Overcoming Workplace Gossip: Practical Solutions for Employees

I overheard my teenage daughter gossiping with her friend in the kitchen the other day. It was pretty benign stuff — something about all the people who are and aren’t going to the party and their speculations on the reasons for both.

As humans, we’re hardwired to gossip. I’m not talking about the cruel, underhanded gossip that ends relationships and gets people fired. I’m talking about the gossip that was the only form of “nightly news” our ancestors had. Crops failing. A new baby in the next village. All of these things are a form of gossip. Unfortunately, at some point, it became a means to undermine and hurt others. This is especially true in work settings, where office gossip is one of the leading causes of employee stress.

A Negative + Negative Still Doesn’t Equal a Positive

To make it even more confusing, there are two types of gossip — positive and negative. It’s helpful for people to come together when they engage in positive gossip. For instance, perhaps a co-worker and a few others have told you that he’s getting married. Sharing this information (as long as it wasn’t in confidence) creates camaraderie. It develops positive feelings of happiness and excitement for that co-worker amongst the other employees.