If we consider working, sleeping, leisure/sport, and household activities, a 2006 American Time Use Survey Summary revealed the average full time employee spent 9.3 hours (almost 39 percent) of the day at his/her respective job with colleagues. Depending on the job, we spend more time with colleagues than family members. With so much time spent on the job, ideally, the workplace would be an environment that enticed us to arise each morning, enthusiastic about heading to our jobs. In reality, this is not the case as a recent study indicated that less than 50% of all Americans are satisfied with their jobs. Twenty years ago, 61 percent of Americans were satisfied with their jobs. Why is that?
People seek employment for various reasons: income, self-worth, the desire to be needed, and the desire for a sense of accomplishment. Unfortunately, when these needs are not met, dissatisfaction, unhappiness, and even hurt emerge. As a child, my friends and I would often recite “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Wow, what an untrue statement and belief. Words can and will hurt, depending on what, when, and where spoken, especially when spoken behind someone’s back…gossip. The victim of work place gossip automatically builds defense mechanisms and later dreads the threatening work environment. I think you would agree, few jobs compensate enough that a person is willing to return day, after day, after day for torture and personal attacks against them. Two major results of gossip are division (”Us and They” mentality) and unwarranted pain to those falling victim to such gossip.
“Us and They” Gossip:
I have been a manager and leader in organizations for over 15 years and specialize in building teams who focus on common cause achievements, understanding team roles and responsibilities, and acknowledging strengths and weaknesses. Based on these factors, I noticed the successful teams worked together to better the organization, team, and themselves. Most importantly, they deterred any sign or division, to include gossip. Divisive conversation that designates an “Us and They” mentality is detrimental to any organization. For instance, has anyone ever approached you and said, “Stick with us; we’ll make sure they don’t try to get over on you”? Although subtle and presented in a supporting manner, “Us and They” conversation is the building block for major organizational division and is a recruiting tactic used by either rival team. Hint: Run as far from these people as possible. They destroy work environments and work overtime at it, without pay! The more you engage in conversation with them, the more they gossip to sway your perception. Keep in mind, you have a great mind of your own and don’t need a daily bulletin on “Who’s who in the workplace.” As I stated earlier, stay away from these people.
Gossip Causes Unwarranted Pain:
Lisa came to work one morning and on her way to her desk, stopped by Jason’s desk to say good morning. While greeting one another, Jason glances at his computer, skims over the first few lines of an email and says, “UUUUgh, the boss really gets on my nerves! Does he send you stupid emails like this as well?” STOP! Hopefully, Lisa is mindful of her response to Jason because if she’s not careful, her response can create division in the workplace. Lisa should respond to Jason but not to his divisive statement. She may reply with “well, Jason, today will be great day, I need to get to my desk and will chat with you later.” However, if she agrees and responds with “yea, I know”, “I get them all the time”, or “I’m glad I’m not the only one”, she will perpetuate workplace gossip and division. Even worse, if the boss overhears or gets word that Lisa and Jason were gossiping about him, a huge misunderstanding may arise and rest assured the boss would be hurt, even if he doesn’t share his offense with those involved. The entire conversation would have lasted for only a few minutes but has lasting implications for days, months, years, or even a career for Lisa and Jason.
Avoid gossip in the workplace at all costs. As stated earlier, we spend a tremendous amount of time on the job. Why not foster a pleasant work environment for ourselves and colleagues and not a place of torture by words. Generally, we perform better when we are encouraged and when our talents are praised, not when we are ridiculed of our weaknesses. If your ears have been burning in the workplace, shake it off and know that you have a special place in your organization and possess valuable talents, if not, you would not have been hired. For those of us who have perpetuated workplace gossip and even instigated division in the organization, today’s a new day and accept the challenge to speak encouraging works to your peers and not words to tear them down. Everyone will benefit from this slight adjustment and watch the work environment change for the better.
By: Jarrard Galbreath
About the Author:
Filed under Business by on Nov 21st, 2010. 
