An important part of being a people manager is knowing how to manage office gossip and limit negative rumors in the workplace.
Too much gossip will eventually hurt productivity and lead to low morale and employee engagement. Another negative side effect is the impact on employee turnover, with high-performing employees becoming frustrated and ultimately leaving. On the extreme end, malicious and hurtful gossip could potentially result in legal action being taken against the company. These are just a few of the negative impacts of office gossip, but there are ways to overcome the gossip.
Here are a four essential tips to overcome office gossip and protect your company’s productivity and values.
Tip #1 – Address the employees who gossip.
The first step is to stop the gossip directly by addressing the key people face to face. Always meet in a private location where your conversation cannot be overheard. The purpose of this step is to to help the person understand the ramifications of their actions and what could happen if it continues. This could include a written warning, demotion or even loss of employment. Make it very clear that gossip will not be tolerated and explain the consequences if it continues.
Tip #2 – Meet with all your employees.
The next step to manage office gossip should involve addressing your entire team. Add gossip as an agenda item at the next staff meeting. Use humor to introduce this topic and get people talking. Make sure to include some examples from the news to highlight the potential damage of gossip and rumors. Make sure your team understands the difference between negative and positive gossip and the ramifications of each. Over time, develop a strategy that helps your team change the corporate culture to one that encourages positive gossip.
Tip #3 – Don’t Ignore It.
While gossip is often hurtful and not productive at all, there are sometimes ways to make it useful. Gossip might point to issues that are brewing among staff and alert you to take action. Not everything that is said around the water cooler is worth your attention. Look for patterns in mood and behavior. Identify better methods than the rumor mill to flag problems. Keep communication open and search for ways to improve the work environment.
Tip #4 – Report It.
Above all, gossip can be a huge distraction in the workplace and can easily cross over into harassment and bullying. As a manager, don’t hesitate to bring any incidences to HR if there is a problem you cannot solve on your own. If the gossip does not stop after taking action, talking to HR should be your next logical step.
In a day and age where it is becoming more common place for people to speak their minds, we see more and more incivility at work. It almost seems like people feel they have permission to say and do things that they would not have said or done 1 year ago. It’s a people managers job to ensure that negative behavior does not impede the progress, productivity or goals of the organization. Follow these tips to manage office gossip, help mitigate the negative impacts of gossip and build a positive work environment.
