Running Head: ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS IN THE WORKPLACE
Organizational Politics in the Workplace
Lindsey Gaston
Liberty University
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ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS IN THE WORKPLACE
Abstract
Organizations around the world experience organizational politics and rely heavily on
management and leadership to advance the firm to be successful. Workplace politics are an
unavoidable part of organizations and can have positive or negative effects on employees and the
organization. The political environment of a company starts with top-level management, and
politics perceived by lower-level employees can create division in the workplace. Organizational
politics is a highly researched topic, including how employees’ perceptions of corporate politics
affect organizational behavior. While perceptions of organizational politics increase negative
behavior in lower-level employees within the workplace, highly politicized organizations can
overcome the adverse effects of workplace politics with transformational leadership and
adequate resources. Understanding organizational politics can help leaders and executives fight
dysfunctional workplace politics. Still, it is essential for them to realize that where there are
negative politics, there can also be positive politics.
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Organizational Politics in the Workplace
Organizations around the world rely heavily on management and leadership to advance
the firm to be successful. Gopher Resource is a leader for environmental solutions nationwide.
The company’s purpose is to safely and efficiently recycle lead batteries used in North America
using industry, advanced technology, and sustainable practices. Lead-acid batteries are the
world’s most recycled product, with a rate of 99% in North American alone (Rapier, 2019). The
spent automotive batteries arrive at the facility; then, the components are separated. The plastic
is cleaned and recycled into new material. The acid is recovered from the separation process and
used in water treatment (Gaston, 2019). The lead is dried and melted, then refined to produce
pure lead. Once refined and alloyed to customer specifications, lead is cast into one-ton blocks
or 60-pound ingots. The lead is then shipped to manufacturing facilities to create new batteries
and other useful products.
Employees work day to day in a sweltering atmosphere, 12 hours per day, wearing
respirators; it is hard to keep quality employees, and Gopher Resource faces high employee
turnover (Gaston, 2019). Gopher Resource also has a lengthy history of organizational politics.
The “you stab your back, I’ll stab yours” atmosphere has been present for a long time, and it is
easy for all levels of employees to see. Employees do not know who they can trust, and the
overall feeling of dysfunction disrupts overall effectiveness. With engagement tied directly to
employee turnover and job satisfaction, the company has significant room for improvement.
Organizational politics are a critical factor in how businesses function and progress.
According to Kinicki & Fugate (2018), “organizational politics are intentional acts of influence
to enhance or protect the self- interest of individuals or groups that are not endorsed by or
aligned with those of the organization” (p. 483). While organizational politics is one of the most
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researched business topics in management, businessmen and women often view office politics
and power as a negative workplace behavior. Still, without a feeling or sense of control, human
actions can be challenging to influence the desired outcome (Carins, 2017).
Workplace politics are inevitable in an organization and can positively or negatively
affect employees’ behaviors. The political and cultural environment of a company starts with
top-level management, and politics perceived by lower-level employees create division in the
workplace. There are many articles available to research how employees’ perceptions of
organizational politics affect organizational citizenship behavior. While perceptions of corporate
politics increase negative behavior in lower-level employees within the workplace, highly
politicized organizations can overcome the adverse effects of workplace politics with
transformational leadership and adequate resources.
Challenges, Threats, Opportunities
Key Problem Individuals
Whatever the situation, it is crucial to understand that the root causes of political
activities are often scarce resources, including time pressures, social and structural inequalities,
and individual personal motivations. While politics are present at every level of an organization,
employees tend to look to their supervisors and management for mentorship as well as their
response to change. If a manager reacts to change negatively and their employees observe their
pessimism, they will also question company leadership. An employee will also watch their
supervisor’s actions to scrutinize whether their actions match their words, to include their
feelings towards the company, coworkers, and managers. Common political tactics include:
“building networks, bending rules, self-promotion, undermining, and blackmailing” (Buchanan,
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2008, p. 61). While some may view these tactics as socially acceptable, they can all be hurtful
and involve coercion and dishonesty.
What challenges, threats, or opportunities do they pose?
The organization’s history of politics. The “you stab your back, I’ll stab yours”
atmosphere has been present for a long time, and it is easy for all levels of employees to see.
