Kurt Motamedi Quoted on Office Politics in a Hybrid Work Setting for Society for Human Resource Management Article

As workplaces start to reopen, the majority of employees have made it clear they want to continue to work from home part or full time. In an article in the Society for Human Resource Management’s Executive Network, Kurt Motamedi, PhD, professor of strategy and leadership, describes the negative consequences of office politics in a hybrid and online setting. "Office politics is rooted in gaining personal power and influence. When you're online, you're no longer socially anchored like when you're in the office with a social menu where you could express some of your concerns. Zoom is a two-dimensional form of communication. Informal conversations that happen on the side and nonverbal communication diminished. It can raise a great deal of anxiety for individuals whether they're aware of it or not." When an employee's time with leaders and colleagues is truncated, navigating office politics turns into the challenge of "How can I calibrate myself to get my way with this organization?" Motamedi said. "We are collaborating and competing with co-workers at the same time."

The full SHRM article is available here.