Gossip, rumors..in the workplace

[kellyg403]

I have been with a company for a long time. I was recently transferred to another store. I have never seen anything like it. Grown men and women gossiping, spreading rumors and all out lies. Wow..it amazes me. It also makes wanting to go to work a full time job itself.

I don't get involved in drama and gossip. So, as of this moment I am the 'one'...stuck up, uppity etc. The leader of the little club is causing me moments where my self control is almost...welll...out of control. I go to work to work and it kinda feels like all these people are coming to work to make everyone else miserable.

Just had to vent...I am sure dh is tired of hearing it. But wow...I can not believe the character assasination that goes on here. Been here four weeks now and every week there is a new 'scape' goat.

Kelly

 

[threecrazykids]

I'd just tell the manager what's going on. Tell her that you're tired of people wasting company time gossiping etc. and that if she doesn't at least address the situation you will go to the manager above her. I'm sure the manager is aware of it, just doesn't realize it's affecting others work performance.

Or you could just be really rude...it will only take one time...the next time anyone says something to you about another person go get the other person and say "hey...I believe John has an issue with you that you should be aware of" and then put her in front of John and say "why don't you address this issue with HER, not me...I'm tired of listening to you b*tch about her".

 

[kellyg403]

There were a couple times I called people out when they were together. It drives me crazy....blah.

For the most part, I have been nice and basically when they start I just change the subject or say 'I don't get involved in gossip its 99% lies'. But I have a feeling they are now thinking I am a pushover and I need to let them know NOT so nicely.

Funny thing...some of them ARE managers...totally uncalled for.

Kelly

 

[lovesmurfs]

I have been with a company for a long time. I was recently transferred to another store. I have never seen anything like it. Grown men and women gossiping, spreading rumors and all out lies. Wow..it amazes me. It also makes wanting to go to work a full time job itself.

I don't get involved in drama and gossip. So, as of this moment I am the 'one'...stuck up, uppity etc. The leader of the little club is causing me moments where my self control is almost...welll...out of control. I go to work to work and it kinda feels like all these people are coming to work to make everyone else miserable.

Just had to vent...I am sure dh is tired of hearing it. But wow...I can not believe the character assasination that goes on here. Been here four weeks now and every week there is a new 'scape' goat.

Kelly

No matter your position with the company, you can affect change. John Maxwell wrote a great book called the 360-Degree Leader, which may be helpful.

Keep your morals up and your head down -- you can change the culture of the store. Best wishes.

 

[threecrazykids]

Funny thing...some of them ARE managers...totally uncalled for.

Kelly

Wow! Well then going to the manager isn't exactly going to work...

Well...maybe the next time any of them say anything about someone else...just look blankly at them (totally straight faced of course) and ask them outright

"Why are you telling me this?" See what their response is. Most people will back off if you do that. I do it all the time. Most of the time they just get ticked off and walk away...but it really makes them think about it.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

If managers are involved then you have a real problem.

You have a baseline with the company from your previous place. Use that as the foil for what is correct, when explaining what needs to change at this place.

Be quantitative. Employee B, C, D, E and Manager A have stated that: >>>>>.

Explain that you are not debating the validity of the statement, rather the unprofessional and time wasting nature of making those statements.

Since managers are involved you'll need to contact your corporate office. Is there an Ethics Hotline, or something along those lines? Most corporations have something like that.

Take care and continue to keep yourself squeaky clean.

 

[Robinrs]

This is an issue I'm dealing with right now.

I'm having a meeting concerning this very issue today in my office.

My assistant told me that a co worker of mine went home in tears last night because of a "rumor" that she was being FIRED.

Since I am the one who does the firing... ... where the heck did THAT come from???

She overheard me and my boss discussing an issue about this employee the night before. My boss can be loud and I thought no one was in the office. When I came out I realized one VERY chatty girl sitting at her desk quietly. I found out later she texted the girl we were discussing and told her that she's being canned.....

I am so over high school dramatics in the workplace. I am making all of them sit in front of me and talk about it. It hurts me when someone gets half truths and has to feel bad about it.

 

[threecrazykids]

This is an issue I'm dealing with right now.

I'm having a meeting concerning this very issue today in my office.

My assistant told me that a co worker of mine went home in tears last night because of a "rumor" that she was being FIRED.

Since I am the one who does the firing... ... where the heck did THAT come from???

She overheard me and my boss discussing an issue about this employee the night before. My boss can be loud and I thought no one was in the office. When I came out I realized one VERY chatty girl sitting at her desk quietly. I found out later she texted the girl we were discussing and told her that she's being canned.....

