Karlene Meister

Have you noticed that the office environment can be like you're back in high school again, with all the gossip, the cliques, and the teacher's pets? Career counsellors often advise staying away from office gossip and cliques, and instead to diversify your friendships, as who you hang out with can appear as if you are taking sides, and that can come back to haunt you later on.

For example, sometimes you can extend a lunch invitation to the shy mailroom clerk, or drop by one of the departments you don't normally go to, or bring fresh baked muffins to the interns. You don't have to always hang out with the same people.

And what about happy hour, when gossip flows with the round of drinks and unhappy lips become loose? Even though you are technically away from the office, you are still at work and so the same rule applies.

As much as possible, it's best to maintain integrity and stay above office politics.

Please do share your thoughts with us on how you stay above office politics.