According to a recent study from Pepperdine University, nearly 7 out of 10 surveyed employees claimed that office politics are at least somewhat apparent in their place of work, most commonly manifesting as rumor mongering, sucking up to superiors, gaming out blame, and stabbing coworkers in the back.
Further, 8 out of 10 surveyed employees think that any more than a little office political maneuvering every once in a while is too much, and half of them think that no office politics whatsoever would be ideal.
Almost 3 in 10 employees think office politics have hindered their ability to progress in their careers, which many employees and managers alike attribute to quitting and career path trajectory shifts as well as creating legal and ethical complications.
You can find that report here.