Industry Research Reports
The Toxicity of Office Politics: A revealing study about the prevalence of office politics in the workplace.
Office politics has existed since the dawn of office life. While some believe ‘healthy office politics’ fosters inclusivity and supportive working environments, evidence shows that office politics is all too often tainted territory. It’s a white man’s game or a “bro culture” - in which empathy and respect take a backseat to obnoxious behavior.
At Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, we are set on identifying the practices that derail the workplace. Through this first-of-its kind research, we aim to learn how managers and workers view office politics. Backstabbing, Credit Snatching, and Blame Gaming: Disrupting the Toxic Office surveys 800 working professionals to identify and define the dynamics of office politics, delving into manager and working opinions to identify common perceptions and surprising splits.