In almost every human situation, likes and dislikes, alliances and exclusions start manifesting themselves. You may find yourself dealing with unseen barriers between groups that are reluctant to help one another, don't share information, and sometimes even actively hinder another person or group's success. Cliques can be based on tenure, profession, social or economic class, race or ethnicity, gender, or any other factor that differentiates people from one another. We all enjoy the camaraderie of people we share an interest or characteristic with, but when cliques become too exclusive, or destructive to those outside the group, the company suffers. Crucial information is mis-communicated or omitted, deadlines are missed, equipment is hoarded, and employees will sit idle rather than help someone from outside the group.
Morale suffers, and turnover increases.
All of this is not just wasteful and unpleasant, it is also expensive and potentially lethal if not dealt with. The Solution You can reduce the harmful effects of all types of cliquishness by changing the environment. In some specific cases, it may also be necessary to analyze the nature of the exclusiveness and address them directly with the groups involved. The first step is usually to figure out the nature and extent of the problem. Cliques in General People tend to associate with people that have similarities is usually a positive thing.