Workplace politics, sometimes referred to as office politics or organizational politics is "the use of one's individual or assigned power within an employing organization for the purpose of obtaining advantages beyond one's legitimate authority. Those advantages may include access to tangible assets, or intangible benefits such as status or pseudo-authority that influences the behavior of others. Both individuals and groups may engage in Office Politics." Office politics has also been described as "simply how power gets worked out on a practical, day-to-day basis."

Office politics differs from office gossip in that people participating in office politics do so with the objective of gaining advantage, whereas gossip can be a purely social activity. However, the activities are related. Office gossip is often used by an individual to place themselves at a point where they can control the flow of information and therefore gain maximum advantage.

Office politics also refers to the way co-workers act among each other. It can be either positive or negative (i.e. co-operate or compete).