Office Politics: classic or dud?

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Do you get involved in office politics? Can it even be avoided? Do you enjoy workplace gossip and intrigue? Or do you pretend it's not happening and think about what you're going to have for dinner instead?

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 1 November 2002 13:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Personally I hate and fear the whole pernicious business. I don't enjoy conflict and confrontation at the best of times, and when it's with people I really don't know that well... eep! But the whispered implications and muttered grumblings are even worse. I feel like crying in the toilets sometimes, I really do.

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 1 November 2002 13:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't hear any gossip. I don't see many people at work. It's very depressing as I do quite like gossip, though not the malicious sort.

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 1 November 2002 13:15 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't indulge. Thankfully I have my own office so communicate by 'phone and/or email if I need to communicate at all.

― Marcello Carlin, Friday, 1 November 2002 13:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Awful. But I'm posting this from work so I shouldn't say anything.

― Ally C (Ally C), Friday, 1 November 2002 13:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I feel a spiritual affinity with Dawn from The Office because I work on reception and have to suffer passing colleagues stopping to lean on my desk and whinge at me. As I am quite diplomatic, but also highly sensitive to any perceived criticism of me or my close colleagues, this often becomes troubling.

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 1 November 2002 13:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't really think office politics can be avoided. It's like any group of people who meet up day after day - there'll always be a certain amount of carping, backstabbing and general shittiness going on. The only advice I can give is not to let it bother you. And before you say anything about that being easier said than done, well, it is, but the key is (a) to not get involved yourself, and (b) whilst smiling pleasantly to the offender, calmly think to yourself that they are the lowest of the low (which I really do believe - the amount of people who have plummeted in my estimation for trying to stich someone up) and really don't deserve to have any notice taken of them at all. And if you get really fed up with them babbling on when you'd rather be working or on ILE, then the phrase "I really don't want to get involved in all this" works wonders when said firmly.

Most of all - don't cry. We love you.

― lol p xx, Friday, 1 November 2002 13:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Um, I think there may be another 't' in stitch. I panic about these things when talking to the punctuation and spelling fairy/police (delete as applicable, depending on how shitty the politics have been today.....) ;o)

― lol p xx, Friday, 1 November 2002 13:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Thank you :) Very good advice I think. I do often say, 'leave me out of it please' but never firmly I fear, more as a joke. I think I worry that if I am serious about it, that in itself will become a topic of office gossip!

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 1 November 2002 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Office Politics are so incredibly DUD it's impossible to quantify it. The worst part of it is that it's usually about something so ridiculously unimportant that you feel completely pathetic for getting upset about it!
If it makes you feel any better I was crying in the toilets earlier in the week. The Photocopying Troll (close relation to the Stationery troll) had a right go at me and I just wasn't in the frame of mind to deal with it - so I put her firmly in her place. She then proceeded tell the entire office what an awful cow I am, cue much whispering, pointing and conversations that stop dead when you walk by….oh joy, it’s like being back at school!

― Plinky (Plinky), Friday, 1 November 2002 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

It's something I've always hated, frankly. Working where I do, there's a lot of it, but happily being in another building with only one other coworker means a lot of it passes me by -- a blessing, as I see it!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 1 November 2002 13:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Ever seen the movie High Strung?? ha ha

I've worked with people that have said some unbelievably stupid (& strongly political) things - be they racist or sexist or anti-gay... And the worst thing is that these people tend to be higher up than me on the food chain.

On a sillier note, this one lady I used to work for arrived to work late & totally irrate one day because a policeman gave her a speeding ticket when she was on her way to Mass. PLUS she thought she didn't deserve a ticket since she donates money to the state police. So, if you're rich & go to church you shouldn't get speeding tickets? Anyway, she exclaimed, "Well! He obviously isn't a Christian!!"

I do find smiling works wonders.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Friday, 1 November 2002 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

1. is that lol p the lol p i think it is?

2. office politics are endemic, there is no escape really, the important thing is to be pretty aloof yet also caring, plus not spreading gossip (unless it's really really good ;))

3. ALLY COOK HAS A JOB!?!?!?!

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 1 November 2002 14:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Archel - possibly, but again, the only way to cope with that is to reason that the opinions of the cretins gossiping about you really don't count for anything. It took me ages to realise that I was never going to be friends with everyone, but as soon as I did, life became a lot less complicated (and I became a lot less depressed). If they can't take the fact that you don't want to drop to the level of petty gossip, well, FUCK 'EM. They don't deserve you.

(Disclaimer: that really isn't meant to be as pompous as it probably reads. Lack of inflections can be a bugger sometimes.)

