|
Managing Gossip in the Workplace
Gossip in the workplace can cause trouble. It can harm relationships,
undermine trust and create a wedge in a workgroup. Time wasted
on gossip is unproductive time; therefore it damages the bottom
line.
As a manager, you are in charge of making sure that employees
feel safe and able to concentrate on their work, free of the distractions
of gossip. Here are some tips:
• Let employees know that gossip is unacceptable
• Don’t gossip or spread rumors yourself
• If an employee approaches you with gossip, interrupt
diplomatically, and redirect the person to his or her task.
• If a few people in a workgroup cannot abide by the “no
gossip” rule, make the gossip behavior part of a performance
improvement plan.
Curbing gossip in the workplace creates a win-win in terms of
improved teamwork, increased productivity and greater profits.
provided by Paula Thomas deLong, M.A., CEAP, Licensed Psychologist,
Director, FirstCALL, Your Employee Assistance Program and the
Pennsylvania Psychological Association
(PPA) , sponsor of the Psychologically
Healthy Workplace Award. If you would like to receive tips
by email, contact PPA by phone or email: Rachael@papsy.org
|