If every workplace in North America (and my guess would be the other continents, as well) became gossip-free zones, I am positive that productivity would go up by at least 25% overall. In some environments, it might go up by 50% or even more. And, the theft of time caused by this lack of productivity would be essentially eliminated. So, how can you avoid gossip and help your organization be a gossip-free zone? Here are some ideas to consider:
Know what gossip is. A few definitions include: “Rumor or talk of a personal, sensational, or intimate nature” (American Heritage Dictionary); “Idle, often sensational and groundless talk about others” (Houghton Mifflin Thesaurus). Hmmmm. Neither one of those sound like this is something you want to be engaged in. And it certainly doesn’t make anyone more productive. Keep a count for 2 days of the number of times you engage in gossip, either because you instigated it or because someone else did and you listened. Then ask yourself if you are increasing your productivity (or anyone else’s) through this behavior. Once you have a number of times that you engage in gossip, then work to shave that number down for each two-day period in the future, until you are down to 0 times. Make a pact with yourself to stop gossiping. When I was a teenager, one of my best friend’s parents would say, “ZONK!” anytime either one of us would say anything that wasn’t nice about someone else. As teenagers, this was just mortifying, because Mr. and Mrs. Riley felt free to do this when we were out in public, not just at my friend Donna’s house! However, I can still hear her parents’ voices whenever I say something negative about another person. (And let’s just say it’s been a few years since I was a teenager and leave it at that!) Keep a count for 2 days of the number of times you overhear others gossiping. Ask yourself whether they are increasing their productivity by doing so. Come up with a way to gracefully and respectfully tell others that regardless of your behavior in the past, you are making a new choice about gossiping. That is, you are choosing not to be part of it. This is a tough step, but is necessary to change the behaviors and culture within an organization. Be bold and assertive–and professional. It is the professional (and productive) thing to do. Remember that gossip can ruin business relationships, whether you’re the one gossiping or if you’re the one being gossiped about. It’s just nasty business. Ask yourself if the people you know who are gossipers are well respected. Does gossiping add to or detract from your self respect and others’ respect? You know the answer. Remind yourself that gossip hurts (and never helps). Anytime anyone (including you) starts to pass along a salacious tidbit (or something more minor), ask who is helped or who is hurt by this talk. Adjust the conversation accordingly. Calculate how much time you spend in gossiping behavior. If you are like other professionals in today’s world, you’re always looking for a few extra minutes in the day – and here they are! Just by getting rid of the gossip time thief, you can regain 5, 10, 30 or more minutes EVERY day. Multiply this by the number of people in your organization who are spending time gossiping. Think of the increase in overall productivity if you eliminated this time thief.
“There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it ill behooves any of us to find fault with the rest of us.” – James Truslow Adams.
By: Meggin McIntosh
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Filed under Business by on Nov 20th, 2010.
Your staff is small and one of your employees is constantly gossiping about co-workers, customers, and probably you too. People are starting to complain, but the gossip monger is a good worker. What should you do?
Gossip in the office is about as common as a stapler. There are always those individuals who want to “fit in” or they want co-workers to view them as someone who is “in the know”. Because gossipers often suffer from low self-esteem, talking about others or spreading rumors makes them feel important and powerful.
Practically everyone is guilty of a sharing a little scuttlebutt at the water cooler from time to time. However, when gossip and rumors are out of control, the result is damaging and it creates an unhealthy work environment. According to a recent survey conducted by the staffing firm Randstad USA and Harris Interactive, 60 percent of more than 1,500 respondents said workplace gossip is their number one pet peeve.
From your perspective as the business owner, you should be extremely concerned about this situation. Workplace gossip decreases productivity, distracts people from their work, creates a divisive workplace and dramatically impacts morale.
So what should you do? For starters, confront the office gossip monger and have a serious conversation with her. Make it crystal clear you don’t approve of her gossipy habits and explain the importance of conversational boundaries in the workplace.
Additionally, I think you need to take a close look at her contributions to your company. Is she really as good as you think? Is she so good it’s worth the risk of losing the other two employees? What about her productivity? It appears obvious to me that if she’d spend more time working and less time gossiping, she’d get a lot more done. Plus, she’s distracting the other employees and possibly upsetting them which interferes with their productivity and well-being.