Power is exercised in negative self-serving ways or positive, responsible ways (Cairns, 2017).
Power can be defined as a hierarchy of relationships that interchanges from politics to
management to organizational performance (Moynihan & Soss, 2014). Organizational politics
are not “cut and dry” negative. Politics in the workplace can be perceived as both functional and
dysfunctional outcomes for individuals and organizations (Buchanan, 2008). Employees that are
adept at organizational politics can take advantage of less politically minded employees.
Unfortunately, the employees that are less politically minded, and the least cutthroat are the
employees most overlooked for management-level positions.
Role of leadership in the situation
Politics in the workplace can be a potentially destructive dynamic. When used
effectively, can help the company meet strategic goals in a time of uncertainty or organizational
change. Organizational politics is the use of power to affect decision making. A leader’s failure
to effectively manage and motivate employees through organizational change can lead to adverse
outcomes for the organization.
Environmental issues contributing to the problem
The organization has strict environmental regulations they must adhere to for the
company to remain open. Those restrictions force employees to follow policies and procedures to
ensure adherence to laws and regulations. Many people do care genuinely for their organizations
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and the decisions they make day-to-day. Caring about workplace decisions drives people to be
heard, regardless of whether the opinions or conclusions can be detrimental to others, especially
when decisions are unethical.
Not knowing the plan for the outcome of change can breed misalignment and provide
employees with opportunities to gain advantages politically within the organization. Competitive
work environments encourage employees to focus on winning and preserving their positions in
the company, especially when the pressure to succeed in weighing on them. Individuals tend to
be motivated by power, needs for achievement, affiliation, and promotion. Career growth and
promotions within an organization are important for many, and results in competition and
conflict.
Consequences of Organizational Politics
Individual Level
One’s desire to get ahead, advance one’s career, or climb the corporate ladder tends to be
the goal for many employees, mainly at the managerial and executive level. Political conflicts
involve every level of an organization and encompass many factors. Power and authority are the
leading attributes in the dynamics of office politics (Cairns, 2017). Besides, formal, or informal
hierarchy, relationships, individual and selfish goals, the size of the company, and the number of
resources available also contribute to office politics. Not all office politics harm the overall
workplace; in fact, office politics can have a positive effect on employees and organizations.
Being politically savvy is a crucial ingredient in your career success. Forging good relationships
up and down the org chart is a sure way to get yourself promoted and a key to becoming a
respected leader (Griffin, 2018).
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Although, generally, politics in the workplace have a negative effect on morale,
efficiency, productivity, and, most importantly, stress. Stress in the workplace can cause many
issues and has a direct correlation with office politics. This stress can be emotional, physical, or
even behavioral, where the latter could result in violence in the workplace. In an article in The
Guardian titled “How to deal with office politics,” it suggests several ways to help alleviate
stress in the work environment. Clearly, it states the correlation between politics, power, and
stress (Seager, 2017). Many employees are affected by office politics at some point; a third of
workers dread going into work because of their colleagues, while it is estimated that three in four
employees find their boss the most stressful part of their job (Seager, 2017).
Organizational Level
Organization politics is a dynamic that shapes and influences political hierarchy within a
firm (Moynihan & Soss, 2014). It continues to be an obstacle that administrators must navigate
to achieve goals and ensure employee engagement. Employees do not know who they can trust,
and the overall feeling of dysfunction disrupts overall effectiveness. “The administrative
significance of the claim that “policies shape politics” depends on how one conceives policies
and politics, respectively” (p. 320). When implementing, feedback is necessary to ensure the
potential for policies to influence politics and the future direction of policy development. It is
not enough to put policies in place to deter the negative effects of politics.
When politics trickle down through the organization, behaviors that unpin self-serving
politics can lead to detrimental organizational consequences, such as lower commitment,
productivity, and job satisfaction, as well as higher stress and employee turnover (de Clercq &
Belausteguigoitia, 2017).
Literature Reviews
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Overview of the history of Literature for organizational politics
” Organizational politics is arguably one of the most researched concepts in the field of
management” (Boateng, Agyei, & Louis, 2013, p. 295). There have been several studies
throughout the years to gain perspective of politics and political skills in organizations.
Researchers have found both positive and negative effects.
