All it takes is one person. It could be the receptionist hanging out in the office kitchen, talking to a co-worker. It could be the supervisor who sends an instant message to his colleague. It could even start from the top, when the CEO makes an off-the-cuff comment to another executive that’s overheard by a subordinate. These scenarios are the birthplace of rumors and gossip.
According to a recent Harvard Business Review article, 90 percent of conversations qualify as gossip at the office. Work email alone makes up for 15 percent of gossip.
Unfortunately, gossip can be very damaging to an organization. Its toxicity can be rampant, causing employee disengagement, decision-making based on false pretenses and even attrition of jobs. Even worse, the damaging effects can happen as quickly as the rumor itself.
How can you get a grip on gossip in your workplace? Follow these tips from Steve Howell with Sandler Training.
Identify and talk to the key gossipers. If you hear a rumor that’s false, head it off at the pass by addressing those employees contributing to gossip. He suggests setting up a private meeting with each person, and communicate the negative impact this person’s behavior is having on the organization. Many people are unaware of the unintended consequences of their actions. Allow the employee to explain his or her side of the story so you can better understand what’s false and what’s true. Sometimes managers get a truncated version of office gossip. Knowing the full story helps you deal with the gossip objectively and resolve the conflict.
Get to the root of the problem. As Howell points out, gossip can be a symptom of a larger, more pervasive problem in the workplace that can lead to distractions across the organization and lack of focus. He suggests digging deep to find out the underlying cause of the gossip. Talk to individuals and host lunches with groups of employees from different areas of the business. Get different perspectives, then filter out real concerns from complaints. Once you are certain you have the truth, avoid making accusations. Instead, approach the sources of the gossip with the simple facts. If you can prove that the employee has been spreading malicious gossip, the problem becomes a disciplinary action.
Address and document the problem so that you have proof of the incident. Make sure the employee knows that gossip will not be tolerated in the office, and that future instances could result in severe punishment or even termination.
Set the example. Most important, don’t become a gossiper yourself. Lead by example. Don’t listen in on gossip and always address when it needs to be shut down. This sets the tone for your office culture and demonstrates that gossip is not tolerated. Changing bad habits is never easy, especially your own, but when employees look to you for how to behave, provide a positive example. As Howell points out, setting the tone for positive office conversation prevents employees from inadvertently spreading negative gossip.
Create positive gossip. Create positive gossip at work by sharing individual and team wins. Spread the news about all the great things that are going on in your workplace. This builds a sense of pride and ownership across the team, as well as serves as a bit of peer pressure for those who are under-delivering. You can do this by setting aside time for recognition at team meetings, team-building events or through email recognition. And provide some buzz-worthy rewards for a good job done, a visible award to put on a desk, a gift card or a cash reward.
Turn bad buzz into great gossip at your office by following these steps.
Source: Steve Howell, vice president of operations at Sandler Training, is responsible for domestic and international franchisee support and growth, including all facets of onboarding, training and coaching of trainers within the network.
