Gossip at work is good according to research by Jenny Cole at Staffordshire University. The research reported in the Guardian apparently supports the view that gossip is a source of information that helps to bring teams together! I must confess to being surprised at these findings bases on questionnaires and interviews with under graduates. May be student gossip is different to work place gossip. May be student gossip is about which lecturer gives the most entertaining lectures rather than which lecture is a letch.
“Have you heard so and so has been sent home on gardening leave”. Is this information? Is it still information if they go on to say ”well I’m not surprised you could tell they didn’t get on with the new head of department. I heard they almost had a stand up row at the last team meeting”. Does it only become gossip when the conversation turns to speculation?” “It must be serious to get suspended which means either they got caught fiddling their expenses or accessing porn on their laptop”.
I have no quarrel with the view that this is a serious subject to study because in my experience as a senior manager personal conflicts between staff, harassment and bullying are some of the most difficult issues for managers to deal with. In my experience gossip is something said behind a colleagues back not something said to their face. Gossip is often critical of them as a person anything from the way they dress to their sexuality.
As a manager I have dealt with complaints from gay staff and black staff that they are being deliberately excluded by colleagues and talk about disparagingly behind their back. Many people in the work situation subject to malicious gossip don’t make a formal complaint fearing this will just escalate the situation and further isolate them from colleagues. For me gossip in these situations is harassment and bullying often with a racist or homophobic undertone.
The research as it is reported in the media appears to be saying its normal and ok to talk about people you have in common but is this gossip or does it become gossip when what people are saying is “ we all don’t like her”. Not that gossip is the preserve of women, men do it to. At best I would say gossip in the work place was unprofessional at worst it shows just how unpleasant people can be.
Blair McPherson is author of An Elephant in the Room an equality and diversity training manual and People Management in a Harsh Financial Climate and Equipping Managers for an Uncertain Future.