Don’t forget there is probably a reason behind gossip in the workplace
Why do people do the things that they do, especially with workplace gossip?
No one has the answer to this question. When it comes to office gossip, an employee spreading negativity will be like a black cloud over your company,
A supervisor must first realize that he or she has very little control over motivation or the individual. A supervisor can control his or her own response to gossip and the environment he or she supervises.
Therefore, a supervisor must ask two questions with workplace gossip:
- What is being rewarded?
- What is the motivation for change?
A supervisor must look at a gossiping employee and ask, “Why is that person doing that? What is making them do that?”
Some of them, perhaps, would rather be miserable than bored. But others have some sort of motivation. Although it’s more difficult to work up than it is to create an atmosphere down, there are ways to halt gossip in the workplace without attempting to control employees through threats of discipline.
There is a reason why workplace gossip is spreading. Find out why it began and what you can do to turn it around.
Edited remarks from the Rapid Learning Institute webinar Gossip, Gab, and the Grapevine: How to Neutralize Its Negative Impact by Hunter Lott
