5 Reasons We Gossip at Work

Gossip is and will always be a part of the work environment. Whether it's during a quick chat over a morning cup of coffee or a marathon session at happy hour, we've all started or repeated a rumor about someone in their absence. In fact, employees gossip up to sixty-five hours a year at work, according to a July 2002 survey by Equisys. That's a lot of time wasted around the water cooler!

Counterproductive gossip and its contagious effects drain people's time and energy, destroy morale, and stifle creativity. Unfortunately, the rise of social media and interoffice technology is making it easier to start a rumor. You don't even need to rally an audience. A harmless IM can spread around the office like wildfire and have serious consequences. But it's not always so innocent. Some people plant rumors just to sully someone's reputation and get ahead.

Why don't workers recognize their gossip's harmful effect on office productivity? And if they do, what keeps them from putting a stop to it? Gossiping is a vice because it seems like a victimless crime. You don't always see the effects of your hurtful words. Controlling your mouth is even more difficult when your job is on the line. With job security as a number one priority, gossip often becomes fair play if it means getting a leg up on the competition. Here are a few other reasons why cubicles remain breeding grounds for rumors:

1) Lack of Awareness - One of the biggest reasons gossip is so pervasive in offices is coworkers aren't aware they are even taking part. Office babble has become such a natural part of the workday that people fail to see the repercussions. If you need an excuse to fill the dead air, talk about your weekend and not who you saw doing what with whom.

2) Payoff - Gossip is a socialization process that binds people together, even if it's in a malicious way. Being part of the "in" crowd (sound like high school?) and having some tidbit to add to the powwow gives a sense of inclusion. And if you're part of the clique, ahem, team, you're more likely to be picked for projects and promotions. Unfortunately, sometimes it's not what you know or even who you know, but how much you know about others that can give you an edge (at least in the short term).

3) Rationalization - Corporate cultures are more cutthroat than ever. People are made to feel that gossip is a necessary evil and you must be manipulative to survive. You either use it to your advantage or become a victim.

4) Fear - Many coworkers engage in gossip either to look good or avoid looking bad. You're either doing the talking or being talked about. If you unexpectedly withdraw from the conversation, you could be seen as a tattletale or traitor. Is it worth the potentially alienating side effects? Yes.

5) Good Intentions - Is it gossip if you tell everyone that Janie from accounting is going through a divorce? Were you trying to hurt her reputation or just chewing the fat? Intent doesn't matter. Once it's out of your mouth, you have no control over how your listener relays the message. Don't be the source and you'll have nothing to worry about.

So, how do you avoid office gossip and still stay popular at work?
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