How to Handle Cliques at Work

Noticing a clique forming at work is never fun, whether you’re a fellow employee or a manager. Although making friendships at work isn’t a bad thing, excluding others because of their different beliefs or personalities is. If you’ve noticed cliques in your workplace, do your best to avoid them or prevent them from forming in the first place with strong management.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Avoiding Cliques as an Employee

Small groups of people that hang out together aren’t always bad, but if your coworkers make fun of others, gossip about people, or hang out together without including anyone else, they probably aren’t creating a great environment.^{[1]XExpert SourceMeredith Walters, MBA
Certified Career CoachExpert Interview. 22 November 2019.} Keep an eye out for these cliques in your workplace.^{[2]XResearch source}
2
Keep your distance from cliques.^{[3]XExpert SourceMeredith Walters, MBA
Certified Career CoachExpert Interview. 22 November 2019.} If you can avoid it, don’t join a clique in your workplace. This can be tough if you work closely with a small group of people, but you can keep your distance by remaining friendly without becoming exclusive friends with them.^{[4]XResearch source}
- When cliques form, the reputation of the clique precedes the reputation of individual people. When new people hear about you, they’ll be hearing about the actions of the clique, not you as a person.
3
Mingle with a variety of people during work hours. If you like different people from different cliques, invite those individuals to get lunch or coffee with you. Try to diversify your friendships and don’t talk to people that are all in one clique.^{[5]XResearch source}
- If you are asked to hang out with a clique, it’s fine to accept. Just be open to hanging out with other people as well so you don’t keep your friendships exclusive.
Try not to be intimidated by the cliques. If the members of a certain clique don’t like you, it can feel scary and slightly threatening to go to work. Focus on doing your job well and try not to pay attention to those who may not like you.^{[6]XResearch source}
5
Avoid gossiping about other members of the office. Find other things to talk about with your coworkers besides people who you work with, like current events, sports, or pop culture.^{[7]XExpert SourceMeredith Walters, MBA
Certified Career CoachExpert Interview. 22 November 2019.} If you have a complaint or problem with someone in the office, try talking to them about it directly instead of other people.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Think about how you’d feel if you found out your coworkers were talking badly about you.
Although workplace connections are important, try to hang out with your friends that you don’t work with, too. This will help you rely less on your coworkers for friendship.^{[9]XResearch source}
Tip: If you don’t have many friends outside the workplace, try joining a local sports team or a club to get to know people with similar interests as you.
7
Seek guidance from a manager or mentor if you need to. If the cliques at your work are getting too difficult to deal with, try asking someone in your field for advice, like a manager or an older coworker. Try to avoid mentioning specific names so you don’t seem like you are telling on your coworkers.^{[10]XResearch source}
- Say something like, “You’ve been in this field a long time and I was wondering if you’ve ever had to deal with cliques before. Do you have any advice for me?”
8
Find another workplace if your job becomes hostile. If the cliques at your workplace are starting to gang up on you or it’s becoming difficult to do your job, consider looking for another place to work with stricter management or a different work style. Although it may be hard to tell where the cliques are before you start working somewhere, you can ask your potential employer about the workplace environment to get a feel for it before you start.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Ask something like, “At my old job, people took their friendships pretty seriously, and it started to affect their work. What are the coworker relations like around here?”
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Managing Cliques in Your Workplace