Literature Reviews
To allow for inclusion and application in this research, scholarly literature on
organizational politics are examined. The title, abstract, and method sections of the articles were
used to determine whether they met the inclusion criteria. The article by Buchanan (2008), “You
stab my back, I’ll stab your: Management experience and perceptions of organization political
behavior,” explores the experiences and perceptions of workplace politics of over 250 managers.
The survey guaranteed anonymity and was designed for ease. Questions ranged from how often
managers experienced political behavior to general perceptions of organizational politics.
Researchers found that most managers viewed this behavior as practical and ethical when
necessary. “Power, Politics, and leadership in the workplace” (Cairns, 2008), examines office
politics and perceptions around its influence in organizations. Power can be exercised in a self-
serving manner or responsibly to survive in a politically charged work environment. The key to
using political skills to your advantage in ensuring it is invisible to the outcomes achieved.
De Clerq and Belausteguigoitia (2017) study how employees’ perceptions of
organizational politics reduce engagement and organizational citizenship behavior. Data
collected from a survey that was provided to a manufacturing organization based on personal
experiences and leadership styles. Findings indicate buffers can be put in place to reduce
perceptions of organizational politics by developing adequate resources.
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Ferris et al. (2007) study how political skills affect oneself and others in an
organization. Political skills require specific knowledge acquired through experience and
relationships to use them effectively. Such skills are expected to develop and increase over time.
Kinicki and Fugate (2018) shed light on several forms of politics and how understanding them
can make employees more productive and prepared. Not all politics are wrong, and the authors
of the text provide insight on frequently used political tactics in the workplace and how to use
them to your advantage.
In the article “Workplace politics and performance appraisal: A two-study, multilevel
field investigation” (2017), researchers studied workplace politics as a factor that affects costs
and benefits associated with supervisor performance rankings. Multilevel investigations were
completed to examine in-role behavior, extra-role behavior, and politics on overall performance
ratings across different levels of politics within the organization. Researchers discovered how
politics influence how behavior is recognized and rewarded by supervisors.
Eran Vigoda (2002) from the Department of Political Science at the University of Haifa
in Israel, studied direct and indirect relationships among variables within private, public, and
third sectors. Researchers investigated how stress-related consequences of politics in
organizations impact work outcomes. Results showed distress in the workplace directly
correlated with organizational politics, also causing aggressive behavior by employees.
Managers should ensure stressors from politics at work remain at a minimum to prevent negative
behavior and burnout among employees.
Problem Solving Framework
Recommendations for the problem
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To address the issues of political behavior in organizations, employers must determine the
root cause of the behavior. At what level does the political activity take place? Is it several levels,
and where are politics operating at the organizational level? De Clercq & Belausteguigoitia
(2017) believes the consequences of corporate politics can be less pronounced when
transformational leaders are present, and employees practice knowledge-sharing routines among
peers. Transformational leaders can reduce the stress of organizational politics by remaining
open with employees in describing the firm’s decision-making and the goals for the organization.
When employees have perceptions that their supervisors care for their well-being, they may
increase organizational commitment and increase their tolerance of political behavior.
Transformational leaders also exhibit the ability to provide employees with feedback about
innovative ways to deal with stressful work environments to sustain high work performance.
Another recommendation from de Clercq & Belausteguigoitia (2017) for mitigating the
negative effects of organizational politics is knowledge sharing. Access to the insight of
decisions and peer knowledge provides employees with increased feelings of confidence to
protect themselves against threats of the unknown or “back-stabbing” behaviors. When
employees have the experience to understand and appreciate how politics can help them leverage
their expertise for effectiveness, they can perceive others’ political actions as less threatening to
their career advancement. It is at this point in their learning they learn to turn a political work
culture into an advantage.
Consequences for a plan of action
Transformational leaders possess the ability to communicate visions, provide a sense of
purpose, and motivate employees to complete the tasks given to them. They can quickly assess
situations and see where they can optimize performance, but transformation leaders tend to be
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very conceptual and overlook employees’ needs for more instruction and supervision. A
transformational leaders’ push to achieve results can lead their employees to stress more and
burn out.
