Popularity Has Its Benefits At Work

[question everything]

FEBRUARY 24, 2009

Popularity Has Its Benefits At Work; a Juggle Up Close

WSJ

If you thought you left the world of cliques and in-crowds behind when you left high school, you'd be wrong.

The benefits of being popular extend all the way into the adult workplace, based on research in the latest issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology.

Just like children on the playground, co-workers not only agree on who's popular, but they also afford those lucky few more favorable treatment. This includes more help and courteous conduct, and less rudeness and withholding of helpful information, based on a study of 255 employees and their co-workers in hospital, restaurant, sales and administrative jobs.

The researchers, Brent Scott of Michigan State University and Timothy Judge of the University of Florida, said popular workers drew more co-worker support regardless of their status on the organization chart. They also may gain an unfair advantage over less charming colleagues, the researchers suggest, which may hinder a meritocracy. "By valuing popularity, organizations may be promoting a certain 'clubby' atmosphere that mimics school culture" rather than rewarding merit, the researchers write.

But what these researchers call popularity, career coaches might call savvy office politics -- the art of getting people in your corner.

—Sue Shellenbarger

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123544423127256123.html (subscription)


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Or, like the hearts given on DU..


:hide:

[Captain Hilts]

1. Men are more likely to seek mentors and women more likely to think working hard...

helps your career. Men are right and women are wrong.

[maxsolomon]

2. sometimes i think the only reason i still have a job

is because i am reasonably attractive, charming, and funny. it's certainly not because i am the vaunted "hard worker" that americans are supposed to be.

:smoke:

[lumberjack_jeff]

3. Oh no, you didn't...

lol! I'm glad I'm not the only curmudgeon.

[izquierdista]

4. I believe it

But if they hide my red Swingline stapler one more time, I'm going to burn the place down.