I am so over high school dramatics in the workplace. I am making all of them sit in front of me and talk about it. It hurts me when someone gets half truths and has to feel bad about it.

OOOH...what a good time to lay it on the line for this chick. Stop the crap right in it's tracks. Let her know in front of the other gal (who thinks she's getting canned) how evesdropping on a conversaton can lead to bigger problems for HER in the fact that she not only listened, but then decided to forward on false information could in fact put HER on the chopping block. She's sure to tell everyone about it if she's a gossiper...so surely she will spread the word for you.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

Years ago when I worked for a bank it was the same thing. I do not miss it at all.

 

[kellyg403]

This is an issue I'm dealing with right now.

I'm having a meeting concerning this very issue today in my office.

My assistant told me that a co worker of mine went home in tears last night because of a "rumor" that she was being FIRED.

Since I am the one who does the firing... ... where the heck did THAT come from???

She overheard me and my boss discussing an issue about this employee the night before. My boss can be loud and I thought no one was in the office. When I came out I realized one VERY chatty girl sitting at her desk quietly. I found out later she texted the girl we were discussing and told her that she's being canned.....

I am so over high school dramatics in the workplace. I am making all of them sit in front of me and talk about it. It hurts me when someone gets half truths and has to feel bad about it.

Yep..I don't speak to anyone here confidentially. It is a sad thing when my assistant is part of the group and I cant even trust her. Its a sad day when you have to change all your email passwords because you hear something that was in an email to your superior and you find out the previous person in my position gave out passwords to the asst while they were out. So, for the first few weeks...man. I would think how did these people hear that and how did it turn in to this.

I do not report to anyone here but the Store Manager. He is my supervisor.

Wow...its going to come to nothing good and no matter how many times I talk to people about privacy and confidentiality it falls on deaf ears.

Kelly

 

[kellyg403]

OOOH...what a good time to lay it on the line for this chick. Stop the crap right in it's tracks. Let her know in front of the other gal (who thinks she's getting canned) how evesdropping on a conversaton can lead to bigger problems for HER in the fact that she not only listened, but then decided to forward on false information could in fact put HER on the chopping block. She's sure to tell everyone about it if she's a gossiper...so surely she will spread the word for you.

Yep...I would do that too. As a matter of fact, just yesterday I did it. I am sure when I go in today I will hear the 'version'...

Kelly

 

[wdwmom0f3]

Yep...I would do that too. As a matter of fact, just yesterday I did it. I am sure when I go in today I will hear the 'version'...

Kelly

Good for you. People like that just drive me crazy and they can't be trusted.

 

[lovespring]

If managers are involved then you have a real problem.

I met this problem.

 

[FireDancer]

Gossip in the workplace is an epidemic and you can choose to participate or realize that most of it has no credibility and ignore it. It isn't just the workplace though, I hear the "have you heard about yadayadayada" whispering just about everywhere. It has probably been around since we developed spoken language and it isn't going away.

If the gossip is something that could be an HR issue take it up with them. If it is the normal mindless banter that goes around most places (Can you believe what she wore to work today kind of garbage) just ignore it and let the hens cluck away.

 

[jjarman]

Sounds to me like your supervisor needs to get a handle on these people. I work for a company with many offices and there are several just in our area. All of them have huge problems with gossiping, back biting, etc. Except our office. And it is all due to our director. She, first off, will not put up with it. But one way she has headed it off is in her hiring. She will not hire anyone that she gets a feeling from that they are the gossipy, snippy kind of person. I sit in on most of these interviews so I see how she works and it has worked wonderfully. Our office even has the reputation as one that we all get along with the corporate officers. We are truly the exception. We do have 1-2 employees who are not in our office all the time that can cause problems. One we nipped in the bud a few months back. She tried to rat out our director and when we all heard what happened no one talked to her for about 2 weeks. She got the message really quick and I feel will never try that stunt again.

 

[puffkin]

I'd gossip/start a rumor that the company is cracking down on this and punishments/terminations could result

 

[OK!]

Hearing about stuff like this makes me SO glad I work from home (well, in addition to all of the obvious reasons I prefer it.) We all mainly communicate via email and IM, so the urge to gossip is nipped in the bud by the fact that everything's in print.

 

[NHMom4]

As hard as it can be to work in an enviroment like that maybe the only thing you can do for now is just not participate in it. When someone comes to you with gosssip just change the subject. Make a game of it, see what random things you can get them to talk about. There are people there that would like to not be part of this clique of gossip I'm sure but just have no way out.