Office politics

One of the most unpleasant things about working in an office is the "minefield" of office politics: how co-workers act to gain advantage in the organisation. Even if you don't want to get involved in power struggles or other people's arguments, you still need to be aware of the relationships between people so that you can do your job without becoming sidetracked.

So how should you act in an English-speaking workplace to minimise the problems of office politics?

The longer a problem continues, the worse it gets. If you can't intervene yourself to resolve conflict, speak to your manager. It is his or her responsibility to remind people of what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in the office. As with cases of office bullying, your trade union representative could also help if your manager isn't available.

Remain neutral. Don't get involved in other people's arguments by taking sides. If you work closely with the two people locked in battle, talk to each person individually to find out what the problem is. Let each know that you are neutral and that the situation must be resolved.

Remember: being "fair" is a quality much appreciated by British English people. If you gain a reputation for being fair and neutral with your colleagues, you will gain respect - and make friendships.