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Avoiding Workplace Gossip

Proper Business Conduct

Jun 4, 2008

It is easier to get caught up in workplace gossip than it is to avoid joining in the gossip.

Gossiping in the workplace can either prevent a person from being considered for an otherwise deserved promotion; or, it can get them terminated from a job.

A place of business is just that. The way that a person conducts themselves professionally is an important reflection of their work ethic.

Avoid Peer Gossip

The best route to success is to avoid discussions with co-workers that might be construed as derogatory to others, or that put down the company.

The following are just a few practices of conduct that one can adopt in order to keep an untainted image:

Stick to discussions of either a business nature; or, to general current events
If you are present when a group of people begins to gossip, politely excuse yourself. Do not contribute to the conversation
Do not be afraid to make it known that you prefer to not participate in the gossip
Do not hesitate to express your loyalty to your employer
Do not discuss personal finance or health issues with co-workers

Everyone makes "work friends". The thing that you have to keep in mind when others begin to gossip is whether or not it is worth compromising your position, and your integrity within the company, by participating in the gossip. Would your "work friends" pay your debts and feed your family if you were to get terminated?

Avoid Company Gossip

It is important to know that business is business; and, whatever decisions are made by management are not personal. Try to imagine that you are the person responsible for the company's success. Now, wouldn't it be extremely difficult, at best, to make all of the company's decisions without negatively impacting at least one employee on some type of level? It is highly unlikely.

Avoid Being the Target of Gossip

It is not a difficult task to avoid being the target of workplace gossip by conducting yourself in a friendly, professional fashion (such as not discussing personal issues). There is absolutely nothing wrong with some occasional lighthearted banter; however, there is such a thing as sharing too much information. It is better to be cordial and short in workplace conversations than to give a long dissertation about your life history and current life events.

Showing integrity and loyalty will go a long way. You will find that your superiors and peers have far more respect for those who are friendly and down-to-business than those who are friendly and openly chatty about every subject known to man.

The copyright of the article Avoiding Workplace Gossip in Personal Work Habits is owned by Janet L. Savage. Permission to republish Avoiding Workplace Gossip in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Comments

Jun 23, 2008 1:15 PM

Melissa Dylan :

Good points, but I disagree on the last one. I find that staying cordial but distant sometimes makes one the target of gossip, if there are cliques or mean-spirited people. It's amazing what people will invent or create in their minds when someone keeps to themselves. Some people just never grow out of that high school mentality to pick on "outsiders."

Which isn't to say you should try to be everyone's bff or divulge everything about your personal life. Just pointing out that staying out of it won't always take a target off your back, if people are determined to be busybodies.

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