1
Tell your employees that you expect them to be inclusive. Lead your employees by example and tell them that you expect everyone to feel included and welcomed in their workplace. Make it clear that if you see anyone being excluded on purpose, there will be consequences.^{[12]XResearch source}
- Make sure you are also being inclusive so that your employees follow in your footsteps.
2
Listen to your employee’s comments. Ask to meet with people one on one and listen to their side of the story. If they are the ones being excluded, ask them how they think they could feel more included. If they are the ones forming cliques, ask them why they thought it was necessary to form separate groups within the workplace.^{[13]XResearch source}
- Try not to accuse anyone of anything in these meetings. Instead, be open and take everything that is said into consideration.^{[14]XExpert SourceMeredith Walters, MBA
  Certified Career CoachExpert Interview. 22 November 2019.}
3
Rotate your employees’ seating arrangement every week. If you can, try having your employees sit next to new people at least once a week to diversify who they talk to and make connections with. This will allow them to build work relationships with people they may not have had a chance to talk to before.^{[15]XResearch source}
- If your office doesn’t have an open floor plan, this can be tricky. However, you can hold meetings where everyone sits next to someone who isn’t in their department for a small diversification.
4
Bring your employees together for a common cause. Take a look at the core values of your company for some ideas of a common cause. For example, if your workplace values giving back to the community, arrange a day for you and your employees to volunteer at a food bank.^{[16]XResearch source}
- Reaching a common goal makes people feel more connected.
5
Show appreciation for each and every one of your employees. Often, the only people who are praised are the superstar employees who make the most money or go above and beyond their quota. Try to pay attention to those who have been steadily working hard for a long time and may have faded into the background. Single those employees out and praise them for their hard work as well.^{[17]XResearch source}
- Feeling appreciated makes employees value their job more and may even make them work harder.
Organize lunches or an after-hours event that everyone is invited to. Don’t make it mandatory, but make sure your employees know that all are welcome, not just the people in cliques. Try creating these opportunities once a month so people can arrange their schedules around them.^{[18]XResearch source}
Tip: Even if an employee declines the offer to go out, keep inviting them. They may not feel welcomed enough to join in yet.
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Question
How do you work effectively with someone who doesn't like you?
Meredith Walters, MBA
Certified Career Coach
Meredith Walters is a Certified Career Coach who helps people develop the skills they need to find meaningful, fulfilling work. Meredith has over eight years of career and life coaching experience, including conducting training at Emory University's Goizueta School of Business and the US Peace Corps. She is a former Member of the Board of Directors of ICF-Georgia. She earned her coaching credentials from New Ventures West and a Master of Business Administration from the University of San Francisco.
Meredith Walters, MBA
Certified Career Coach
Expert Answer
I recommend using compassion in those situations. Understand that if someone doesn't like you, it may be more about them than anything you are doing. Think of the situation as more related to problem solving than something that is personal or hurtful to you. Consider having an open conversation with the coworker, and try your best to avoid being defensive.
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How do you mediate conflict between employees?
Meredith Walters, MBA
Certified Career Coach
Meredith Walters is a Certified Career Coach who helps people develop the skills they need to find meaningful, fulfilling work. Meredith has over eight years of career and life coaching experience, including conducting training at Emory University's Goizueta School of Business and the US Peace Corps. She is a former Member of the Board of Directors of ICF-Georgia. She earned her coaching credentials from New Ventures West and a Master of Business Administration from the University of San Francisco.
Meredith Walters, MBA
Certified Career Coach
Expert Answer
Listen to what everyone has to say without commenting or passing judgement. Do your best to stay neutral and focused on bringing everyone together. If you notice anyone being left out, invite them into the discussion and ask what they need to feel included. Try to resolve any issues in a way that works best for the team as a whole without dealing out blame or judgements.
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How do I stop gossiping and complaining at work?
Meredith Walters, MBA
Certified Career Coach
Meredith Walters is a Certified Career Coach who helps people develop the skills they need to find meaningful, fulfilling work. Meredith has over eight years of career and life coaching experience, including conducting training at Emory University's Goizueta School of Business and the US Peace Corps. She is a former Member of the Board of Directors of ICF-Georgia. She earned her coaching credentials from New Ventures West and a Master of Business Administration from the University of San Francisco.
Meredith Walters, MBA
Certified Career Coach
Expert Answer
Gossiping and complaining are both bad workplace habits. Instead, discuss topics like pop culture, sports, or current events. Identify where you have commonalities with your coworkers and stick to light, professional conversations. If you have something else to talk about, you'll be less likely to turn to gossip and complaining to have something to say.
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