This week’s office gossip

“Omigosh, I heard that Pizza by Alfredo’s filed a law suit against Michael for holding that poor delivery boy hostage all night. And did you know that Kelly faked she was pregnant just to get Ryan to go out on a date with her? She’s crazy! I would never mess with the boss like that…”

Sound familiar?  Exchanges such as this may sound like something out of an episode of NBC’s “The Office,” but they are more common in real life than you may think.

Steelcase, a Michigan-based office furniture manufacturer, recently surveyed 700 American office workers and found that office gossip is still very much a part of normal relations.  Nearly 66 percent of employees surveyed said that coworkers routinely gossip about company news.  And of workers at companies that use formal communication methods for disseminating company info, 28 percent still use the gossip mill as their primary news source.

Is all this back office chatter really a good thing?  Well, it can be.  Employee conversations held at the water cooler (or in the office kitchen/break room which is the new gossip hot spot, hosting 36 percent of conversations) can humanize employees and provide a refreshing break to the day.  Plus, they’re a good chance for newbies to learn the unwritten rules of the office (“Don’t leave your dirty dishes in the sink!”) and superiors (“What are you crazy? NEVER go to the boss’s office without an appointment!”).  These impromptu gossipy exchanges can expose you to the practices that will make you a better employee and colleague.

With that said, be sure to steer clear of personal gossip.  Rumors about your coworkers' personal lives and habits decrease employee morale and trust levels, hinder teamwork, and ultimately, threaten your own reputation—and even your job. 

So who’s most prone to office gossip?  Let’s just put it this way:   Don’t tell your deepest, darkest secrets to younger coworkers.  According to the Steelcase survey, 18 to 24-year-olds are the least likely to keep information private.  Alternatively, 55 to 64-year-olds are the most trustworthy, with 48 percent being able to keep quiet.

Posted by Christy H.