Dealing with Cliques in the workplace?

slugger09

I'm sure we have all experienced this at sometime or other, maybe you have even been part of the clique, but for us outsiders it makes work very difficult, Its even more difficult when the boss is part of the clique.

I work for a fairly small company, there are 10 of us, 6 in the clique and 4 outside, The problems with being outside the clique are

*Lack of information on whats happening in the company
*Promotions are reserved for those in the clique
*Payrises and bonuses reserved for those within the clique
*If you have a complaint about someone within the clique they all back each other up
*Unfair treatment

That is to name but a few, and the people within the clique gained entry by displaying the following qualities,

*Ability to brown nose
*Back stabbing
*Being a general knob

If you don't conform to this list you have no chance of entry, and to be honest I don't want to be part of the clique, I would just like the benefits mentioned above without being part of them, so how do you deal with a situation like this.? I've done a bit of research on the subject and the obvious answer is go to management, The issue is there is no one higher that the boss.

treetrunks

My advice would be to work hard and go above and beyond for the company. If displaying these characteristics gets you no where then you need to move on. In my experience cliques rarely exist but are more likely a group of like minded people prepared to go the extra step resented by all as brown nosers.

heretolearn_2

Leave. Get another job first of course, but that should be your plan. You either have to leave or join their little clique by becoming a knob yourself. There's no other options.

Bunnie1982

One of the places I worked previously had a terrible group of cliquey people, not so much of a workplace Clique but they were more a social group, if you didn't fit in with their mould you would be ignored and catty emails be sent about you (the ones about me said I had personal hygiene issues and was sleeping around)

It was my MD who made me aware of these emails and when I raised a grievance he denied the existence of them and then said he had deleted them all out of the database. I left not long after that, there was no point in me sticking around in a job I didn't particularly enjoy with people who made every day uncomfortable for me. I know it was probably a little bit defeatist of me, but me and hubby were relocating so not much point in fighting in.

Now I'm in a job that I both love and the people are really nice, everyone gets on with everyone else. I believe in karma and I know the ringleaders of the clique I worked with previously have had their comeuppance.

slugger09

Bunnie1982 wrote: »

One of the places I worked previously had a terrible group of cliquey people, not so much of a workplace Clique but they were more a social group, if you didn't fit in with their mould you would be ignored and catty emails be sent about you (the ones about me said I had personal hygiene issues and was sleeping around)

It was my MD who made me aware of these emails and when I raised a grievance he denied the existence of them and then said he had deleted them all out of the database. I left not long after that, there was no point in me sticking around in a job I didn't particularly enjoy with people who made every day uncomfortable for me. I know it was probably a little bit defeatist of me, but me and hubby were relocating so not much point in fighting in.

Now I'm in a job that I both love and the people are really nice, everyone gets on with everyone else. I believe in karma and I know the ringleaders of the clique I worked with previously have had their comeuppance.

Yeah I think this is what I'm gonna do, when you are outside the group its almost impossible to get in, and at the end of the day you are there to work and thats fine but being outside the group means you will never progress anywhere,

dickydonkin

slugger09 wrote: »

I'm sure we have all experienced this at sometime or other, maybe you have even been part of the clique, but for us outsiders it makes work very difficult, Its even more difficult when the boss is part of the clique.

I work for a fairly small company, there are 10 of us, 6 in the clique and 4 outside, The problems with being outside the clique are

*Lack of information on whats happening in the company
*Promotions are reserved for those in the clique
*Payrises and bonuses reserved for those within the clique
*If you have a complaint about someone within the clique they all back each other up
*Unfair treatment

That is to name but a few, and the people within the clique gained entry by displaying the following qualities,

*Ability to brown nose
*Back stabbing
*Being a general knob

If you don't conform to this list you have no chance of entry, and to be honest I don't want to be part of the clique, I would just like the benefits mentioned above without being part of them, so how do you deal with a situation like this.? I've done a bit of research on the subject and the obvious answer is go to management, The issue is there is no one higher that the boss.

I can empathise with your plight totally.

The place I used to work had numerous cliques - acting exactly as you have described. It was pathetic watching managers holding clandestine meetings under the stair wells and go quiet when you walk past. The place was also full of 'lickybots' and made for an awful environment.

Hopefully, there will be no threat of redundancies in your workplace. If you think it is bad know, just wait until people are doing anything to save their jobs - and I mean anything!

Fortunately, a new management team was brought into the ailing company I worked for and one by one - all of those cliques were unceremoniously dismantled - by 'allowing' them to leave the company.

slugger09

dpassmore wrote: »

I can empathise with your plight totally.

The place I used to work had numerous cliques - acting exactly as you have described. It was pathetic watching managers holding clandestine meetings under the stair wells and go quiet when you walk past. The place was also full of 'lickybots' and made for an awful environment.

Hopefully, there will be no threat of redundancies in your workplace. If you think it is bad know, just wait until people are doing anything to save their jobs - and I mean anything!

Fortunately, a new management team was brought into the ailing company I worked for and one by one - all of those cliques were unceremoniously dismantled - by 'allowing' them to leave the company.

Yes I have encountered that, or if you do go an make the effort to try and get into the clique they all walk of leaving you standing like a !!!!!!, not to mention the various social events that you never hear about until the following day or another good one is if its someones birthday, they bring in a cake, I watched this on Friday, it was someone birthday, they brought in a cake, I watched them walk around handing out pieces of cake, to everyone bar myself.

Kate78

heretolearn wrote: »

Leave. Get another job first of course, but that should be your plan. You either have to leave or join their little clique by becoming a knob yourself. There's no other options.

Couldn't have put it better myself. Some places just have that kind of culture. Just be glad you're not part of it and keep looking for another job.

Person_one

Argh, I hate this! Its been my ambition my whole working life to find a job where I won't have to listen to, or be the subject of, petty gossip and schoolgirl social dynamics.

I say leave if you can, is there a way in your field to work for somewhere with a larger workforce? There'll still be cliques but if there's a hundred of you its easier to ignore them. I try to just pretend the cliques don't exist and just be nice, friendly and professional with everyone, so far the result has been that I'm not invested into any one clique but none of them seem to take against me and I just happily drift along around and above the silliness.

kr15snw

OMG are you working in my last job? Lol.

They were very very cliquey, but unfortunately you only got in the clique by going out once a week and getting hammered. The boss used to find it funny to buy drinks for those lightweights (like me) and the underage girls to get us drunk.

When I didn't go a few times I then stopped being invited. This then led to me not getting invited to anything INCLUDING things like the christmas staff party as (in her exact words) 'I wouldnt enjoy it because I'm boring'

chocsessential

My definition of brown nosers is not those people who are willing to go the extra mile; it's the ones who toady up to the boss thinking it will confer special benefits. Their yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir, attitude is not because they want to impress the boss, they just want the boss to think they like him. I've met people who tell tales behind their colleagues' backs, blame their mistakes on other people, and never miss an opportunity to look good at someone else's expense. That to me is the perfect description of a brown noser.