Tips on Handling Office Gossip
Wherever there is a gathering of men and women, you can expect to find gossip...we generally tend to be interested in the lives of others; more than what they are willing to tell us. Of course, it would then have to include a third party doling out the gist. Since you go to work everyday, it would be nice to know how to handle office gossip effectively. Here are tips:
1. Know that malicious or excessive gossip disrupts production, lowers morale, and often targets individual employees. In fact, gossip can cross the line into harassment or mobbing behaviours, and can become a health and safety or human rights issue. Don't be caught engaging in malicious gossip yourself!
2. Fill the void by communicating. Issues such as office reallocation, promotions, and layoffs are those that employees tend to anxiously anticipate. Are you an employer, don't keep people in the dark about these. Where questions arise, and employees are unable to approach managers for information, the gossip mill will start spinning. Also,as an employee, be friendly enough so that you don't become a mystery that has to be unraveled by the cruel hands of malicious gossip.
3. Employers should inform employees that malicious gossip is not tolerated. For some employers this may mean going as far as introducing a policy, but for others it may suffice to have management pass on this expectation through meetings, counseling, or during annual reviews. Employees who are spreading malicious gossip should be warned that their behaviour is not acceptable and may ultimately lead to termination.
4. Deal with rumours immediately: Have you heard a rumour about you, don't shy away from it. Deal with it immediately inan open conversation with other staff members or while relating with them one-on-one. Employers should also create sessions with employees to clear the air. The more senior the management representative at these meetings, the more likely his or her pronouncements will squelch false or malicious rumours.
5. Keep employees busy. Idle hands are the devil’s forked tongue, er…or something like that.
Alright, so enjoy the rest of the week while you glide through office relationships without having to bother about malicious gossip
Wherever there is a gathering of men and women, you can expect to find gossip...we generally tend to be interested in the lives of others; more than what they are willing to tell us. Of course, it would then have to include a third party doling out the gist. Since you go to work everyday, it would be nice to know how to handle office gossip effectively. Here are tips:
1. Know that malicious or excessive gossip disrupts production, lowers morale, and often targets individual employees. In fact, gossip can cross the line into harassment or mobbing behaviours, and can become a health and safety or human rights issue. Don't be caught engaging in malicious gossip yourself!
2. Fill the void by communicating. Issues such as office reallocation, promotions, and layoffs are those that employees tend to anxiously anticipate. Are you an employer, don't keep people in the dark about these. Where questions arise, and employees are unable to approach managers for information, the gossip mill will start spinning. Also,as an employee, be friendly enough so that you don't become a mystery that has to be unraveled by the cruel hands of malicious gossip.
3. Employers should inform employees that malicious gossip is not tolerated. For some employers this may mean going as far as introducing a policy, but for others it may suffice to have management pass on this expectation through meetings, counseling, or during annual reviews. Employees who are spreading malicious gossip should be warned that their behaviour is not acceptable and may ultimately lead to termination.
4. Deal with rumours immediately: Have you heard a rumour about you, don't shy away from it. Deal with it immediately inan open conversation with other staff members or while relating with them one-on-one. Employers should also create sessions with employees to clear the air. The more senior the management representative at these meetings, the more likely his or her pronouncements will squelch false or malicious rumours.
5. Keep employees busy. Idle hands are the devil’s forked tongue, er…or something like that.
Alright, so enjoy the rest of the week while you glide through office relationships without having to bother about malicious gossip
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