Another concern is the exposure to potential liability. Depending on the nature of the rumors, your company may be subject to claims of harassment, slander or other types of legal recourse. That’s particularly true if you’ve been made aware of the situation and have done nothing to remedy it.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the Chatty-Cathy in your firm could cause you to lose business impacting your bottom line. In your question, you said she gossips about customers. What if one of them finds out that your employee – a representative of your company — is telling tales about them? Get ready for that person is to take her business elsewhere.
I’ll close with a few recommendations. Try creating a gossip-free workplace for six months or so and get buy-in from your team. Schedule open dialogue meetings every week to encourage positive communications among your employees and you. The bottom line is, if you’re unable to get the gossip in your office under control, then it’s up to you to put the kibosh on it and take corrective action for the good of your business.
By: Susan Wilson Solovic
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Filed under Business by on Nov 18th, 2010.
Office gossip comes in many forms, mostly unproductive, but it is the leadership of a practice that sets the tone. Gossip in the workplace that is untrue undermines staff control, recognition and security. It is the responsibility of the office leadership to limit gossip. Success comes not from hands off written policies in a manual, but by strong leadership behaviors the staff understands, respects and follows.
Here are some ideas to help keep the practice rumor mill in check.
Regular, positive communication
Regular meetings with the staff are important to share information that effects them and the practice. If questions come up, make sure they are answered in a straight forward manner. If the answer is not what people may want to hear, be direct and honest without trying to put a spin on it.
Actions speak louder than words
Too many doctors or administrators are not available for staff to ask questions and get answers. If the leaders of the practice are evasive when asked questions, people will come to their own conclusion about gossip that may be traveling in the office.
Praise good performance
Acknowledging a job well done will make the staff feel better about their job and the practice. Praise will build self esteem and teamwork which goes a long way to keep rumors in check.
Realize gossip is harmful
Leaders need to understand that while it may be fun when juicy, gossip ultimately is harmful to the team. Let others know their actions , either intentional or misguided, can be very distracting and hurtful.
Those leaders who address gossip and rumors upfront and right away will have a greater chance to stop things before they get out of control. Understanding the impact gossip has on individuals and the team should be the motivating force to keep it in check.
By: Ken P Smith
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Filed under Business by on Nov 17th, 2010.
There is a whole bunch of people you will meet at the office. There is the workaholic, who does not leave his workstation even to take a break. There is the certified charmer, who is very charismatic and well loved by everyone. There is also the official gossip, who does not let a day pass without sharing a secret or two.
It is the office gossip that you have to watch out the most. You do not know how much destruction the person can caused you in your personal and professional life. She can spread a rumor that may make you lose your promotion or cause internal conflict. She can make your stay at the job a hell.
Here are the best ways to deal with office gossip:
Determine the degree of the gossip. Some rumors are just nonsense there is nothing else to do but to laugh at them. If you think they are completely harmless and do not damage your chances in the workplace, then by all means just let it go. Do not sweat the small stuff.
Confront the person. It is interesting to note that a lot of the gossipmongers are actually scaredy-cats. They do not like to be confronted; but confrontations are good if your intention is to clear the issue, your name, and perhaps save whatever friendship both of you have built.
Tell it to the manager. If the rumors are still going on and they are getting out of hand and talking to the source does not really help, it is time to tell things to the manager. Allow the management to mediate in between both camps.
However, before you do this, ensure you have enough proof to back up your claims. It speeds up the mediation process, and the management can come up with the best decision.
Maintain a strong support system. A lot of these gossipers would do anything to ruin your confidence, but you cannot allow them to do that. When you are feeling down, it is important you have an excellent support system at bay. These include your family and friends. Never be afraid to tell them about your issues at the office. Who knows, their wisdom can also be source of inspiration.
Continuously keep your confidence level up. Subliminal messages can help you a great deal when you are struggling with keeping your high confidence level. The subliminal messages can provide you with an inner strength and a change in belief system that can make you a much better person. The subliminal messages can be the following:
I will not let the office gossip pull me down.
I can ignore the rumors that are against me.
I am not defined by the stories other people tell.
