The “Office Politics” Effect: How Workplace Drama Affects Mental Well-Being 

Do you enjoy your job? How is your job environment? Do you often get the opportunities and rewards you deserve from your workplace? If you are treated fairly in your workplace, then it’s a very healthy environment. But this is not the case for everyone. Some of you are hardworking but do not get what you desire. Some others are getting more opportunities, whereas you are ignored. It’s not because you are less capable but because they have more influence. This is called office politics, a public secret that affects the employees, especially their mental health. This article focuses on addressing such issues and their effects on mental health. 

Read More: Building Hard Working Mindset: Psychology, Neuroscience, and Effective Habits 

Understanding Office Politics 

Office politics, also called organisational politics and workplace politics, is the use of power, influence, and networking to achieve personal or professional goals. This may range from lobbying to manipulation, favouritism, and backstabbing. This often involves individuals engaging in activities to improve their self-interests even at the cost of others’ wellbeing. 

Due to office politics, you may need to join certain groups and act according to their expectations to become their favourite. This will give you abundant opportunities and support even if you do not work that hard. Despite their hard work, those who deviate from this may be often isolated and denied opportunities. Apart from this, they may also become victims of gossip. 

Read More: Workplace Cliques and Their Role in Office Culture

How Office Politics Affects Mental Health 

Even though working on self-improvement is appreciated, doing it in an unhealthy manner often affects the well-being of other employees. Let’s look at how these affect employees’ mental health. 

1. Stress and Anxiety 

How do you feel when you have to work in a professional setting that is very unpredictable and uncertain? This may lead to constant distress and uneasiness. For example, you are often ignored not because you did something wrong but because you are not the favourite of certain individuals or groups. Here, you are indirectly punished for something that you are not responsible for.

Generally, organisations have a hierarchical structure where the higher officials are in charge of the lower-level employees. In many settings, this power is often misused. So, those who work in favour of these officials get promoted and receive rewards and other benefits. As a result, employees who are not in agreement with the authorities often face dissonance when they need to act in a manner opposite to what they want.

That is necessary to save their current job position. So, the fear of losing opportunities or being unfairly targeted can lead to increased levels of anxiety, often leading to reduced performance. 

2. Lack of Trust and Relationships 

Do you trust your colleagues if you are working in an environment of workplace drama? You can’t predict who is genuine and who can be trusted. So, you have to filter your conversations to stay safe. This is not only about personal conversations but also about professional communications that are necessary for the growth of the organisation. Employees fear to share their ideas and to collaborate with their colleagues because their contributions may be misused. They feel it’s better to keep a distance from others to prevent harm from them. Such a professional setting may lead to emotional exhaustion and isolation. 

3. Decline in Job Satisfaction 

As office politics involves favouritism that results in unfair promotions and rewards based on political affiliations rather than merit, those who really show dedication and put in effort are often unseen and ignored. If employees feel that their efforts and hard work are undervalued, they become demotivated and hesitate to take initiative. This can further lead to decreased productivity and greater turnover intention among employees. 

4. Burnout and Emotional Exhaustion 

The uncertainty caused by office politics often keeps you on edge. You always need to look for threats and be vigilant to prevent getting caught in the dark side of office politics. This hypervigilance is often mentally draining for the employees. Moreover, if you don’t like the label of any affiliations and recommendations, then it’s very difficult for you to survive in this kind of environment. You may have to suppress your emotions to avoid conflicts, which results in emotional exhaustion. You also experience burnout, which includes chronic fatigue, detachment, and reduced performance. 

5. Impact on Self-esteem and Confidence 

Workplace drama may often keep you sidelined or unseen. Even though you are giving your best in your job, this office politics left you unrecognised. When employees experience this and get manipulated for a long time, it may result in reduced self-esteem and confidence. This makes it even harder for them to take the initiative and express their opinions.

Read More: How to Deal with Office Politics?

How to Cope with Office Politics for Better Mental Health 

Since office politics is often unavoidable, you can focus on managing its impacts on mental health. 

• Set boundaries: Setting clear boundaries is the best way to prevent the negative effects of workplace drama. You should avoid engaging in gossip, taking sides, and forming alliances based on favouritism. Try to keep healthy boundaries and your ethical stance. 
• Focus on performance integrity: Don’t let the workplace drama affect your performance. Instead of getting involved in them, try to prioritise your work and integrity. Developing professionalism and excellence that outweighs the drama can give you a good reputation. 
• Seek support systems: Having a strong support system is often good for you. It may be inside or outside your professional system, such as supportive colleagues, mentors, or counsellors. They can support you and help you understand different perspectives while dealing with office politics. 
• Learn conflict resolution skills: You may face different types of conflicts in this kind of workplace. So, you need to learn effective conflict resolution skills so that you can prevent minor conflicts from becoming major conflicts. This involves using effective communication strategies, negotiation, and problem-solving skills. 
• Develop emotional intelligence: The ability to manage and understand one’s own and other’s emotions can help you prevent their negative impacts. This skill enables you to recognize political games in your office, respond calmly to conflicts, and build positive relationships. Developing emotional intelligence is not only useful in your professional settings but also in other areas of functioning. 
• Advocate for organizational change: Even though it’s difficult to eliminate office politics, you can take some steps to minimize it. You can advocate for transparent policies, fair evaluation systems, and employee well-being projects to ensure a healthier professional environment for the employees. Organizations should take steps to implement these by creating spaces for open communication and mental health support. 

Read More: 9 Tips to Ensure a Positive Work Environment

Conclusion 

Office politics is an unavoidable part of our professional lives. However, it doesn’t mean we should allow it to affect our mental health. Each employee comes from a different background, and employment is a necessity for many of them. They can’t simply resign from an unhealthy work environment. However, that doesn’t mean they need to tolerate everything.

Employees’ well-being is also important for the growth of an organisation. So, it’s the responsibility of an organisation to ensure a healthy working environment. They should implement policies to prevent the negative impacts of office politics and provide a mental health support system. 

To the employees: Don’t let your surroundings define who you are. It’s not your fault to go through this, but you can take certain steps to deal with their negative impacts and maintain your well-being. 

FAQs 

1. What exactly is office politics, and why is it considered harmful? 

Office politics refers to the informal use of power, influence, and networking to achieve personal or professional goals. While it is not inherently harmful, it can become toxic when it leads to favouritism, manipulation, and unfair treatment, causing stress, distrust, and mental health issues among employees. 

2. What are some signs that office politics is affecting my mental health? 

If you experience constant stress, feel unappreciated despite your hard work, struggle with workplace relationships, feel isolated, or notice a decline in motivation and self-esteem, office politics may be negatively impacting your mental health. 

3. How can managers and organizations reduce toxic office politics? 

• Implementing transparent policies for promotions and appraisals. 
• Encouraging open communication and a supportive work culture. 
• Conducting workplace mental health programs. 
• Promoting fairness, inclusivity, and ethical leadership. 
• Setting up grievance redressal systems for employees to report workplace issues. 

4. What should I do if I am being unfairly treated due to office politics? 

• Document instances of favouritism, bias, or manipulation. 
• Speak to HR or a higher authority if necessary. 
• Maintain professionalism while addressing concerns. 
• Seek external career or legal advice if the situation worsens. 
• Prioritize self-care and mental well-being by practising stress-relief techniques.

5. Is avoiding office politics completely possible? 

While avoiding office politics entirely may not be realistic, you can choose how to engage with it. Staying neutral, focusing on performance, and maintaining integrity can help you navigate office politics without letting it harm your mental well-being.