If you can’t beat them, DON’T join them – the unspoken rules of office politics.

Do we ever really leave school, metaphorically speaking? Manipulating a situation to win that leading part in the school play, consciously changing behaviour around our peers, playing mind games to get your secret crush to notice you; it seems we carry on this behaviour into our adult life too.

HR Dive found that 53% of workers feel playing games and following office politics will get them that promotion, which made me wonder whether we like it or not, can we ever really escape the playground mentality? Some people however, consciously choose to keep away from those unwritten, unspoken rules that no one warned us about when we first entered the working world for the first time. But unfortunately, many thrive on the psychology of human interaction - gossip, backstabbing, manipulation, body language, what to say, when to say it, how to say it, what not to say, the list is endless and some just love to ‘play the game’.

Office politics can actually be a major issue in business because individuals who spend significant time worrying about what everyone else is up to can consume time and resources for their own gain at the expense of the team or company. In the hope to further their career the way they see fit, conscious participation in office politics can lead to problems within budget setting, performance management, and leadership. Malicious or not, this can also interfere with the information flow of a company and communication between colleagues. Information can be distorted, misdirected, misinterpreted or suppressed, in order to manipulate a situation for short-term personal gain, you have to ask yourself, is it really worth it? Especially when your managers could potentially see right thought it.

The American Management Association undertook extensive research into psychology around the office environment and found that the more politicised work becomes, the less responsible workers become. Instead, employees grow psychologically disconnected from their work, rarely putting in extra effort and can stop taking risks and thinking creatively. And with a third of office workers affected, citing that office politics are a contributor to their unhappiness at work, its goes to show what an impact these ‘games’ can have on co-workers and teams.

Of course, being aware of what is going on around you doesn’t always have to be negative thing. Making the effort to get involved, whether it be volunteering in a campaign, showcasing the great work of a colleague, or getting to know powerful people in the organisation, it all counts as behaviour we can consciously make which goes towards a more positive environment. Reflect on your emotions, what prompts them, and how you handle them; if you can learn to self-regulate, you'll be able to think before you act. This kind of emotional intelligence helps you to pick up on other people's emotions too, and to understand what kind of approach they like or dislike. By investing time in listening, you'll slow down, focus, and learn. And, people like people who listen to them! So, if you don’t want to participate in the dark side of office politics, then don’t. Standing alone as a unique individual but not isolating yourself will ultimately give you the emotional intelligence you need to help push you forward in your career.