Leave the workplace. Should you find no change in the office gossip and it is causing you a lot of stress, then perhaps it is high time to seek employment elsewhere. It is a lot better to just drop everything than give the rumors an opportunity to destroy your self-belief completely.
By: Nelson Berry
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Filed under Business by on Nov 16th, 2010.
Is workplace gossip holding you and your organization back? Discover the tips you need to turn things around fast.
Even though you may not intend it to happen, at some point or another you will find yourself caught up in a gossip session… both positive and negative!
Are You Part of the Workplace Gossip?
If you’re wondering, try this exercise.
For the next 24 hours only talk about someone else if they are present. If by chance another individual comes up and starts conversing with you about another person, you have to take a stand. Say something like; “I’m working on not discussing others unless they’re present. So can we talk about something else please?” Granted, you might run out of things to say, but it will give you a clear indication about how much you talk about others and how strong your sense of self worth is.
Think of an individual at work that stays away from workplace gossip.
* Do you think that individual is secure with themselves?
* Does the individual have good sense of their own self?
* Are they successful?
* Is he/she well liked?
* Do they seem happy?
Contrast this with a person who is known for their workplace gossip:
* Do they constantly find fault in others so they look better?
* Are they well liked and trusted?
* What’s their vibe like – positive or negative?
* Do they seem they happy?
It’s safe to say that most people who are gossip king and queens never really have a healthy inner world and generally they aren’t well liked or trusted.
Workplace Gossip Causes Lack of Trust in a Relationship
When it’s evident that a certain individual provides all the workplace gossip, people begin to wonder; “What in the world does he/she say about me when I’m not around?” The end result is that the gossiper cannot be trusted.
You will find that every relationship between two people is built around trust, reliability, honor, and integrity. If you’re a leader, your credibility will suffer if you are known as a person who indulges in workplace gossip. It is in your (and your organization’s) best interest to develop healthy relationships.
Think about this. Have you ever improved someone’s performance by gossiping about them?
If you are gossiping to a colleague about another person’s performance, you are telling the wrong person. The person you are gossiping to is unlikely to be able to make thing better (or at least any lasting changes). It really is up to you and the person you have the issue with to work through the problem. You letting off steam to all and sundry is a cancer in any organization (be it business, family or social) – because gossip always breeds distrust (whether you are the person being gossiped about or gossiped to).
Here’s How To Handle Someone Who Starts A Gossip Session With You
If someone starts gossiping to you about someone who isn’t present (or maybe even bagging another team), then instead of getting embroiled in it, ask in a supportive but firm way “Are you telling me this so I can help coach you in how to handle the situation, or do you think we should wait and have this conversation when (the other person) is available for us all to work through the problem?”.
You goal is to show they other person you are happy to support them to find a solution to their problem – but you are not happy to stand and listen to a complaint session.!
Now, there will be occasions when the person will say, “No I just want to vent.” If this happens, your best response would be; “Listen, just venting isn’t going to serve you, me or the other person in a positive manner. I’m happy to help you problem solve whatever issues you might have, but I don’t want to get caught up in venting sessions.”
Once you are able to do this consistently, others will understand that they can trust you. The will come to understand that you do not want to talk about anyone unless they are present. This is by far one of the greatest acts of leadership you can do. Oddly enough it is also the most unusual.
Things To Do When You Are Involved In Workplace Gossip
Listen, none of us are perfect and chances are you will end up talking negatively about someone. Stay calm… you are human. Just remember to be mindful that this is just your version of whatever is happening and is unlikely to be the entire truth – as the other person is sure to have a perspective that is somewhat different to yours. So if you catch yourself needing to vent, make sure you say something like this to the person you are about to dump all your negative energy on: “I know this is unhealthy and I am gossiping, I am stepping out of my integrity but I just need to vent. Will you hear me out and then offer me a different perspective or help me find a way so I can talk to the other person in a constructive way.”
However, the all-time best advice… let the only thing that comes out of your mouth be things that are positive. You will rapidly become known as a person who inspires and can be trusted by all – something a gossiper is never known for.
By: Shelley Holmes
About the Author:
Filed under Business by on Nov 15th, 2010.
