Pssst….Did You Hear the Office Gossip?
Office gossip is often a problem for companies. Gossip is casual talk about other people and things that may or may not be true. Gossip can reduce productivity (how much work people do), and it is often bad for morale (people’s confidence and enthusiasm).
According to an article in Newsweek, some companies are banning gossip. To ban is to prohibit or not allow something. In one Chicago company, the employees agreed that when an employee says something about someone else behind their back (without them knowing), that employee has to repeat the gossip to that person’s face. The result was that one employee who was seen by other employees as being unproductive (not doing much work) got a chance to explain that she negotiated fewer work hours because she was still going to school. Another rumor (story that is often untrue) was that one employee was dating another employee. This wasn’t true, and in fact, that employee had recently become engaged (promised to marry) someone else not working in the office.
The owner of the company said that since he instituted (started) this policy, business had improved significantly (a lot; greatly). He said that his employees were less distracted (thinking of other things) and could communicate better with each other.
Is gossiping a problem where you work? What do you think of this kind of policy?
~ Lucy
March 20th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Gossip is always a big problem in companies that I´ve worked so far. It always start with small things and after some time, this became a big snow ball and starts impacting in workplace. I think this problem will always exist and this policy, that if someone say something about another person behind his back, it must be said in the others face is really good.
I don´t know any company in Brazil that have instituted some policy like this, but I would be happy to see it here.
Very good post, Lucy
Bye bye
Rafael Oshiro
March 21st, 2008 at 4:45 pm
All people are the same everywhere and we all gossip in work some time or other. It is so easy to say something amusing about that odd new fellow or that ugly woman, that we do not know how bad it is in fact.
Now I do not work outside, but when I worked before, in a very big company, it was frequently to listen to gossips about everybody. All gossip about the others, and it was as a sport to do it.
First place I was in, just after one year more or less, a fellow came to me and told me that the other were saying that: “I was odd” that was a mistery to me at that moment, after I had many time to think about it……….and the conclusion should be? what?……..just that, what you are thinking about.
May be I was odd because I didn’t like football?, or because I was always carring a book?, or because I didn’t care about every girl that where working with us?.
Really I do not know…., but I didn’t matter at all.
Many years after, I met one of my best friends at work, and just when she was out of my side one of the fellows supposed to be friend of mine also, came and told me she was
lesbian………, and I had the very big satisfaction of telling him I don’t matter at all about her sex preferences, and I told him please do not say anything about this persons in my presence because she is was very nice, good friend of mine, and appreciate her very much.
This was 16 years before, and she and her girlfriend are now two of the best friends mine and of my wife. We traveled together many times, by autocarvan, and we helped each other several times along these years.
March 22nd, 2008 at 2:12 am
I absolutely agree. Gossip can reduce productivity and waste a lot of time. If you are the victim of rumor or gossip, you will feel embarrassed because they always whisper beside and behind your side, it can make you less focus on your work.
March 22nd, 2008 at 3:20 am
Well,I’m still studying in school and I find that the same things happened in school.Some girls have great interests on which cute guy has recently had new girlfriend,and,of course ,the following days ,that girl will become a focus of many boys and girls,including some girls jealous of her,and curious student,just like a movie .I don’t like to talk about someone behind his back,but,actually,if my friends are talking about a person i don’t like either,I may join their discussion.
I ‘ve heard about that kind of things from my mum before,though I’ve not worked yet.I can understand that’s a way to express her feeling about that workmate.But if you gossip in work ,in my opinion,that may make it possible for you to have less friends.What’s worse ,talking about somebody behind his back can cause troubles,however ,I am not sure how serious the trouble will be.
So ,setting up a policy to ban gossip is a brilliant measurement.
March 22nd, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Yes Phoebe, be sure, as much as a person gossips less friends he or her has. I think it is a very bad thing to do whereever place a person is, may be working or doing other thing, but at the end gossip people will be alone, just because it is not fair to do such a bad thing.
That “friend” that gossiped about this girl few time later I do not see him any more, but that girl and her friend have been very close to me and my wife for all these years.
I feel a deeply displeasure when I see people gossiping, even at t.v. or newspaper, and as a rule I do not see, read, or listen any program about this matter. To me is repulsive and I try to act consequently.
Best wishes.
March 22nd, 2008 at 6:15 pm
A great quote went sunmfink like this if I remember correctly… …
“Small minds discuss people,
Average minds discuss events.
Great minds discuss ideas!”
I love it!
March 23rd, 2008 at 2:08 am
Good morning Lucy,
Please, may you explain me this sentence :
“The result was that one employee who was seen by other employees as being unproductive (not doing much work) got a chance to explain that she negotiated fewer work hours because she was still going to school.”
I don’t understand the sense of this sentence. In particular at the end “to explain that she negotiated fewer work hours because she was still going to school”
Thank you by advance for your explanation.
Yours faithfully
March 23rd, 2008 at 3:47 am
I have work for many companies. As I know “Gossip” appear every where company where I worked. Also” company political” is involved. Don’t like it at all but have to live with it. To avoid it, I do talk less and nothing in personal. I do learn my lesson a lot since I work.
Once again, Lucy. Thank you for your sharing and best ever regards!
Henry Luong
Edgewater, NJ
March 23rd, 2008 at 8:24 am
Sorry David, I think that the explanation is:
One employee gossip about other that seems being improductive, but once the gossip people has to said his fault in public, the improductive employee could explained herself to all her fellows and all may understood that she has negotiated fewer work hours with the company, because she was still going to schoool.
So, what seems improductive work, it wasn’t because it was an agreement between the girl and the company….., and that gossip fellow was telling lies as he knows nothing about the matter.
Best wishes Davi¡d, and sorry for the explanation as I am not the more appropiate person to do it.
March 24th, 2008 at 4:12 am
Thank you Lucy for raising this problem and everybody comments. I strongly agree that companies should have gossip policies to make working environment clear and safe.
However, I think we’d better to live with gossip. We should be strong or try to be at least to be a victim of gossip, we will experience and be much more stronger to solve this bad situations. That’s also a “big” lesson that life teach us. Friends will be in our team to fight against gossip :). Enjoy life.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:39 am
Thanks, Emiliano, for that explanation to David’s question. That’s it, exactly.
Some employers in the U.S. will “negotiate” or be willing to compromise on an employee’s work schedule for different reasons, especially if the employee is getting additional training or schooling that would help them with their job.
~ Lucy
March 24th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
With people who gossip about me or my friends I usually deal after work…
March 26th, 2008 at 11:41 am
I´m a firefigter in Spain .We work 24 hours ,so i have breakfast ,dinner and we sleep all together.Gossiping is our favourite way to worth our time .Spain is land of gossiper.
Bye