| Your staff is small and one of your employees is | | | | Additionally, I think you need to take a close look at |
| constantly gossiping about co-workers, customers, | | | | her contributions to your company. Is she really as |
| and probably you too. People are starting to | | | | good as you think? Is she so good it's worth the risk |
| complain, but the gossip monger is a good worker. | | | | of losing the other two employees? What about her |
| What should you do? | | | | productivity? It appears obvious to me that if she'd |
| Gossip in the office is about as common as a stapler. | | | | spend more time working and less time gossiping, |
| There are always those individuals who want to "fit | | | | she'd get a lot more done. Plus, she's distracting the |
| in" or they want co-workers to view them as | | | | other employees and possibly upsetting them which |
| someone who is "in the know". Because gossipers | | | | interferes with their productivity and well-being. |
| often suffer from low self-esteem, talking about | | | | Another concern is the exposure to potential liability. |
| others or spreading rumors makes them feel | | | | Depending on the nature of the rumors, your |
| important and powerful. | | | | company may be subject to claims of harassment, |
| Practically everyone is guilty of a sharing a little | | | | slander or other types of legal recourse. That's |
| scuttlebutt at the water cooler from time to time. | | | | particularly true if you've been made aware of the |
| However, when gossip and rumors are out of | | | | situation and have done nothing to remedy it. |
| control, the result is damaging and it creates an | | | | Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the |
| unhealthy work environment. According to a recent | | | | Chatty-Cathy in your firm could cause you to lose |
| survey conducted by the staffing firm Randstad USA | | | | business impacting your bottom line. In your question, |
| and Harris Interactive, 60 percent of more than 1,500 | | | | you said she gossips about customers. What if one |
| respondents said workplace gossip is their number | | | | of them finds out that your employee - a |
| one pet peeve. | | | | representative of your company -- is telling tales |
| From your perspective as the business owner, you | | | | about them? Get ready for that person is to take |
| should be extremely concerned about this situation. | | | | her business elsewhere. |
| Workplace gossip decreases productivity, distracts | | | | I'll close with a few recommendations. Try creating a |
| people from their work, creates a divisive workplace | | | | gossip-free workplace for six months or so and get |
| and dramatically impacts morale. | | | | buy-in from your team. Schedule open dialogue |
| So what should you do? For starters, confront the | | | | meetings every week to encourage positive |
| office gossip monger and have a serious | | | | communications among your employees and you. The |
| conversation with her. Make it crystal clear you don't | | | | bottom line is, if you're unable to get the gossip in |
| approve of her gossipy habits and explain the | | | | your office under control, then it's up to you to put |
| importance of conversational boundaries in the | | | | the kibosh on it and take corrective action for the |
| workplace. | | | | good of your business. |