We all have the Gossiper and the Clock Watcher at work, we could probably even Pick Out The Difficult People At Work From A Lineup if we had to.
It’s actually funny how people are so different such as with their fingerprints, their dental records, their retina, and even their DNA.
But on the reverse side their behavior seems to be identical from work place to work place. Some play the roles as the Tortoise and others play the Retiree. Lets begin to look at these personalities and behaviors and identify what the blast ways to deal with them Gossiper Gary might be.
Behaviors
Gossiper Gary – Gossiper Gary is a staple in nearly every workplace, he shows up and feeds on new and titillating info.
He only needs a spark to start a fire; he spreads rumors faster than email and ensures the longevity of the rumors by squeezing out every juicy detail. His method of operandi is to go on the hunt for more and more details.
His biggest tool is to use an innocent question such as ‘Did you here?’
We as normal people can’t help but fall for this type of destructive behavior once and a while, it’s highly addictive. It’s like a narcotic on STERIODS.
Even more discerning is that this information at times truly may affect us in some way. And knowing may help us but may make no difference in our work life had we not known.
Solution
The best way to deal with Gary would be to use hyper-exaggeration against him, Gossip is an exaggeration tool, its success is based on the drama factor, the higher the drama factor the longer the life, so take it away from him.
Disarm him, by using the very tool he uses, its easier to do than you might imagine.
Example: Gary got wind of Tom going bankrupt, so at the start of the day Gary follows his predictable pattern, he begins to Gossip. Well some time after 11am Tom gets wind of the Gossip, and goes to lunch and decides to put the Gossip to rest.
Here’s what he does, he brings up the subject, by saying ‘I heard that there’s Gossip about me going Bankrupt, Tom’ and Gary says ‘Yea I heard that too, Tom’
‘Well it’s not the first time and wont be the last’
‘O, No, that can’t be good’
‘Yea, it’s at least the 10th time; I’m going for a family record of 22 times’
Gary is bound to be shocked beyond belief; Tom has blown the Gossip out of the water. Now Tom hasn’t actually admitted with any certainty that he is going bankrupt.
In fact he has left a great deal of uncertainty about the matter to all who are listening. As a matter of fact it’s doubtful that Tom even has any financial problems. Because if he can joke and laugh about it its likely not to be true, and even if it is if Tom takes Gary’s thunder what fun is it in spreading rumors about Tom.
Tom has likely stole Gary’s thunder, Tom just need to use this strategy every time it is directed his way. Muddy the Gossip so no one knows what to believe. Make the Gossip big, huge, in fact make sure everyone hears the large fabrication, and steal their thunder.
By: Paul Godines
About the Author:
Read more on Overcoming Difficult People – Dealing With Gossiper Gary at Work…
Filed under Business by on Nov 13th, 2010.
“The most powerful force in the universe is gossip,” said Dave Barry, the American writer and humorist. If you have been the target of workplace bullying and gossip, you know Barry is right. We may be able to tell ourselves, as the English novelist George Eliot did, “Gossip is a sort of smoke that comes from the dirty tobacco-pipes of those who diffuse it; it proves nothing but the bad taste of the smoker,” But the truth is, gossip hurts.
A quick look at the dictionary offers a definition of gossip:
“Rumor or talk of a personal, sensational or intimate nature.”
Given that definition, it’s easy to see why bullying in the workplace and gossip go hand in hand. A bully is always out to show others he’s the best. He “proves” this by diminishing or destroying someone else. Gossip fits well into his tactics, because he can enlarge upon truth or make up a lie about his target without having to confront her directly.
Sadly, you only have to look at the vast number of magazines, websites and news reports to see how easy it is to get people to join in on the gossip.
How, then, do you deal with bullying at work and gossip? Let’s look at what some famous people have said about gossip that will give you some options.
“If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees,” said the Persian writer and mystic Kahlil Gibran.
During World War II there was a similar admonition that appeared on posters in offices and manufacturing plants. It was, “Loose lips sink ships.” In other words, be careful what you tell others. You don’t need to be unfriendly at work; just be cautious about what you say and who you say it to. Heed the Chinese proverb that says, “What is told in the ear of a man is often heard 100 miles away.”
