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Fact: Every office has its politics. It’s completely inevitable when you bring people of different backgrounds, opinions, ambitions, and needs together for work. Whether we like it or not, disagreements are bound to happen.
But learning how to manage these differences and breaking down the office silos is one of the essential skills every HR leader needs to learn and master. Below, we’ve compiled 7 tips shared by HR experts globally on how they deal with office politics effectively, regardless of the nature of business and departments.
#1 Be attentive and empathetic
Learn to be attentive and look for any signals that may give away unusual office political cues. Whether backstabbing or gossiping, always reach out to the relevant party and try to understand where they are coming from. Listen to everything, never make assumptions and then address the problem.
When employees feel valued or heard, they are less likely to be defensive and more open to understanding you in return.
#2 Stay neutral in negative situations
Never take sides in an argument or conflict. We repeat: Never take sides.
As a professional, it is crucial to remain as neutral as possible, even if you were asked to give your comments, keep it focused on what is best for the company and seek solutions that benefit all parties. That way, you help prevent additional tension and channel that negativity into a more objective and positive direction.
#3 Put the focus back on the company’s goals
In Aristotle’s theory, he described humans as political creatures by nature. This is especially true in the office as people often try to use their authority for their interests to protect themselves first instead of for the good of their team or company.
When this happens, always manoeuvre the focus back to your company’s priorities and goals. Ask yourself and the others, what is it that you as a team are trying to achieve? When emotions are running high, the objectivity of organizational goals can help reduce conflict and offer a stable framework for reaching solutions.
#4 Genuinely make positive connections but keep it professional
Make an effort to connect without any motive or intention behind it. Whether it’s something as simple as asking them how their day is or just sincerely wishing them well can mean much more, it reveals your genuine desire to be supportive of the company. However, there is a fine line between being sociable and over-sharing. Sharing too much information about yourself may backfire as others might use it against you in the future. Unless you need to, always maintain a friendly yet professional stance at work and set clear boundaries with your colleagues.
#5 Encourage open communication & listen actively
When conflicts arise, how frequently do we really stop and listen to what the other party is saying (or not saying)? Most would want to communicate their stand or opinions first. But for everyone to feel as though their voices are heard and treated with respect, communication lines need to be extremely clear.
Promote communication and transparency among employees by arranging regular meetings, team lunches, and town halls. This promotes a healthier flow of communication and employee relations, reducing the chance of misinformation spreading and eliminating the potential for conflict arising.
#6 Create a collaborative and inclusive culture
There will be less room for discontent and politics when every team member and idea is supported. Create a psychologically-safe working environment where team members can freely share their ideas without feeling judged and have departments work together to attain a common goal. When your employees clearly understand their responsibilities and position, they are more likely to be more motivated and productive at work.
As the community becomes the company culture, your employees will work together, not against each other.
#7 Reward the right people
Favouritism remains one of the most dangerous roots of office politics in any workplace. HR leaders or employers should always maintain a sense of fairness and aim to make their compliments count. A great way is to incentivize employee performance with rewards, and dare we say, it doesn’t always have to involve pay raises or bonuses as, in most cases, it can only boost employee morale temporarily.
Employees are eager for career growth now more than ever. They want to be rewarded with new career development or skill refinement opportunities via mentorship programs, workshops, or networking events. When employees are recognized and rewarded for their efforts, they are more likely to perform efficiently and less likely to leave the company.
Office politics: Final thoughts
HR is about people. Without people, there won’t be any business. So always put your employees first by showing genuine care and adopting a service mindset. Leading with fairness and respect and seeing the best in everyone would create a more positive work environment and prevent any political landscape from seeping in.
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