Employee Relations

Communication
Political Activity and
Influence:
How Does Politics Influence Company Decisions
Prepared by: ARLAN E. GARCINES
MITO 112 – Corporate Communication and Professional
Development
 Employees Relations

Employee relations is the process of building and

maintaining a positive relationship between
employees and employers.

2
 Range of Activities
Hiring and onboarding new employees
Performance management
Compensation and benefits
Employee training and development
Workplace safety and health
Dispute resolution

3
Communication
Communication is essential for
building and maintaining strong
employee relations. Employers
need to communicate effectively
with employees about a variety of
topics.
• Company goals and objectives
• Changes to policies and procedures
• Employee performance
• Upcoming events and training
opportunities
4
Political Activity and Influence
Political activity and influence are
inevitable in any organization.
Politics refers to the process of
acquiring, developing, and using
power and other resources to obtain
one's preferred outcomes.
•Networking with key decision-makers
•Lobbying for support for initiatives
•Building coalitions with other
employees
•Using one's formal position to influence
company decisions
5
 Introduction
•Politics is an inevitable part of any organization, including the
workplace.
•Employee relations, communication, and political activity can all
influence company decisions.
• Resource allocation
• Policy development
• Decision-making

6
Resource Allocation
Politics can play a role in
how resources are
allocated within an
organization.
Factors that can influence resource
allocation decisions:
• The availability of resources
• The goals of the decision-maker
• The needs of the stakeholders
• The trade-offs involved
7
Policy Development
Politics can also influence the
development of company
policies.

This can lead to inefficient

and ineffective policies that
harm the company's bottom
line.
8
Decision-Making
Politics can also influence
the way decisions are made
within an organization.
This can lead to bad
decisions that have
negative consequences for
the company.

9
“How Does Politics
Influence Company
Decisions
” 10
A. Direct Influence

11
Lobbying and Advocacy
Companies often lobby
governments and
advocacy groups to
influence legislation and
regulations that affect
their industry.

12
Campaign Contributions
Companies may donate
to political campaigns or
candidates to gain
influence and access to
decision-makers.

13
Political Appointees
Companies may appoint
individuals with
political connections to
their boards of directors
or executive teams

14
B. Indirect Influence

15
Public Opinion
Companies may be hesitant
to take actions that could
damage their public image
or alienate consumers with
certain political views.

16
Employee Morale and Engagement
Political activity in the
workplace can negatively
impact employee morale and
engagement.

17
Investor Confidence
Political instability or
uncertainty can lead
investors to lose confidence
in a company or industry.

18
Geopolitical Risk
Companies operating in
countries with unstable
political climates may face
risks such as
nationalization, expropriation,
or civil unrest

19
“
How to Mitigate the
Negative Effects of

”
Politics

20
1. Promoting a culture of
transparency and
accountability

21
Transparency
 Clear Communication
 Open Information
 Accessibility to Leaders
Accountability
 Clear Policies and Procedures
 Performance Management
 Monitoring and Valuation
 Consequence for Misconduct
2. Establishing clear policies
and procedures for decision-
making

24
Key elements of clear and effective
decision-making policies and procedures

 Define Decision-Making Authority

 Objective Criteria and Standards
 Transparent Process
 Documentation and Communication
 Dispute Resolution
3. Encouraging open
communication and feedback

26
Ways to Encourage Open
Communication and Feedback

27
A. Create a Safe and Trusting
Environment
 Lead by Example
 Promote Psychological Safety
 Ensure Anonymity and
Confidentiality
B. Foster Active Listening and
Dialogue
 Conduct Regular Meetings and Town
Halls
 Implement and Open-Door Policy
 Actively Listen to Employee Feedback
C. Respond to Feedback Promptly and
Transparently
 Address concerns and questions directly
and honestly
 Provide updates on the progress of
implementing feedback
 Explain the rationale behind decisions
made, even if they are unpopular
 Acknowledge the value of employee input
and express appreciation for their
participation
4. Providing training for
employees on how to navigate
the political landscape of the
workplace

31
Key elements of effective training for
navigating workplace politics
 Understanding Workplace Politics
 Developing Political Savvy
 Building Influence and Advocacy
 Maintaining Ethical Standards
 Strategies for Managing Up and Down
Examples:
• Managers may favor employees who are
politically connected when making decisions
about promotions, raises, and other resources.

33
Examples:
• Managers may lobby for policies that benefit
their departments or their allies, even if these
policies are not in the best interests of the
company.

34
Examples:
• Managers may use their political influence to
push their preferred outcomes through, even if
these outcomes are not supported by the data or
the evidence.

35
Employee Relations
Communication
Political Activity and
Influence:
How Does Politics Influence Company Decisions

ARLAN E. GARCINES
Graduate Student
MITO 112 – Corporate Communication and Professional
Development
References:
• 5 ways to diffuse workplace politics - Hourly, Inc. (2023, September 17). home-memorial. https://www.hourly.io/post/workplace-politics
• Campion, N. (2022, March 7). General meeting rules and procedures for limited companies. Quality Formations Blog.
https://www.qualitycompanyformations.co.uk/blog/general-meeting-rules-procedures-limited-companies/
• Combating corruption. (2023, June 9). World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/governance/brief/combating-corruption
• Commission data reveals lobby transparency loopholes and corporate bias. (n.d.). Access Info Europe.
https://www.access-info.org/2017-02-20/commission-data-reveals-lobby-transparency-loopholes-and-corporate-bias/
• Effective communication in the workplace: How and why? (2021, December 16). Spiceworks.
https://www.spiceworks.com/hr/engagement-retention/guest-article/effective-communication-in-the-workplace-how-and-why/
• Encourage your employees to give you critical feedback. (2021, August 2). Harvard Business Review.
https://hbr.org/2021/08/encourage-your-employees-to-give-you-critical-feedback
• Just a moment... (n.d.). Just a moment... https://www.oecd.org/corruption-integrity/
• Navigating office politics when there is no office. (2020, October 12). Harvard Business Review.
https://hbr.org/2020/10/navigating-office-politics-when-there-is-no-office
• Post News Network. (2018, August 27). EC convenes meeting with all national and regional political parties. Odisha News, Odisha Latest news,
Odisha Daily - OrissaPOST. https://www.orissapost.com/ec-convenes-meeting-with-all-national-and-regional-political-parties/
• Research and development (R&D) definition, types, and importance. (2003, November 25). Investopedia.
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/randd.asp
• Tarrant, S. U. (2018, July 17). Meeting your elected official in 4 easy steps — World vision advocacy. World Vision Advocacy.
https://www.worldvisionadvocacy.org/2018/07/17/congress-meeting-how-to/
• Tom, T. (2019, May 3). Classroom management for an effective learning environment. TeachHUB.
https://www.teachhub.com/classroom-management/2019/05/classroom-management-for-an-effective-learning-environment/
• Verlinden, N. (2023, September 29). Employee relations: Examples + 10 strategy tips. AIHR. https://www.aihr.com/blog/employee-relations/
• The voice of all things work. (2023, June 21). SHRM. https://www.shrm.org/ 37