Limitations for plan of action
A company planning to implement transformational leadership will require significant
training, time, and resources. As any plan for change can be risky and disruptive, the
organization must ensure new leaders are not detrimental to the culture by fixating on evolution
and the end goal instead of the benefits of leading. The organization must also take care to
ensure the leaders they have placed their trust and are ethical and intend on leading the “right
way” for both the organization and the individuals they are driving. If employees do not agree
with their leader’s vision, employees will lack motivation and engagement, causing initiatives to
fail and will decrease the leader’s ability to influence the team.
Personality Type
Previously, I was required to complete the Myers-Briggs Personality assessment, then
write a research paper analyzing my personality type and how it contributes to my career
(Gaston, 2020). The results of the evaluation revealed my personality type to be ISFJ, also
known as the “defender” personality type. The “I” indicates a moderate preference for
introversion over extraversion (22%), favoring a quaint setting with close friends rather than
socializing with a large group. The “S” reveals a slight preference for sensing over intuition
(6%), focusing on facts and details rather than ideas or concepts. The “F” indicates a slight
tendency toward feeling overthinking (3%), making decisions based on emotions and values. The
“J” denotes a moderate preference for judging over perceiving (16%), favoring routine and
planning rather than spontaneity.
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Personality Type at Work
Office politics encompass a variety of things, from “stepping” on colleagues to get ahead to
creating a dynamic of cooperation rather than competition. Navigating politics in the work
environment can be extremely challenging when coworkers vary in personality types. To ensure
efficiency and productivity in diverse work cultures, understanding, empathy, and cooperation
must be present. Taking the time to learn about personality types is the primary step to
understanding others and promoting a sense of teamwork in the workplace. The defender
personality type is known for having exceptional analytical abilities and people skills.
Characteristically, ISFJ’s tend to hold careers that require diligence and meticulousness. Failure
is usually not an option and ISFJ’s typically go above and beyond to exceed expectations.
Defenders are reliable and can be counted on to get the job done but tend to make light of their
accomplishments (Defender Personality, n.d.). ISFJ’s have a strong appreciation for
responsibility and duty to the organization they are working for (Kroeger, Rutledge, & Thuesen,
2002). Top-level management is not a first preference for many ISFJ’s. Most prefer to be second-
in-command rather than oversee the whole company. Being an introvert in manufacturing is
challenging at times. I prefer to work alone, knowing the task at hand will be completed in an
orderly manner, and correctly (Gaston, 2020). The environment I work in requires teamwork and
constant communication with employees from every level of the organization. Group projects
can feel overwhelming, and I often prefer to retreat to focus intensely on the task at hand rather
than navigate the shared responsibility of a group work setting. While I am not typically a
procrastinator, I do tend to struggle to make decisions or complete projects if I feel I do not have
enough information and a specific direction. The solution is to remain proactive and show
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initiative in a meaningful way to increase engagement and job satisfaction (Kinicki & Fugate,
2018).
Conclusion
Boateng, Agyei, & Louis (2013) define organizational politics as “the pursuit of individual
agendas and self-interest in an organization without regard to their effect on the organizations efforts
to achieve its goals” (p. 295). Understanding organizational politics can help leaders and
executives fight dysfunctional workplace politics. Still, it is essential for them to realize that
where there are negative politics, there can also be positive politics.
Biblical Integration
When exposed to negativity, humans activate survival orientation and tend to be more
responsive to negative information than we are to positive information (Kinicki & Fugate, 2018).
Especially in situations where the decision can potentially negatively impact the entire
organization. Philippians 2:4 tells us, “let each of you not only to his own interests, but also to
the interests of others” (English Standard Version). In times of struggle, it is essential to assess
the situation and understand how personal and business actions affect the bigger picture. These
methodical actions are encountered with the long-lasting benefits of wise decision making.
Future Research
Many studies completed on organizational politics have lacked detail to effects on
organizational behavior from workplace politics. Further research should focus on the
relationships between organizational politics and theory development to better understand and
provide managers with tools for improvement. While the study gave researchers insight into
political theory, the study failed to capture the dynamics of political games and manipulation
attempts. Further research can also be completed to gain more insight to employee engagement
and perceptions of dysfunction in the workplace. The research could have benefited from
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considering organizational culture and leadership styles for insight into why leaders are
motivated to distort ratings.
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