Office Politics for the New Starter

Posted on October 27, 2008 at 11:57 am by Alan

Life at the serviced office is no different from any other.  When starting out in a new company there will be cliques, fractions and splinter groups to negotiate and adapt to.  The hierarchy and tribal warfare that goes on in a typical office can be as complex and intricate to tackle as walking into the Amazonian jungle and tackling the ancient tribes untouched by time.  Yet each time we start at a new company there is an initial feeling of shock as the daunting task of being initiated into the office battleground unfold before us.

As you pick your way around the warren of office desks, trying to piece together who is affiliated with who you may feel overwhelmed as you try to identify who is the top chief and work out how to infiltrate this close knit network.

Once you have settled in you will be fully versed in the nick-names of colleagues, the office in-jokes, in-the-know phrases and taboo subjects.  Some departments within the same company may differ dramatically with some being loud, brash and animated whereas the next is so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

After a while you’ll work out that if you want to know any of the gossip you need to hang out around the water cooler or kitchen.  Eventually you’ll be able to relax and sit back with amusement as the next new employee gingerly navigates his  or her way across the office politic maze.