― lol p xx, Friday, 1 November 2002 14:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Carsmile - Yes. I think there's more than enough with one of me in the world..... :o)

― lol p xx, Friday, 1 November 2002 14:07 (twenty-two years ago)

also i'm pretty much in ned's position in that i get to interact with loads of other staff, but my little office is like a sanctuary of calm (apart from the occasional effing and jeffing when the database falls over, obv.). i'm so glad i don't work in the general office which is bedlam pretty much constantly...

also also ALLY COOK HAS A JOB!?!?!?!?!

also also also hi pete, there really are only 70 people on the interweb aren't there :)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 1 November 2002 14:10 (twenty-two years ago)

When you reach the same stage of employment hatred as me, you will learn that there is nothing to your career (haha 'career') apart from the web of OFFICE POLITICS. I enjoy knowing what is going on and looking on with amusement - when I get drawn INTO it it's a pain in the arse but as I have nowhere to go I rarely am. I therefore am the person that KNOWS THE GOSSIP.

In fact you might all be interested to know about the latest clanger that the preying mantis dropped whilst we were in the canteen, well... etc etc.

I am not proud but then again we all know that there is fuck all to my life anyway.

― Sarah (starry), Friday, 1 November 2002 14:15 (twenty-two years ago)

GRUMP.

― Sarah (starry), Friday, 1 November 2002 14:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Hi Steve - I'm beginning to think you're very very right. The unfortunate thing is that fifty-odd of them want to know what "Fremme neppa venette" means...... ;o)

― lol p xx, Friday, 1 November 2002 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I try not to but some people do just the darnest things. My favorite was when someone dropped a "ziplock" in the hallway and a supervisor gave it to the management.. Gee, I wonder what happened to it
*cough, cough*

― brg30 (brg30), Saturday, 2 November 2002 01:46 (twenty-two years ago)

office politics are the pits and it seems that everywhere you go people try to draw you into their little web of intrigue as if its ACTUALLY IMPORTANT FOR FUCKSSAKE!!
i have worked in places with hundreds of people, and places with 10 people, and they were all pretty bad but the worst was at a club so staff were on rotating rosters. you dont want to know the shyte that circulated about whoever wasnt 'on', honestly it was scarey stuff. what made it really bad was that half the gossipers were trying to 'get ahead' by being total a-holes about everyone else, o my o my this brings back many bad memories i am so glad i left that place.

stay away as much as you can, get firm about not being involved and ignore anyone who tries to say anything snarky about that. and if you feel like crying in the loo post on here and ilxers will come to your rescue!!!!!!!!!!!!

― donna (donna), Saturday, 2 November 2002 03:17 (twenty-two years ago)

I've already gone into how bullshit my office is. I can't dodge the rumors that I'm sleeping with one of my bosses - it's gotten out to people who DON'T WORK AT MILLENNIUM!!! I'm like, what the hell?? Is there like a newsletter I'm missing? Is it secretly a reality show? But it doesn't matter enough to let it bother me besides for amusement, and I guess that's how you have to look at it. Don't cry or let them get you. That's what they want. Just think of it this way, if someone says some nasty gossip about you, that means your coworker's life is JUST THAT BORING that they have to think up exciting things for you to be doing. The only time you should get bothered is if it starts affecting your career.

― Ally (mlescaut), Saturday, 2 November 2002 03:27 (twenty-two years ago)

CLASSIC.

But then, I am Queen Bitch in my office.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Saturday, 2 November 2002 11:45 (twenty-two years ago)

In the small shop I work in, we all get on really well, except for Mrs Fatarse, who we all hate, but it keeps us united and stops us sniping at each other. Going out for a pint and moaning about her finishes off our days perfectly.

― Madeleine (Madeleine), Saturday, 2 November 2002 19:48 (twenty-two years ago)

fourteen years pass...

Life *is* office politics

― Gary Synaesthesia (darraghmac), Thursday, 12 October 2017 22:22 (eight years ago)

I used to work for a lol huge law firm where I could hide in my office and avoid politics as much as I can.. now I work for a small for with like 7 total employees and I cant fucking stand it. Its inescapable.

― officer sonny bonds, lytton pd (mayor jingleberries), Thursday, 12 October 2017 22:23 (eight years ago)

I think my current workplace is definitely the worst for office drama i've ever experienced. it's crap, and it can't be totally avoided. And in any case I'm a shop steward so i obviously also actively take an interest in any office drama that potentially involves unfair treatment of our members.

― -_- (jim in vancouver), Thursday, 12 October 2017 23:08 (eight years ago)

Love too office politics

Love to be it

Love to see it

Love to commentate and speculate and stir it

― Gary Synaesthesia (darraghmac), Thursday, 12 October 2017 23:10 (eight years ago)

"Office politics" = gossip, basically?

― brimstead, Thursday, 12 October 2017 23:30 (eight years ago)

Pffft level one stuff yeah sure

― Gary Synaesthesia (darraghmac), Thursday, 12 October 2017 23:34 (eight years ago)

gossip, yes, but also blame shifting, credit stealing, doubt planting, undercutting, japing, belittling. just the usual stuff.

― A is for (Aimless), Thursday, 12 October 2017 23:51 (eight years ago)

Credit card stealing, you mean

― Gary Synaesthesia (darraghmac), Thursday, 12 October 2017 23:55 (eight years ago)

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