Final answer:
Workplace politics can lead to a negative perception among employees when rewards are tied to serving the leader's interests, often seen in transactional leadership styles that prioritize rewards and punishments over merit and collaboration.
Step-by-step explanation:
An organization characterized by workplace politics is often perceived negatively by employees because it typically implies that followers are rewarded based on whether they serve the leader's best interests rather than on merit. This perception aligns with the transactional leadership style, where supervision and organizational goals are achieved through a system of rewards and punishments, often at the expense of employee morale and trust. This approach can underpin a culture that values political maneuvering over productivity and equity, potentially leading to a toxic work environment and undermining work-team collaboration and work-family balance.