The Toxicity of Office Politics

Office politics has existed since the dawn of office life The ways that power is shared in an organization or workplace, and the ways that it is affected by the personal relationships between the people who work there is a fact of life in any organization.

Marked by toxic cultures and marginalized groups, office politics is the top reason for corporate culture misfires, frustration, and defeat.

Some believe 'healthy office politics' foster inclusive and supportive working environments Existing evidence shows office politics is all too often tainted territory It’s a white man ' s game or a “bro culture” – in which empathy and respect take a backseat to obnoxious behavior. Some offices are dominated by “cliques” in which groups spend most of their time together creating barriers to entry and opportunity In others, bullies, yellers, and manipulators too often set the tone In all these scenarios, certain groups including women and ethnic minorities are left out and left behind

Negative activities, attitudes, and behaviors used to get or keep power or maintain an unfair advantage are unfortunately alive and well in offices across the U S Office politics are the poison ingredient spoiling

PEPPERDINE GRAZIADIO BUSINESS SCHOOL

the dynamic mix of decision makers who must set the course and workers who must get the work completed - this has only been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic as the workplace environment has changed dramatically with the workforce spread between the office and telework, creating communication and oversight challenges for management

At Pepperdine Graziadio Business School we are set on identifying the practices that derail the workplace As we seek to pursue the hallmarks of a top business school –values-centered, experience-driven, and collaborative – toxic office politics stand in the way

Through this first-of-its-kind research, we aim to identify and define the dynamics of office politics We delve into manager and worker opinions to identify common perceptions and surprising splits We offer high-level thinkers who can describe the facts, myths, and behaviors standing in the way of high performance Looking ahead to the future, we set our sights on the pathway to office harmony and how MBA programs can play a role