Navigating Workplace Politics

By: Ashley Dugger, DBA, SHRM-CP

As much as we may wish that politics only lived in our presence during election years, the reality of the workplace, any workplace, is that there are politics in play daily – resource allocation, relationship dynamics, power structures, competition and ego all play a part in contributing to politics at work, regardless of the size or type of organization. 

When we consider the various (and many) dynamics of our work teams, there are competing personalities, vastly different communication styles, goals and levels of work ethic. Add to that bundle of differences that everyone is being tasked with doing more with fewer resources, and office politics can easily shift from being in the background of our daily office lives to a strong undercurrent impacting our productivity, sense of employee satisfaction, engagement, creativity and retention. 

HR professionals play a dual role where we not only have to be comfortable navigating workplace politics ourselves but also supporting other employees and leaders as they all navigate the workplace political landscape themselves. Whether it is facilitating conflict-resolution conversations between employees, submitting a request for new technology and tools to support strategic HR work, or coaching leaders on communication and relationship building, politics at work is something we cannot ignore but should embrace and find ways to leverage differences and dynamics as a positive tool versus an enemy.

While we may traditionally associate workplace politics with a negative connotation, when navigated correctly, politics at work can be an incredible asset in our favor. Everyone plays a different role in the social structure at their organization. We may have built clout based on our internal or external networks, whom we partner with on key projects, our official titles and positions in the org structure, past wins and successes, personal brand/reputation, or how we formally and informally influence those around us. 

Once we better understand the political dynamics at our organizations, we can more successfully navigate those structures to build trust with stakeholders, ensure we are seen as credible activists in our roles, and better understand when to step up or step back in tricky situations. Navigating workplace politics is not about “winning” every battle; it is about utilizing the relationships and experiences around you for positive advancements in the workplace, avoiding unnecessary conflict or workplace drama, and strengthening trust and collaboration across stakeholders. 

If you’ve ever leveraged a workplace relationship with your boss, cross-functional stakeholders or external clients to move the needle on a decision, project scope or budget allocation, you’ve positively used workplace politics! When politics become self-serving, toxic, one-sided, harassing or is leading to employee dissatisfaction or lack of engagement, this all falls into the negative side of navigating politics and should be avoided. Knowing with whom and in which situations to “step up or step back” comes with time and confidence. 

As we grow into our roles and build our networks, we naturally tend to become more comfortable standing up or pushing back more so than when we were brand new in our positions or working with new colleagues on a project for the first time. Feeling confident in your interactions with colleagues at all levels of your organization and showing a genuine interest in getting to know them outside of their work roles are critical pieces of starting to navigate the workplace political scene. You cannot expect to build a deep understanding of the workplace structures and dynamics, or build your own network of support and allies, without getting to know people as humans first and employees second. MindTools has a great article on “7 Ways to Use Office Politics Positively” that includes tips such as leveraging your network, focusing on self-awareness and people skills, and helping to neutralize any negative politics if you see them occurring.

Navigating workplace politics is part gut instinct, part lessons learned from prior experiences, and part observing the dynamics as others around you interact with one another. You must judge each situation independently to know when to push a bit harder and when to let it go. Is the short-term discomfort worth the long-term gain? Sometimes it is, and sometimes it may be better to let that situation slide because there are more important decisions or things at stake. Will your decision, if you step up or back, impact more than yourself; will it impact your team, other stakeholder teams or customers? At times you might push harder on a situation where maybe the best choice would have been to step back. Watch the stakeholders around you and learn who tends to back up whom, who usually agrees or disagrees on different decisions, or whose teams are reliant on one another. Observation and reflection are some of the best tools for figuring out workplace politics.

Remaining professional and respectful, even when stepping up, should always be at the forefront. Just as you are observing others as they interact with one another, your colleagues are also watching to see if you engage in a method that is transparent, ethical, respectful and willing to compromise when needed. Especially when dealing with toxic coworkers or unhealthy organizational culture, how you set the tone as an HR professional for navigating workplace politics can have a lasting impression and influence those around you to engage in healthier ways as well!