Gossip, often referred to as idle talk or rumour, has been around forever and is especially rampant when the topic is about someone’s personal or private affairs.
Some gossip, such as news about a promotion, is welcomed — while negative gossip usually always causes personal damage.
The challenge is that gossip is always on the edge between truth and untruth, leaving the listener with the task of determining reality on their own. For some reason, as well, gossip has always been able to spread like wildfire. But in today’s world, with social media, it spreads faster — almost at lightning speed.
Even more frightening is the fact that photos placed on social media sites can be altered through technology, making it even more difficult to determine message truths and more difficult to rectify the situation.
Rarely are the messages backed up with any kind of factual research, which in turn leaves victims helpless to do much about it. As a result, reputations can easily be ruined in real time. Unfortunately, as well, these online postings are nearly impossible to get rid of and so continue to be available.
The issue of online gossip, rumours and/or fake news has become a concern for two good reasons. First, research is showing that a good number of people are using this as their only means of gaining knowledge and keeping up with news. Secondly, there is growing belief that gossip and fake news are actually helping to destabilize the international political landscape.
If this is truly the case, then the same may be happening in our organizations. At the very least, leaders need to realize gossip could have a much larger effect on organizations than initially thought. As a result, leaders can no longer simply write off workplace gossip as an unimportant issue.
Gossip in the workplace ranges from disparaging remarks and criticism of individuals right up to malicious attacks on colleagues that border on workplace abuse. Gossip can also consist of rumours about the employer, especially when it comes to financial security, major organizational changes and/or new leadership. In all, employee insecurity is the result.
Gossip also has social and political power, and is unique in that it multiplies and grows in intensity as it travels from one person to another. With today’s social media, gossip can destroy careers and as well as organizations.
So, what can leaders do about this? There are two key strategies leaders must consider.
First, to deal with the issue of interpersonal employee gossip in a proactive manner. And, second, to ensure that communication about any organizational change is effective and timely.
When dealing with individual gossip, management needs to ensure that gossip and deliberate rumours are described within the respectful workplace policies. Specific steps need to be outlined for employees to report issues to their managers. Then, employees need to be trained on the policies and ensured that protection is in place if and when complaints are raised. Training must also help employees understand their individual responsibility to avoid gossip and to accept the fact that engaging in gossip is actually an ethical issue.
Finally, employees need to know that social media and emails are simply a form of oral conversation and that they should not write statements that they would never say to someone’s face. Remind them as well that when using social media, they will also lose control of their message.
While some gossip is indeed harmless, there are multiple questions that need to be asked to determine the effect of gossip on individuals and the organization.
For instance, assess whether the gossip serves to attack, belittle or criticize someone’s integrity. Determine if there is a negative effect on interpersonal, group and departmental relationships and assess the damage caused by this action. Determine if the gossip has the potential of creating negative emotional energy that will drive down organizational morale, increase negativity and cause interpersonal conflict. Ask if someone’s reputation is being harmed. Or is the organization’s reputation being harmed or damaged in some way?
Continue pushing the questions forward until the source of the gossip has been identified. If the gossip is coming from within the organization, confront the source. If the gossip is outside the organization, then use professional and/or friendship networks to try to get to the bottom of it.
If the gossip is unfounded and detrimental to an individual and/or organization, then something has to be done. Apply the progressive discipline policies inclusive of a verbal warning right up to dismissal if the situation calls for it. The next step is to find a way to rectify the negativity of the gossip. While this is difficult, sometimes a staff meeting and up-front communication is a good strategy. Let it be known that gossip resulting in damaged reputations will not be tolerated.
As mentioned earlier, gossip about an organization itself is often a very challenging issue. It occurs mostly around major changes, such as developing a new product, downsizing a workforce, changing senior leadership and/or changing a physical location. Change is a particularly volatile time for employees as it creates personal insecurity that can lead to general negativity which, of course, will affect overall productivity. This is also the time when management must make an extra effort to curb any accidental leakage, stop negative gossip in its tracks and protect the organization’s reputation.
Hopefully, prior to any issue relating to gossip, management will have created an environment of communication and trust so that any news to employees and clients will be more quickly accepted. Therefore, it is important that action against false information be taken immediately, because the corporate reputation is at stake.
Depending on the size of the management team, leaders could form a problem-solving group, identify the causes, brainstorm several solutions, choose the most appropriate option and develop a communication action plan. The communication plan needs to offer several alternative tactics so that the messages are distributed in multiple ways. The strategy should also offer opportunities to listen to employee concerns, so that any false statements could be challenged.
Leaders must be willing to provide rationale for their decisions and share as much information as possible. Finally, the strategies need to be applied consistently and continually until the gossip/rumour issue has been resolved. In other words, a “one-off” communication is typically not effective.
Most leaders would agree that gossip has been around forever. But many don’t realize how social media can move that gossip at high speed and do damage within minutes. So, take notice and deal with negative gossip as soon as it arises, everyone will be better for it.
In closing, I want to share a quote from historian Robert Caro in his book called Working. He says, “While I am aware that there is no truth, no objective truth, and no single truth, there are facts. And the more facts you accumulate, the closer you come to whatever the truth is.”
Barbara J. Bowes, FCPHR, CMC, CCP, M.Ed., is president of Legacy Bowes Group, the author of eight books, a radio personality, a speaker, an executive coach and a workshop leader. Additionally, she is chairwoman for the Manitoba Women’s Advisory Council. She can be reached at [email protected].
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