Strategies to overcome gossip problems at work

Engines of destruction

Remember the old adage: sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never harm me. Not true, says Richard Steele; “Fire and swords are slow engines of destruction, compared to the tongue of a gossip”.

Negative gossip in the workplace not only destroys reputations but also destroys trust in each other and the top management team and creates morale, productivity, turnover and even liability issues when the gossip is seen as malicious harassment.

Strategies to overcome workplace gossip

Strategy 1: Know what you are dealing with

Friendly work banter and malicious gossip are worlds apart, so make sure what you are dealing with. Gossip in the workplace is usually either personal or of the grapevine/workplace change variety.

• • Personal gossip is usually aimed at a specific person that the gossiper has targeted and about whom he or she continuously discloses personal or sensational information that may or may not be true. It is equivalent to bullying and usually occurs behind the person’s back and without his or her knowledge. Bertrand Russell hit the nail on its head when he remarked that “no one gossips about other people’s secret virtues”. Whatever the case, “gossip needn’t be false to be evil; there’s a lot of truth that shouldn’t be passed around” (Frank A. Clark).

• • Grapevine/workplace change gossip usually starts running wild when employees sense that change is about to occur. It is fuelled by fear of retrenchment, wild assumptions that turn into resentment and poor communication with management.

Strategy 2: Act quick, fast and decisively

Both personal and grapevine/work change gossip should be dealt with immediately to prevent staff morale dropping to an all-time low. Try the following steps:

• • Arm yourself with the facts before addressing the problem. This is especially important if you are dealing with grapevine/change management gossip. There is usually an underlying reason why the gossip started. If you do not have the answers, ask questions and get answers from top management and relay these in an honest and sympathetic way to employees.

• • The motivation behind personal gossip is often jealousy, attention-seeking, self-inflation, exaggeration, etc. and the best way to deal with this issue is to confront the gossiper head on but in a venue where your conversation will not be overheard. Try to find out what motivates the gossiper or what the hidden grievances are so that you can help the person understand the impact his or her gossiping has on others. You goal is to stop the gossiping immediately.

• • If the gossiper is not forthcoming and is aggressive, help the person understand the ultimate consequences of continued bad behaviour, such as demotion, job loss, etc. Make notes of what is being said to safeguard you against possible claims of having “harassed” the gossiper.

Strategy 3: Address the problem in a wider context

Do not try to address the problem of gossiping in an all-employee meeting but rather get the managers of the different departments together and equip them with training on dealing with conflict and gossiping. Let them discuss with their teams the company’s policy regarding gossiping as well as the negative consequences of gossiping on both individuals and the workplace. Ask them to motivate their team members to help change the culture of negative gossiping to one of positive gossiping where the good things happening in the company or in individuals’ lives are recorded, with their permission of course.

Strategy 4: Set the right example

Managers should keep their teams updated about forthcoming changes and decisions taken by top management; gossip flourishes when information is not broadcast. Also, managers can encourage employees to look out for one another and to offer help when one of the team members is going through a rough time. Where a manager leads by example and treats his or her employees with compassion and respect, an organisation is less likely to be damaged by malicious gossip.

Squash the gossip habit

Individual employees can help squash the gossiping habit by refusing to listen to the gossiper, speaking up against the gossiper instead of remaining silent. Silence indicates approval. Remembering the old Spanish proverb that says: “Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you!”

 

Sources
Anderson, J. How to deal with office gossip and difficult people at work. Retrieved from: http://janderson99.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Deal-with-Office-Gossip-and-Difficult-People-at-Work
How to deal with office gossip. Retrieved from: http://www.wikihow.com/Deal-with-Office-Gossip
Maxfield, D. 2013. Dealing with toxic gossip at work. Retrieved from: http://www.crucialskills.com/2013/07/dealing-with-toxic-gossip-at-work/
Quast, L. New managers: 5 ways to sop negative office gossip. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2013/10/14/new-managers-5-ways-to-stop-negative-office-gossip/