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Tough tactics to combat gossip
- by Joan Lloyd
We have some malicious gossip issues here and I wanted to run some things by you. It happens everywhere, and itâs often harmless, but at my workplace itâs gotten downright ugly. There is a group we call the Smokerâs Group, which has used gossip to take on far more power than they should be allowed to have. This is a tightly knit group and theyâve caused a lot of emotional pain, confusion, and headaches for a lot of other staff. I culled some items from the Internet and put them together for my boss and the department head where most of the Group works. Iâm enclosing what I found [The information refers to the possibility of opening the company up to liability, human rights complaints and other serious outcomes, if employees feel unprotected where they work]. Hereâs my idea. When one of these malicious little tales surfaces I (as HR Director), would haul the latest one spreading the gossip into my office and ask where she heard it. I will then explain that malicious gossip can lead to lawsuits against us as an employer and that if that happens, anyone who is in the chain of gossip could be at risk, and whoever started or leaked the rumor, will be disciplined. At that point, I will ask who she heard the information from, and explain that if she is the originator of the gossip, she is then the one that is to be disciplined. If she provides me with her source, I will let her leave and call that person in and repeat my statements regarding discipline. Eventually, there will be a disparity in what they say about each other. At that point, I will bring both parties in and we all will discuss who said what. The last one in the chain gets suspended or disciplined. The point of this is not only to get to the source of the gossip but to also demoralize the gossip group. It should also hopefully, demonstrate to the wronged employee that we, as an organization, are doing something to prevent victimization of staff in our offices. That may help deter a lawsuit. Weâre writing a policy that will allow this procedure. Violation of the policy will be cause for discipline. What I wanted was your opinion of this procedure and your thoughts on its effectiveness, or anything else that I can try. This group likes to flex its muscles and victimize other employees who arenât part of their Group. Itâs a power thing, and I need to de-power them. I donât want to have to deal with turnover because of them or, god forbid, a lawsuit. Answer: I doubt that this approach will work. In fact, it may make things worse. It feels heavy-handedâlike interrogating prisoners, in the hope that they will snitch on each other. I understand your anger and frustration about their gang-like behavior, and your desire to protect the other employees from their viciousness. Unfortunately, I suspect that they will band together, rather than turn on each other. Like with any gang, there will be huge pressure to spurn your attempts. They may even get more vicious and vindictive. Instead, hereâs what Iâd suggest: Enlist the managersâ support to confront and minimize gossip (I doubt youâll wipe it out entirely). Partner with the managers and attend their staff meetings. Put gossip on the agenda. During the meeting, tell each group that there have been a number of complaints about gossip and that the nature of the gossip is not only cruel and disrespectful, it could be potentially damaging to the firm and to the perpetrators. This sets the baseline of expectations. Point no fingers. If/when this is violated by the smokersâ group (or any group), call a separate meeting of the group and specifically tell them that a number of complaints have been leveled against this group regarding gossip. Donât dig for confessions, because you wonât get them. You are now tightening the noose. In the meantime, work with the managers and identify when and how long these smokers are getting off of work to congregate and smoke. If, indeed, they are taking more frequent and longer breaks than the non-smokers, the managers need to take steps to limit their breaks to what other workers take. Individual conversations need to be held with these violators and discipline would be appropriate if they continue to violate the rules. If someone can be clearly linked to some nasty gossip, take swift action and discipline the individual. Since you have now set clear expectations about creating a respectful culture and a team atmosphere, the manager would be justified in taking this action. Furthermore, suggest during the meetings that if no one listens to the gossips, or says, âI really donât want to discuss this,â to the gossips, the gossips will be isolated and diffused. The key is to get the managers to join you in this effort. If you launch a counter attack, as the HR Interrogator, you wonât be helping the victimized; you will merely be providing the gossipers with an archenemy to mobilize against. Joan Lloyd newest workshop for supervisors and managers, Strategies to Resolve & Reduce Employee & Team Conflict, provides real-world solutions for real-life situations. |
Dear Joan:
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