Office politics are common in any company. Nonetheless, they can ruin productivity, reduce morale, and cause wasted time, effort, and even good talent. Some root causes of office politics include competition for advancement, striving for constant attention (and the boss’s ear) and the need always to get your “own way.” Office politics can get downright nasty. On top of that, office politics makes it more challenging for HR departments to have HR compliance. Here are some helpful tips for maintaining HR compliance and office politics in your workplace.
According to collinsdictionary.com, office politics are defined as “the ways that power is shared in an organization or workplace, and the ways that it is affected by the personal relationships between the people who work there.”
A national survey of more than 1,000 office employees conducted by Bridge by Instructure, Inc., a talent management software suite for businesses, reported: “over half believed engaging in workplace politics is an important factor in receiving a promotion.”
While this may be true in some cases, it also means other employees with talent could be disregarded for their efforts and not given the rewards they deserve, putting HR compliance into play should anyone complain. So, what can hiring managers or managers do about this? A lot.
Find the Source of Office Politics To Avoid HR Compliance Issues
Office politics can arise where competition is fierce. As a result, it’s crucial to determine who the employee (or sometimes employees) is causing the politics in the first place.
It’s not hard to spot. As a manager, try to recognize those superiors who play favorites or those employees who thrive on gossip beyond the water cooler chit-chat. In fact, www.mindtools.com suggests seeing who gets along with who; which employee(s) find it more challenging to interact with others; determine in-groups, out-groups or cliques; or if interoffice connections are based on respect, friendships or even romances.
If the workplace gets heated (as it often can with office politics), it’ll be easier to determine the source and find a temporary solution for the problem. Unfortunately, office politics never really go away.
Strive for Open Communication
Communication in the workplace is essential for productivity, growth, and success. It also reduces the chances of politics, according to The Management Study Guide. They recommend employees should not play with words and always pass on the information in its desired form. Plus, communicating via texts, emails, or various work management software to avoid confusion is also a good idea. From a manager’s perspective, request to be cc’d or bcc’d on any communication to avoid any miscommunication or future problems that may arise.
Promote Transparency and Team Work
A productive workplace is often a happy workplace. As a manager, encourage transparency at all levels, so employees are clear of company goals. Policies should also be the same for everyone. The Management Study Guide suggests teamwork should be promoted to strengthen bonds amongst employees and develop stronger relationships.
While managers have many methods to combat politics, it just takes a few basic management skills. Once the politics are reduced, you can feel good about managing a sound, creative and productive work environment.
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