If you know for sure a bully is spreading gossip about you and what he’s saying, ask yourself, “Is any of this true?” Sometimes we need to hear a message or at least part of it. While gossip isn’t the best way to get feedback, be open to listening to what is said. Maybe there’s a kernel of truth you can adopt.
Or, you might consider confronting the bully about the gossip. If you choose to confront, try this method:
Read more on Gossip Plays a Large Part in Workplace Bullying – So I Hear!…
Filed under Business by on Nov 12th, 2010.
Firstly, what is gossip? Wikipedia defines gossip as rumors about personal or private affairs of others. It is the most common means of sharing facts and views, but also has a reputation for errors.
Gossip can be productive but always destructive. While some gossip does have truth in it, most of them are filled with false and misleading information. Most of the times, we tend to indulge ourselves to chitchats that sometimes we forget to stop. Expect no understanding, no trust and no respect of other co-worker’s position if gossip is present in your workplace. This article will help you control your cravings for gossips especially at office. Let me first give you the common causes of destructive gossips.
Jealousy
People tend to make up stories which are usually not true. “Crab mentality” is a very familiar word to you. One can become so jealous about their co-workers at office maybe because of insecurities or they feel the person was more inferior to them but they are the one who are getting the limelight.
Discrimination
Most people discriminates others furiously. Local dialect speaking people, religious people, nerd and ugly people, homosexuals, these people have their own distinction of criticism and unfair treatment. The gossiper is very much aware of discriminating these kind of people, but does not care at all. Discrimination is at abundance in almost every organization.
And lastly, the most common cause of gossip,
Romance or Affection
Truly, this is the hottest topic in every gossip I heard at my workplace. I supposed you also do? We like to hear almost every type of romance gossip we could get. It could be from lovers, bachelors, straight and bisexual romance, and of course, the adulterers – the most forbidden of them all and the most talk about. Public display of affection is the main reason for this. If you don’t show it, there will be no gossip. Simple right?
The effect of these Gossips can be disturbing to some and can impact a permanent damage to a person’s life. Gossiping at workplace can also have a very bad effect on the organization as a whole. Malicious gossip can break the company’s vision of a smooth and harmonious relationship. It creates a very uncomfortable atmosphere for everyone and makes people unproductive and takes away their passion for work.
So how can you get rid of these destructive gossips? What should the company do to eliminate, if not, minimize these gossips? I suggest that we put duck tape in every employee’s mouth or bite your tongue just to say nothing. Just kidding.
I, myself, have been a victim of these gossips in my present workplace. Gossips like I am a loner, a complainer, irritable person and a mean person. People just cannot live without these derogatory remarks against me. But I have live with it for the meantime hoping that they ‘all just get tired of it. Fortunately, they have not. They continue to stab me with these gossips. But I don’t mind them anymore. I let them feel that I am not affected of their no-truth at all remarks.
Let me site some keys how to handle gossips effectively based on my experience.
Do not take another’s comments personally.
Listen to gossips with compassion not with tolerance.
Look for the best in people, not the worst side of them.
Acknowledge people.
Communicate upsets to resolve conflicts.
People have to communicate their upsets and disappointments in an appropriate manner so that progress can be achieved. Also, honest communication is one of the most important keys to building lasting relationships between co-workers and keeping gossip from invading your workplace. Conflicts, differences and arguments must be resolved early to prevent it from spreading like a plague.
Now, finding the exact source of gossip can be one of the best steps in eliminating office gossips. Sources that we all know we started, of course it was intended to be. To avoid gossip to ever occur, you need to be very careful about the information that you share with your co-workers. Keeping a few things for yourself is very important. Some things are better unsaid and we need to be picky about what information needs to be shared and what is not to be.
Try not to be a part of the office gossip. Limit your association with people who gossip. When someone comes and gossips to you, avoid passing it on. Let the gossip end with you. Don’t involve in gossip yourself. Don’t start to make immoral doings or unnecessary acts within the office and places just outside the company’s premises, because this will only start hideous gossip topics and may sometimes put your dignity at risk. So please, prevent awkward situations.
