Throughout the last five years, a consistent theme arising in Roffey Park’s annual Management Agenda survey of managers in UK organisations, has been the consequence of political behaviour in the workplace.
During 2002, the Management Agenda highlighted the increasingly political nature of managerial life, with over two thirds (69%) of managers reporting that political behaviour was rife within their organisation and on the increase. Over the years since, there has been little change (60% in 2003; 55% in 2004; 56% in 2005; 57% in 2006). Five years on, the Management Agenda 2007 (1) draws a similar picture, with just under two-thirds (60%) of managers reporting a rise in political behaviour in their organisation.
In response to the apparent rise in political behaviour, Roffey Park joined together with Director Magazine in 2002, to explore the nature of organisational politics and published ‘Politics in Organisations’ (2). The study, involving over 160 professionals and members of the general management population, from a variety of sectors, highlighted a perception that political behaviour is a way of life in organisations and an
inevitable part of a managerial role. Participants saw political behaviour as a facet of influencing and a means of driving things forward. Over the years, these findings have been reflected in the Management Agenda survey and in 2004, the survey showed that over two thirds of managers perceived political behaviour to be an essential strategy for getting things done.
When used constructively, Roffey Park’s research has shown that engaging in political behaviour can have positive benefits for both the individual and the organisation. However, negative political behaviour such as scapegoating, withholding information, taking credit for others success, game playing, hidden agendas and the misuse of positional power can have potentially destructive effects upon organisational and individual performance. Effects can include increased stress levels, reduced trust in senior management teams, increased conflict and internal competition, the loss of valuable talent and reduced productivity. In 2002, many participants admitted that they found politics stressful and had experienced the negative effects of such behaviour3. In some cases, organisational politics had led people to leave corporate life. The Management Agenda 2002 highlighted that increased political behaviour was undermining trust between people at all levels in the organisation, a mistrust caused by people creating their own hidden agendas and being encouraged to compete with one another rather than work collaboratively.
This year, the Management Agenda 2007, revealed that the effects of political behaviour still manifest in organisations, with around 1 in 2 managers reporting political behaviour as a key cause of conflict in their organisation (44%) and the most significant stressor in their working life (53%). Feelings of trust and the factors affecting these also appear to resonate with the claims managers had made five years ago. The Management Agenda 2007 found that political behaviour such as a lack of transparent decision-making and hidden agendas remain some of the biggest issues affecting trust at work.
Roffey Park’s Research has provided clear evidence of the potentially destructive effects that organisational politics can have upon employee well being, trust and organisational productivity. Although political behaviour cannot be completely eliminated, the constructive use of such behaviour such as developing political awareness, building credibility and acting with integrity can have benefits for individuals and organisations alike. Roffey Park’s publication ‘The Power of Constructive Politics’ examines the positive side of political behaviour in the workplace and describes how politics can be used constructively and how organisations should encourage this. This report is available for purchase from Roffey Park.
1. Garrow, V., & Stirling, E. (2007). The Management Agenda 2007. Roffey Park
Institute. Available for purchase from Roffey Park Research Department
2. Holbeche, L. (2002). Politics in Organisations. Roffey Park Institute. Available
for purchase from Roffey Park Research Department
3. Holbeche, L. (2004). The Power of Constructive Politics. Roffey Park
Institute. Available for purchase from Roffey Park Research Department