Gossip is one of the biggest causes of negativity and fights in any workplace. Gossiping not only generates bad blood among employees, it also wastes many productive hours. An office affected by this error can vitiate the atmosphere of the entire organization and lower worker morale.
Rumors and gossip can make employees less trusting of others and can sabotage teamwork. Fake or exaggerated news can make people feel insecure and create uncomfortable situations. Often times, innocent workers and workers are the victims of this gossip that can have a very negative effect on their career and also on the company.
One of the best ways to counter gossip is to nip it in the bud. Find the exact source of the rumor and suffocate there. Gossip and rumors spread virally, so delete them at the source. When a colleague indulges in a rumor with you, find out their intentions. Will you benefit from the spread of this news? Is it related in any way to the event or to the person involved in the gossip? Most of the time, people resolve professional rivalry by smearing others through gossip. We need to understand that gossip is nothing more than a drain on our productivity without doing anything in terms of productivity.
Never get carried away by gossip. Make sure you don’t forward the gossip yourself. Do not pass it on. If you do, then you are just as guilty as the other person. Make sure the gossip ends with you. Never show undue interest in gossip. You will be surprised to discover how gossip dies a natural death when you show disinterest.
Always stay away from situations and people where gossip originates. It will take away the credibility of gossip. This will make the gossip less credible and therefore of less interest to others. Another side effect is that it will keep you clean and you will never be accused of participating or gossiping.
Whenever someone gossips, the best thing to do is divert the topic. This will signal to the gossip that people are not interested in your products and that they better move on. Change the subject and the gossip will end there and then.
If a particular gossip involves you, confront the gossip directly. Ask him to give credible evidence and why the rumor spread. Most of the time, the gossiper will have none and will stop bothering you.
Gossip can be easily eliminated if there is a zero tolerance policy. If someone is gossiping with you, let them know clearly and in no uncertain terms that you are not comfortable discussing these topics. Let them know that gossip can get them into difficult situations and get them fired. Such warnings deter most gossipers.
Never gossip or engage in gossip. By setting an example for yourself, you send a message that workplace gossip is a counterproductive exercise and employees should refrain from engaging in it.