For the management part, I suggest the following.
Be transparent. If the management often hears same old gossips over and over again, they should device a plan how to control the said gossip and investigate the gossip to further eliminates it from spreading. Recognize the harmful gossips from productive gossips and create policies from it.
Be approachable. If one employee complaints regarding gossip involving him/her, lend an ear and keep in touch with that employee. Remember, the company that cares with its workers also does the same for the company. And avoid favoritism.
Conduct regular meetings. Reminding the employees the rules and policies are essential to minimize gossip and in turn be productive. Create policies specifically designed for gossips.
Orientation for new employees. It is very essential for new employees to be informed the strict rules and policies of the company. They need to understand the culture of their new workplace and the personalities of their new colleagues.
Lasting thoughts, an office gossip comes with consequences. It can lead to office suspension when found to be the source of the gossip. Be responsible on what you say or hear in your workplace. Always be neutral on everything. Concentrate on your work and earn your living in an honest manner. Diplomatic approach is the best way when facing these gossips.
Hope my article helped you prevent gossips effectively.
By: Noah Mark Rodolfo
About the Author:
Filed under Business by on Sep 14th, 2010.
Sara B. took one last look around the office where she had spent the past five years working as an administrative assistant.
It had taken her several months to make this decision, and she knew there were some parts of her job that she was going to miss. And her evaluations had always been quite good.
While she had not gone job hunting, Sara stilll turned in her notice to the HR department. What would make a good employee leave a company without knowing what their future would bring? No one in HR had even asked her for an exit interview.
For Sara, a *** woman, it was her daily feelings mixed with depression, anxiety and anger over the way she was treated by several of her co-workers, she would later admit. She wasn’t alone — the young, black woman who Sara replaced had left the company just one year earlier for similar reasons, Sara later learned.
Perhaps both women wouldn’t have made such hasty decisions, had someone in this company been concerned with managing diversity. But no managers or company stakeholders had ever really bothered to look at their company’s absenteeism and turnover data; if they had, they might have discovered that it wasn’t just Sara leaving the company without any plans.
Further, this company had a high absenteeism record that could have shed light on its diversity problems, as well.
Companies that manage diversity see their results on the bottom line. Organizational behavior research has consistently shown that organizational experiences of what are called “out-group” members tend to be less positive than those of majority group members when managing and valuing diversity or MVD is ignored.
In Sara’s case, she was never allowed to fit in after her cohorts learned she was in a ******* relationship. While some were kind, there were several other women who gossiped and spread rumors about Sara. Several employees were even openly hostile with behavior that would be seen as bullying by any diversity competent human resource manager.
Sara had never felt comfortable doing some of the things her co-workers did quite naturally, like putting up a picture on her desk of the woman she had married or the children they had adopted, as others had done with family photos.
It is easy to demonstrate how an organization’s economic well being is affected by discrimination. Data from the U.S. workforce, for example, shows that costly turnover and absenteeism are often higher among women and non-White men than they are for White males. One study found that the overall turnover rate for Blacks in the U.S. workforce were 2.5 times those of Whites (Hymowitz, 1989).
A more recent study of absenteeism rates in the U.S. workforce shows that rates for women are 58 percent higher than for men and a range of research has been carried out into the incidence and effects of homophobic bullying.
Sexual orientation discrimination encompasses the unfair treatment or persecution of someone based on their sexual preference. Gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transsexuals are often victims of this type of prejudice. While women and minorities have seen significant strides made toward equality in the past few decades, the progress hasn’t been as good for homosexuals.
No matter what aspect of life is under the microscope, gays and ******** still are affected by discrimination: employment, military, marriage, and membership in various organizations. Although progress has been slower in this area, some states and municipalities have enacted laws against sexual discrimination.
Some companies — just not Sara’s — have also begun to recognize the importance of truly taking a look at how all employees are treated by their co-workers and bosses. Diversity management was needed sooner, for Sara’s sake. She hopes her next work experience will be better.
By: Susan Klopfer
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Filed under Business by on Sep 14th, 2010.