Office gossip has always had its
negative effects at the workplace. It
makes a team unproductive, breads resentment and is a roadblock to open
communications. Office gossips includes
complaints being mouthed off between co-workers, managers and executives about
work-related matters.
Speculation about important matters
can really affect a staff’s morale. When
complaints are fired up with baseless “inside information” it causes fear to
rise and the company morale may dip even further.
Gossip is human nature. It can never be erased altogether. Its human nature to talk and sometimes, innocent
talk lead’s to gossip. The juicier the
piece of news, the more interesting the talk becomes and the more the news
travels. Even ancient civilisations
engaged in gossip.
Gossip spreads with the help of
individuals who love to be the centre of attention. They usually initiate such provocative
discussion. To some, gossiping is a way
to feel part of an important social circle at the work place. Gossip creates camaraderie among members of a
group. It creates trust among them.
Gossip is also rampant in a work
place where there are trust issues. It
is common for organizations to be divided into “camps”. Each have a certain view about the other. Accusations and blames are bound to be flying.
Gossip starts when workers are idle
and have nothing much to do. They have
too much time on their hands. They may
be bored and have nothing challenging to occupy their minds.
A study conducted in the United Kingdom
revealed that in a day, people spent at least an hour in exchanging gossip. Gossip takes up a lot of productive time at
the company’s expense.
Management need to encourage open
communication between management and staff. Bosses need to create a work environment where
employees feel safe about voicing out their thoughts, practice an open-door
policy and welcome staff into their rooms to talk openly about anything
bothering them. Set a tone for
transparency. Make the employees know
that if they’re unsure about something they’ve heard, they can always go to the
top source for clarification.
Alternatively, a suggestion or
comments box can be set up where letters of complaints or worry can be dropped
off. Employees need to know that it’s okay
to approach the boss for clarification and that bosses will be responsive to
them
The best way to keep a lid on
workplace rumours is to pre-empt them in the first place. Gossip and rumours start when the employees
don’t know what’s giving on or why certain decisions are being made. One of the way to resolve this is to talk to
employees as much as possible and fill them in on what’s happening and why. Withholding information or delaying updating
staff with important news will only make them distrust management and fire-up
their fears.
There is always the other side of
office gossip. Engaging in it does serve
a purpose. Gossip connects people
together, builds trust and friendship, and provides co-workers insight into
office norms and behaviours.
According to David Sloan Wilson, a professor
of Biology and Anthropology at the United State University of New York,
Binghamton and author of “Darwin’s Cathedral’, gossip is a very sophisticated
multifunctional interaction which is important in policing behaviour in a group
and defining group membership.
Some psychologists take the stand
that gossip is a relatively safe way for employees to blow off steam. Gossiping is one way to take off or relieve the
pressure, otherwise the whole situation could explode. It’s an outlet for the staff to diffuse some
of the tension.
Gossiping is also seen as one of the
way to build friendships. Sharing a
workplace secret with another person creates a kind of intimacy between those
involve. It can strengthen the bond
between them. Gossiping in how informal
groups established in a formal organization
For some, office gossip can be the
best thing you listen to in order to move forward as a team. Often gossip gives in sight in to staff’s
feelings and fears. Managers can glean
information about current sentiments at the workplace by keeping and ear out for
non-formal communication. Then they may
be better able to address the issues of concern, respond to the situation and
take action to move forward.
Shared from article by
Anne Hashim
Accountants Today
July 2010.
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