Introduction.
Workplace politics are tactics, behaviors, and opinions that employees utilize to achieve certain agendas that can either increase their popularity or diminish their colleagues in relation to workplace positions and influence. In the workplace, where hierarchy and subordination relate to influence and popularity, numerous instances occur. Workplace politics is an important consideration for all the relevant stakeholders as it can influence workplace relationships, which in turn affects employee performance.
Background to the Political Battle.
Workplace politics and political battles occur in different surroundings provided colleagues interact with each other, and there is a goal they need to achieve. An example of a political battle at the workplace occurred when workers were on a retreat. Workers on retreat often drop the formalities of the workplace and adopt a casual interaction with each other. However, the conditioning of working at the workplace is usually evident when conducting exercises that require leaders. During the retreat, the workers were torn when asked to choose their team captain before organizing into their respective groups to perform team tasks. The workers were divided between those who wanted the team captains to be the managers to reflect the organizational hierarchy they were familiar with. The second group wanted to select new leaders specifically for the retreat activities.
The political dilemma emerged as the second group felt that the selection of a new captain was appropriate for them; they were in a different setting, and breaking the hierarchical monotony was crucial to reflect the mood of the non-workplace setting. The other section wanted to pander to the leaders and maintain the organization’s hierarchy because they felt if lower-ranking officials took the mantles of captains, it would create a power imbalance and expose the managerial personnel to humiliation. The different groups went head-to-head, arguing before the organizing hosts suggested that they should vote to select new team captains as many of their previous clients tended to ignore workplace hierarchy while in their vicinity. The conflict shows how workplace politics can create divisions between employees that affect their relationships.
Individual and Organizational Factors that Led to the Political Battle.
Individual Factors.
Individual factors that lead to workplace politics refer to employee behaviors that facilitate such dilemmas. The individual factor that led to the conflict was jealousy among coworkers. According to Aransyah & Hetami (2021), jealousy among coworkers cannot be ignored when addressing workplace politics. In the situation, some of the coworkers were jealous and concerned that some employees who were usually below them in their organization’s hierarchy had an avenue to rule over them. The incident showcased jealousy and insecurity among the employees, who were unwilling to accept scenarios where they were no longer in power. The shift in power dynamics creates a situation where jealousy hinders the employee’s ability to create relationships outside the workplace. Therefore, jealousy and insecurity over the possibility of changes in the power dynamics and hierarchical creates a conflict among coworkers in a place designed to break the monotony of the workplace.
Organizational Factors.
Organizational factors refer to the organization’s setup that facilitates avenues of workplace politics. The organization’s rigid hierarchical setup that defines the relationship between employees facilitates the emergence of disputes when a situation that disrupts power hierarchical arrangements emerges. When discussing the different type of power (Mangi et al., 2013) shows utilitarian power as a system where organizations use rewards and punishments to inspire obedience among the employees. The company has a strict rewards system where high-ranking officials access several privileges. The organizational structure and practice make the high-ranking managers protective of their positions because they need to guarantee the privileges associated with the position. Being in an environment where such positions become redundant and yield minimal privileges created a situation where the managers and their supporters were unwilling to compromise and accept being subordinate to the juniors. The company’s reward system and rigid hierarchical structure facilitate the emergence of workplace politics.
Types of Political Behaviors the Participants Exhibited.
Political behavior refers to how people decide on what works for them as a group. In the workplace, political behavior manifests in various ways as coworkers find different ways of expressing their views and influencing how they interact with one another. The incident showcases how different political behaviors emerge among coworkers. One of the prominent political behaviors evident during the incident was power tactics. According to Luthans (2021), power tactics refer to the use of threats and intimidation to force compliance. The incidents show the managers and their supporters using their positions and the organization’s hierarchical culture to coerce the other coworkers from creating a scenario where they would temporarily lose their power (Luthans, 2021). Using power tactics is effective as the junior employees might fear retaliation from their superiors once that retreat ends and they go back to their conventional workplace.
Aside from the power tactics, and other political behaviors evident in the incident is capitation tactics. According to (Luthans, 2021), coalition tactics refers to situations where coworkers seek the aid of other to persuade other to do something or support their opinions. The coalition tactic is evident in the incident as other workers sided with the top managers who did not want to participate in activities where they were to be subordinated. The employees also showcased upward appeals, which refers to the seeking of upper management’s approval to gain their favor (Luthans, 2021). Those supporting the upper managers were pandering to the ego and power insecurities to secure their favor and appreciation once the retreat ended. The incident shows how different political tactics emerge and how coworkers employ different tactics to gain favor, influence, or maintain power.
Conclusion.
In conclusion, workplace politics are important workplace factors that organizations should consider when creating an ideal working environment for their employees. The individual and organizational factors are equally important to the creation of an ideal workplace without detrimental politics. Understanding the different political behaviors that manifest and influence workplace tactics is crucial when creating resolutions to the issue.
References.
Aransyah, M. F., & Hetami, A. A. (2021). Study of workplace politics. Russian Journal of Agricultural and Socio-Economic Sciences, 111(3), 109-120. https://doi.org/10.18551/rjoas.2021-03.13
Luthans, F. (2021). Organizational behavior: an evidence-based approach. Information Age Publishing, inc.
Mangi, A. A., Pardesi, Y. Y., & Kanasro, H. A. (2013). Significance of power and politics: Its influence on organizational behavior towards efficacy. International Research Journal of Arts & Humanities, 41(41), 221.
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