Office Politics and It's Effect on Work Performance and Organizational Growth

Office politics can never be avoided as long as human beings are involved. Everyone that has worked in an organization can tell you that office politics exists and there is little or nothing that anyone can do about it. Some people will suggest that, if you can't beat them, join them.

Office politics no doubt can affect an employee's work performance because if an employee feels that no matter how hard he works, he will never receive recognition for his hard work just because he not in the good graces of his line manager. So he comes to work and does not put in the extra effort to ensure that the organization grows. This in turn may affect the organization's financial turnover and this may lead to layoffs.

Office politics can affect an employee's job because it encourages jealousy, hypocrisy, cliques, and et cetera among colleagues in the office; this is not ideal for organizations that thrive on teamwork. When people are not united and working for a common goal, conflicts will occur. If the office administrator spends his or her time settling office disputes, how much time will he or she have left to run the office?

The perpetrators of office politics are mainly the officers at the helm of affairs. They approve promotions for undeserving employees in return for favours. This action stirs anger, jealousy, and even hatred among the office staff.

How Can Office Politics Be Avoided?

Politics in the office can be avoided if office administrators adhere to the following advice:

1) Base promotions strictly on merits. This will encourage the staff to work harder because when they do, their hard work will be rewarded. Office promotions should never be based on sentiment or in exchange for certain favours.

2) Reservations you have about a certain member of staff should never cloud your judgment when approving recommendations made by that person. Besides; this act is considered petty.

3) When you are rejecting a recommendation, do it because they are not suitable for the organization and not because the person who made the recommendations rejected all your proposals in the past. Seeking revenge is highly unprofessional.

4) Always communicate information about everything that affects the office, from promotions, dismissals, plans etc. When information is passed around, office gossip and innuendo will be reduced to the barest minimum because everyone is clued up!

Sometimes, when a leader chooses an unqualified person to head a position in the office, it is not because the person is the sharpest tool in the box, but sometimes it iss because the leader needs someone he or she can control. Team work in any establishment is very vital, but if leaders keep showing favouritism and the likes; it destroys team work and this will definitely affect the company too.

Office politics should be avoided by all means because no good can come from it. When staff members are treated equally and rewards are based solely on performance, it will create a healthy, competitive, working environment.