Office politics is everywhere, no matter the size of the organization or strength of employees. When employees make strategies in a corporate environment to get their work done in their own way mostly for their own benefits, it is usually termed as politics. The term often has negative connotation. The people who attempt negative office politics have no good intentions in their mind other than profit of their own. The office politics always affects working and social environment in the office. Due to this, it strongly creates an effect on the relationship between stakeholders which sometimes become the strong reason behindthe  weak performance and productivity of work.



On other hand, if office politics is done with the right intention and way, it will be efficient and useful for keeping a good environment and maintaining good relationships. An office politics that promotes challenges among the team can collectively result in good productivity.

Following phrases will explain you about the words and phrases which describe Office Politics.

1. Groupism: always be with selective colleague/stakeholders

This word means that in an office, people make their own groups for sharing thoughts, ideas, while taking lunch, attending business parties. So this way, they won’t allow entry of an outside member in their group. They will work with their professional workmates, but that is only because of office regulations. This does not create a good, collaborative and professional bonding between all stakeholders.

Example: Groupism is the main cause behind negative team performance.

2. Being Pushy: be an aggressive for getting work done

This indicates that some employees are being pushed by their boss or superiors for getting the work done in a given time frame and the way as suggested. Such bosses are not always favorite of their employees.

Example: The aim of a boss is the profit of the organization and that’s why he sometimes becomes pushy with the employees.

3. Idea snatching: passing off one’s idea

This is also another often seen example where employees snatch idea from other colleague/stakeholder and pass it on in front of seniors to make a professional impression. But this is a negative action and can demotivate the person who thought of the idea.

Example: Idea snatching is not a good way for leading towards success.

4. Badmouthing: to criticize someone

This thing is often being observed in the corporate world. Some employees have the habit of badmouthing their boss with their teammate, office mates or colleague in a group. They never know, but this might create trouble for them some or the other day. And, due to this, they might create bad impression  in front of their boss and other stakeholders.

Example: A habit of badmouthing always leads to bad impression of an individual.

5. To claw your way to the top: to fight hard and do anything for getting promotions at work

This way of handling things might be good, but only if the intention of an employee is good. If an employee is seriously working hard having an intention to grow in an organization, then it’s good. But, we know the idiom that ‘anything in excess is a poison’. So, no employee should purposely showcase his/her efforts to their seniors rather they need to work in a genuine manner.

Example: Always clawing your way to the top, is not a good thing.

6. Golden rule: a very important principle which should be remembered

This is a kind of rule which shows discipline and/or etiquette of every employee. Rules like coming on time or before the time in office, in case an employee is going to absent, his/her responsibility is to inform prior to seniors with the ways they have suggested viz., leave application, emails and so on.

Example: The Golden Rule is always expected to be followed by every employee.

7. To let go: to be fired from the job

These things happen very often as some employees don’t have basic discipline eg, coming late to office, chit-chatting in office schedule, too much use of cell phones for personal phone calls. This all may lead to letting them off/ fired from the job.

Example: He was asked to let go from his job due to his indiscipline behavior.

Hope the above explanation has been helpful in describing office politics. We have published one more article ‘Words To Describe Office Politics - Part one’. For other related articles and blog you can browse through our site and you can even download our ‘Simply English App’ for efficient communication by browsing through different categories of English Grammar and Usage.

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