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MENLO PARK, Calif., Aug. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. presidential campaign may be heating up, but it's considerably cooler in the office, a new Robert Half survey suggests. Four in 10 (40 percent) workers interviewed characterized themselves as "occasional voters" when participating in office politics, limiting their involvement to issues that affect them directly. Another 39 percent said they are "neutral parties" who stay completely out of the fray. 

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Although most employees report not being heavily involved in office politics, 56 percent have observed political maneuverings on the job. Chief among these activities is gossiping, cited by 54 percent of respondents, followed by flattering the boss to gain favor (20 percent) and taking credit for others' work (17 percent).

The survey was developed by Robert Half International, the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 700 workers in North America who are 18 years of age or older and employed in an office environment.

"Becoming embroiled in office politics is never a good career move, but it's wise to be aware of political undercurrents on the job because they do exist in most organizations," said Max Messmer, Chairman and CEO of Robert Half International and author of Managing Your Career For Dummies^®, 2^nd Edition (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.). "There are people who seek to get ahead in their careers at the expense of others, and this behavior erodes trust and undermines team morale."

Following are five types of office "politicians" and advice from Robert Half for effectively working with them:

1. The Gossip Hound. This person loves spreading rumors and can often be found hovering around the water cooler, speculating about a variety of sensitive issues. Keep your distance from the Gossip Hound and don't say anything you wouldn't say to someone directly.
2. The Credit Thief. This individual loves the spotlight and relishes taking credit for other people's work. When collaborating with a Credit Thief, document your contributions. Provide regular updates to your supervisor and correct any misrepresentations about your work.
3. The Sycophant. "Shameless" is this person's middle name -- he or she will offer fulsome flattery to anyone who is in a position of power. Although it may be hard to watch, don't sweat the Sycophant's tactics. Most managers can see through them. Give kudos to deserving individuals, regardless of their position.
4. The Saboteur. Watch your back when working with this person, who loves to play the blame game and make others look bad. Limit your interaction with this master manipulator and make sure to stand up for yourself. Often, the Saboteur will back down when confronted.
5. The Adviser. This professional is often closely aligned with an executive and serves as his or her eyes and ears. Develop a good rapport with the Adviser because he or she could have a direct line to the top.

To help professionals keep the political tone at work positive, Robert Half has introduced a new career guide, How to Navigate Office Politics: Your Guide to Getting Ahead, and videos illustrating office politics gone awry as part of the firm's ongoing video series, "Don't Let This Happen to You." Both can be found at roberthalf.com/bloopers.

About Robert Half International
Founded in 1948, Robert Half International, the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm, is a recognized leader in professional staffing services. The company's specialized staffing divisions include Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources, for temporary, full-time and senior-level project professionals, respectively, in the fields of accounting and finance; OfficeTeam, for highly skilled office and administrative support professionals; Robert Half Technology, for project and full-time technology professionals; Robert Half Legal, for project and full-time staffing of lawyers, paralegals and legal support personnel; and The Creative Group, for interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals. Robert Half International has staffing operations in more than 350 locations worldwide. Find more information at roberthalf.com, and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/roberthalf.

SOURCE Robert Half International