Ask the therapist: Does office politics demoralise you?

I am dealing with quite a few people at work who tend to bring down my morale. I try my best not to be affected, but I’m not able to turn my attention elsewhere. What can I do? Please advise. —Sukumar S

Dear Sukumar, I am sorry to hear that your morale is suffering, because of certain people at work bringing you down. I can only imagine how hard it must be for you to go to work every day.

Ignoring such people is a good strategy, but I see that you have tried this but still feel demoralised. I don’t know anything about these colleagues, nor what they are bringing you down about, but I would encourage you to have one-on-one conversations to gain perspective on their views and to set appropriate professional boundaries. After all, you and your colleagues were hired to perform in your jobs, and toxic behaviours are unacceptable and counterproductive. I also encourage you to resolve this issue, because I am concerned that your low morale might have negative consequence on your physical and mental health.

If your colleagues continue to bring you down after you’ve spoken to them, I suggest you involve your manager. It is in everyone’s best interest to have a harmonious workplace where workers can thrive and produce the best work possible. Please ask for support. Wishing you better mental health.

Dr. Annette is an integrated therapist at https://chmc-dubai.com/--

• Dubai