and gossip out of it, and stick to facts.
Remember, when it comes to office politics, you have a choice whether you engage in them or not. They will always be there to some degree, but how much of a degree you allow yourself to become involved is a choice only you can make.
Whilst it’s normal to want to be liked in a working environment, listening to gossip and becoming involved with the ‘in’ crowd will only end in tears. In so many situations friendships can easily turn into ‘dog eat dog’ problems when work is involved. Always keep that to the forefront of your mind, and remember that work is for work, home is for fun-filled chats. That doesn’t mean you can’t be genuine friends with the colleagues you get along with, but keep your friendship out of working hours and don’t talk about work together when you leave, to ensure that it lasts the test of time.
These techniques might seem obvious, but it’s surprising how many of them fly out of the window when a problem occurs. It can be far too easy to focus on emotions and panic about the state of your job, rather than keeping a handle on it all and sticking to facts.
By knowing the people within your organisation, and understanding the dynamics that run beneath the surface, you can better navigate this rather murky, political world, and come out of the other side unscathed!
Conclusion
It’s important to realise that there is no workplace on the planet the is free of problems 100% of the time. An office might be the most harmonious place for two months straight, and then a problem occurs which rocks the boat a little, before turning back to harmony.
This is normal. These are the types of situations which can be side stepped with relative ease, provided managers have conflict resolution skills to hand, and employees remain level headed and mature in their approach to dealing with it at source.
Understanding that mental health and wellbeing is vital to employee happiness and business success is a point to always bear in mind.
The problems occur when morale is low, confidence isn’t far behind it, and everyone is fighting for position. This is not a healthy working situation, and when you throw in poor office furniture design, making everyone uncomfortable and cranky, the situation will only worsen. When people are happy in their working environment, they’re comfortable with their business furniture set up, and they feel supported and inspired on a management level, problems are far less likely to occur.
Whilst the world of office politics might be hard to navigate, with a measured and confident approach, these rocky waters can easily be traversed without major, long lasting issues.
Thank you for reading!