How to combat water cooler gossip
May 9, 2008 by Phil Gerbyshak
Filed under Business
Water cooler gossip can kill any work environment. Being a manager, I have found that often times this gossip is hurtful and even hateful.So what can you do to combat this axis of office evil? Simply join in yourself.
There is simply no way to get a better finger on the pulse than by joining in. Let’s be honest, there’s no way to stop it, and if you can’t beat it join it. Right? Yes, that’s exactly right.
How else are going to find out which employees have cooties or bacterial funguses? It’s one of the only places your employees throw that whole “boss” thing out the window and are completely honest with you. You need to find out about the scuttlebutt. That way you can fire Claire before she resigns. You can snuff out any office romances, and most of all you can throw Roger under the bus if he ticks you off.
Some would call this trivial, but I beg to differ. If it wasn’t for hiding behind ferns I would have never known that Michelle used to be a Michael, which explained the Adam’s apple and the defined jaw line.
Be right back, I’ve got to get the dish about Joan’s new man.
So…Do you have any ideas on how to stop water cooler gossip?
Hudson is the C.E.O. of Rib Riot.com and spends time managing sub-ordinates, and bossing others around. His hints are offered to you free of charge so that maybe you too will be inspired and motivated to accomplish somewhat great things with your life. If you want to read more about Hudson head over to RibRiot.com
Images courtesy of istockphoto and RibRiot.com
Do you really want to stop the conversation? I know much gossip is traditionally non-productive by conventional metrics, but the social process helps facilitate trust and cooperation. Also, much business gets transacted informally in these locations. A better question might be how to minimize negative water cooler talk and maximize positive water cooler talk.
Furthermore, when it comes to work-related ‘gossip’, quite frequently it comes down to fear, uncertainty, and doubt, which might mean that somehow management is not communicating – intentionally or unintentionally. There’s a great article (Zierden, W. E., Leading Through the Follower’s Point of View. Organizational Dynamics, Spring 1980, 27-46) which lists employees ‘four questions’ and appropriate responses. Sorry, but I can’t readily find an online version…
Want to stop water cooler chat? Remove the water cooler.
I started telecommuting a couple of years ago. For the 2 years previous to that I worked in the company offices. While I miss the office interaction, the lack of water cooler talk helps me get to my work and not worry about other stuff.
I’ll be the first to admit it’s not for every person or every company/industry, but if you can pull it off it really cuts out the chatter (at least face to face, some telecommuters become addicted to IM).
I love the style in which this written. Water cooler gossip is not that big a deal unless it is affecting productivity. I think it is normal and people are going to do it. You cannot stop it, but you need to be aware of the effects of it. Sometimes it can cross over to be very damaging to the work environment and thus productivity.
rzklkng – Great points. I think the office water cooler is a great place for the informal conversation. I appreciate your additional resources too.
vinnie – Good idea! Pull the water cooler, and people won’t talk there. Though my company stopped buying good coffee a few years ago, and it just made folks buy their own coffee…and hang out in line at the coffee shop in the building. Mission NOT accomplished.
Rocky – Thanks for weighing in. Few things around the office are intrinsically bad or good, it all depends on the effects.
There isn’t any way to completely rid an office of gossip, however there is a way to feed it. That is by participating in it. The more participants, the more rampant the gossip chain. The lead gossiper (the one or two employees that live by the office gossip) tend to be the ones who have more time on their hands. Those people usually rope others into their gossip chain as well, distracting employees from their own work. I suggest they be given more duties/responsibilities. That may help to minimize the amount of gossip. Another big way to combat the gossip, is to not make a big deal about it. Remain non-reactive to juicy information about employees. Turn the interesting news of the day to a new project initiative or new office business.
I agree, but not joining the negative side! I’ve found that the “safest” areas in a workplace – where people really tell the truth – are in the hallways, the restrooms, and the water cooler. So if that’s where people are talking about the really important issues, those that aren’t being brought up in meetings, then that’s where leaders and managers should be, too.
Of course, it needs to go beyond the water cooler. If leaders create a positive, trusting atmosphere with open, genuine dialogue in every part of the workplace, they’ll eliminate this negative behavior. People who feel trusted and respected will find it easier to bring up the “undiscussable” issues with their managers. And when this happens, leaders need to assume that people have a positive intent. Leaders also need to be sure that they, as well as others, are separating the issues from the individuals as everyone works to solve the painful situation. As they do this, it’s also important that people understand that these issues need to be fixed – and that they’re accountable for suggesting a solution for each problem they bring up.