The Tribune

At age 19, I recall being fascinated by my fledgling professional experience. I got to wear a tie and serve the public. It was also a time to observe my senior colleagues who presented as professional models. What became evident sooner than not was the socialization between personality and rank. The office alliances (cliques) were predicated by inter office problems and commonalities. Those looking in felt begrudged, left out and less favoured and it became a part of their everyday workplace hushed communication. Clueless as to where I stood in the scheme of things I bounced between the overlooked and the bolstered, never establishing allegiance to either.

Running the gamut of professionalism (be it blue or white collar) lies the clique potential. In most instances, a clique starts out with people who form close friendships and then use their alliance to make it easy on themselves or to make it hard on others. Along the continuum of social dynamics is the need for people to find their niche - an environment that supports their agenda, overriding value systems and sociability. As such, it is unrealistic to expect to avoid politics altogether in any work environment; however, to be woven intricately within may cause problems for the individual and his colleagues. There are some within the organisation who pander to the powers that be and find themselves kissing up for points with the decision makers; more often than not the eventual reward pales in comparison to the frigid dynamics that said employee creates for themselves among their peers.

Cliques can become toxic and spiral out of hand, hurting working relationships, inhibiting productivity and placing those on the outside at odds with each other. Moreover, cliques have the potential to turn into hateful groups of people who - perhaps desperate for recognition - find strength in ensnaring more susceptible employees to their ranks.

Favouritism or colloquially curry favour is another form of politics found in the workplace. This custom of politics fashions an atmosphere of tension, antipathy, and a diminished trust culture between employees in any workplace. Nepotism, religious or political fraternizations may all spur favouritism.

I have long held that there exists pockets of front line managers and HR managers in the Bahamas who are misguided in their handling of the collective; they often neglect to manage their own indulgence in the very behaviours that they have been mandated to thwart. So to affect a culture that supports objectivity and fairness, they should engender the following:

Relationship management – a manager who is tempered and fair in conflict resolution will make impartial decisions that serve parties involved. For the informal leader, (the employee with heavy peer influence) managers should seek to redirect their influence among employees toward positivity.

Objective Achievement – every company has a mission and objectives; management should always seek to fill those objectives void of bias. Companies benefit from clear and transparent policies, goals and objectives in which all employees and managers are held accountable. This frustrates the temptation for anyone to give in to fraternization and cliquish behaviour.

Culture management – culture management incorporates aspects of the two previously mentioned dynamics but more broadly, upper and mid management with HR should act as the champions of the desired culture at work, including the management of negative groupings and relationship influences. By and large, Bahamians work well under supervision that they trust.

Failure of management to manage cliques may cast them in a dubious fraternity of non-starters who don’t have the organisation’s best interest at heart.

Think up though – you are good for it.

• Kirkland H. Pratt, MSCP, is a Counselling Psychologist with a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology with an emphasis in Education. He lectures in Industrial Psychology and offers counselling and related services to individuals and businesses. For comments, contact kirklandpratt@gmail.com.