Whatever industry you are in, dealing with office politics is one of the struggles you will encounter in your career. Workplace politics pertains to the attitude, behavior, or activities used to get or keep the advantage, and if not dealt well, it can get ugly. Worst, it might be one of the reasons you’ll have to quit your job.
Office politics is common in the workplace and is the result of a competitive job market. It results in employees feeling insecure in their current roles. Thus, to protect themselves and their roles, they take necessary actions that include backstabbing and gossiping.
At that point, you might want to contact a resume editing service to update your resume in finding a new job with a better environment. But if you’d rather stay in the same company, take note of these tips on how to survive office politics.
- Communicate with Colleagues. Form genuine relationships by appreciating them. You can start complimenting whenever they closed a new deal or when they get a new haircut. Whether it’s by a phone call, virtual, or face to face meetings, you can build a good work relationship by reaching out first. Do this every day and see the difference in how they treat you.
- Keep Yourself Busy. The best tip in surviving office politics is avoiding them, and keeping yourself busy is one of the best ways. Speak with your boss and ask them for more tasks and opportunities. Your manager will value you more, and you’ll likely get a promotion.
- Help Out Your Colleagues. This is hitting two birds in one stone. Firstly, your colleagues who are grateful for your help would less likely talk behind your back. Sharing your knowledge with others is a way to exercise your leadership skills because you help the team advance. The moment you get the promotion, they’ll be the first ones to congratulate you.
- Keep Your Eyes and Ears Open. Know your environment by observing how people treat each other and their jobs. Are there any biases? What is the culture that your company values? Is it the quality of work? How much money you’re bringing to the table? How long you’re working in the office? Now that you know what you have to watch out for, you can work out a strategy.
- Say the Right Things. While you keep your eyes and ears open, it does not mean you have to shut your mouth altogether. You just have to say the right things to the right person. Each one of your colleagues has a different language. Understand where they’re coming from and learn how to speak that, so you can meet halfway.
- Stick to Your Goals. Don’t let office politics get in the way of your career goals. Check how you deal with issues in the office, and see if reacting to them can improve your career. If not, best to leave these players in their game.
In a competitive environment, it’s easy to stoop down to their level. Don’t fall prey and stick to your work ethics. Just because everyone’s doing it does not mean you have to do it too.
- Get Yourself a Mentor. Usually, these are superiors who have longer working experiences. These mentors can relay what they learned along the way, which you can apply in your situation.
- Don’t Pick Favorites. Treat everyone equally and as if they are the most important people in the world. If you get caught in the middle of a conflict, never side with either party. Offer sympathy but never let them drag you into the middle of the war.
- Never Cross a Power-Hungry Colleague. After taking the time to observe my workplace, I knew which of my colleagues is power-hungry. I sat beside her for years, but I never get in her path. If we have to work together, I make her feel that her ideas are important and are taken into consideration.
You can’t fight fire with fire. These power-hungry people are used to playing tricks to manipulate. Play the game nicely.
- Confront if Necessary. If these power-hungry colleagues got any issues with you, handle them gracefully by pulling them into a private place. First, find common ground and then state your issues, followed by reasons that support your claim.
Listen to their explanations. If they choose to be defensive and pretend that nothing’s wrong, give them another chance and examine any future changes. You can also document any conversations you have with this person, save screenshots, and record phone calls that demonstrate their tactics. If it happens again, take these matters to your superior or the HR Department. It is important that throughout this process, you keep your cool.
- Keep Calm, Forgive, and Forget. Keeping your cool in such situations can help you keep your job. Check the problem thoroughly and focus on what you can control. Determine the real issue (what you’re really fighting about), and find the best solution that can give both of you what you want.
After fixing the issue, let go, and move on. Never bear grudges. Handle office politics professionally since your reputation is also at stake.
Playing the game and keeping your hands dirty is not always the answer. Maintain your mental and emotional health by getting yourself in a better working environment. If the situation doesn’t change, contact us at Mystarresumes.com. We offer resume editing services that will help you find a better job fast by creating an effective resume.