Creating a bridge over troubled waters

Workplaces these days have become battlegrounds where people haggle at each other’s throats for an appraisal or a quick climb to the top.

With employees spending over 75 per cent of their day at office, work environment plays a very important role as far as the emotional well-being of an individual is concerned. 

Workplace politics can be a demoralising factor and create ill will in an organisation.

It can also increase the levels of stress and reduce productivity. However in the present
day and age, a workplace without politics is impossible; owing to the flaws in human nature and the hunger for power.

People in the City offer different solutions to deal with this mind ache that is now considered a commonplace.

Queenie Mendes, a cargo officer says, “I had a boss, who would overburden me with work. I directly confronted him regarding the issue. Things unfortunately didn’t improve even after that so I took the matter to someone higher up in the hierarchical chain and the problem was finally solved. Lack of communication is the main cause of these problems. I was fortunate enough to have a good boss higher up in the hierarchy but things are not always that simple.”

Arvind Karandikar, a financial consultant has a different take on the issue.
“If you are honest as far as your work is concerned, your hard work will get noticed. Workplace politics just leads to unnecessary thinking and adds no value to your work. It is all about making a conscious choice that it is not going to affect you,” he says practically.

Rahul Ramgopal, a customer relationship executive, says office politics mainly happens when hierarchy gets into people’s heads and they get pleasure out of putting people down. About the ways of dealing with it, he says, “There are three ways — you can either wait and watch and get to a position where people will notice you or you can make a lot of noise against the unprofessional attitude or as the last resort, you can leave the organisation.”

Dr Vinaya Prabha Baligar, a psychotherapist, says workplace politics is a very broad term and different problems have different solutions.

But the underlying factor is that an individual needs to know that he is part of an organisation to provide his skills and expertise and must keep his agenda confined to that.

“It is important to be assertive and know where to draw the line. However one good thing is that lately, more people are willing to take help to try and deal with it,”
she adds.