A good read. This reminds me of my workplace; every type of clique imaginable is in my office - the good, the bad and the downright ugly .
Cliques sometimes have the power to get the job done. There’s safety in numbers, and cliques can have a lot of power as a group. They can help with team morale and create a sense of camaraderie . Cliques can work across departments and accomplish just about any task that management may have difficulty with.
Cliques offer social benefits also. Who wouldn’t want to be part of a group that offers them social invitations and the perception that they are a member of an elite group.
In my workplace I am also in "The Clique". There is a small group of us who is never late, always come to work rain or shine , always dependable, picks up the slack, hang together always eat lunch together , go out together but unfortunately my dept. also has a few negative cliques - disgruntled employees recruiting the newbies and timid into their circle.
They have collectively put a strain on staff morale. The atmosphere now is so tense you can cut it with a knife. Everyone has their group they eat lunch with , gossip with , go out with etc. some folks don't even speak to each other - just the nonchalant good morning and good evening. The quality of the work has suffered, tardiness increase and calling in sick every other week is now the norm for these cliques.
We have a meeting coming up next week and I intend to initiate communication among all my colleagues. I am going to encourage them to be upfront with everyone and express their grievances as it pertains to the workplace so we can begin to resolve even minor disagreements among one another instead of prolonging ill feelings or going to others for coalition-building. I cant wait, I have a feeling some emotions will be released and hopefully walls broken down.
blackscorpion says...
A good read. This reminds me of my workplace; every type of clique imaginable is in my office - the good, the bad and the downright ugly .
Cliques sometimes have the power to get the job done. There’s safety in numbers, and cliques can have a lot of power as a group.
They can help with team morale and create a sense of camaraderie .
Cliques can work across departments and accomplish just about any task that management may have difficulty with.
Cliques offer social benefits also. Who wouldn’t want to be part of a group that offers them social invitations and the perception that they are a member of an elite group.
In my workplace I am also in "The Clique". There is a small group of us who is never late, always come to work rain or shine , always dependable, picks up the slack, hang together always eat lunch together , go out together but unfortunately my dept. also has a few negative cliques - disgruntled employees recruiting the newbies and timid into their circle.
They have collectively put a strain on staff morale. The atmosphere now is so tense you can cut it with a knife. Everyone has their group they eat lunch with , gossip with , go out with etc. some folks don't even speak to each other - just the nonchalant good morning and good evening. The quality of the work has suffered, tardiness increase and calling in sick every other week is now the norm for these cliques.
We have a meeting coming up next week and I intend to initiate communication among all my colleagues. I am going to encourage them to be upfront with everyone and express their grievances as it pertains to the workplace so we can begin to resolve even minor disagreements among one another instead of prolonging ill feelings or going to others for coalition-building. I cant wait, I have a feeling some emotions will be released and hopefully walls broken down.
.
On Cliques: A non-starter for progress
Posted 28 August 2012, 7:32 p.m. Suggest removal