How to handle workplace Gossips

If there is one thing it is unavoidable in the workplace – it is gossips. You could either be the subject of the gossips, or you could be the one instigating the gossip.

However, let’s not forget the person subject to gossip has negative consequences – whether is it affecting their own career and reputations, or being emotionally affected by it. Worse, the person subject to being gossip could be ostracized at work.

If you are verbally harassed, these strategies could help.

Address it, tactfully

Instead of the usual practice of avoidance, addressing the person who instigated the gossip could work. However, the approach should not be done in a confrontational nor aggressive way. Being confrontational would only lead to fuel more gossips among your colleagues.

This is the right way to address gossips, especially if it is due to untrue speculations. The instigator should be able to understand that you would want to clarify the speculations. You could also self-reflect on yourself upon hearing the gossips. If you feel there is some truth in the gossips, or how most of the people perceive you to be – you could use it as a self-reflection as how others perceive you affects their motivation to collaborate and work with you.

If you are the one who are instigating the gossip, you should always remind yourself that if you are not able to bring yourself to say things in the person’s presence, then you should avoid that as a topic to others.

Don’t be one of them

If you are one of those who have been gossiping at the work place, you have lost the right to ask others to stop gossiping about you, or making you the subject of the gossip. One should never solve the problem of being the subject of gossip by gossiping about others.

This will only lead to negative repercussions, as you will likely lead to confusing signal to your colleagues and friends around you.

Report It

If the gossips have become too unhealthy, and you feel you are not able to manage it on your own, you can talk to the Human Resource department – especially if you feel if it is harassment.

Companies do not encourage gossips, anyway as it dampens morale and productivity. 

What Do You Look For In A Job? Here’s 5.

As much as most candidates look for career growth, I always come across candidates who are not able to explain or understand the kind of ‘growth’ they are seeking. What is it that is important to each individual when you move on to the next role?

However, it is good to consider whole lot of aspects while you try to figure out whether to take on the role. What matters most is, you need to be sure of the job expectations before you move into the role. Else, you might fall into a pit hole and regret the move because you did not make it clear.

Advancement

Always look into the companies on what are the kind of roles they can offer you to advance in the next few years while you are with them. Is there possibility of getting horizontal or vertical move into the role?

Always look internal first, before you explore external opportunities. There are some unknown factors when you move into a new role in a new organisation. Yet, internal opportunities give assurance that you know the culture and people.

Satisfaction and Trust

You spend minimally eight hours at work and you just want to make sure that you enter office each day, feeling great. You do not want anyone to be looking over your shoulders day in, day out with the work that you’ve been assigned to. At the end of the day, if you face get fatigued easily, you will have the tenancy to look out for your next job.

Stability

This may not be the best thing that could happen in the recent years, companies themselves are not able to ensure its stability, this is by far one of the top choices of job seekers. You can only use the past year’s company performance as a guide to move forward because it cannot guarantee the similar performance in the next few years.

Environment

Observe the people who are walking past you or even at the reception, look out for a similar pattern in the workers. Do they give you a smile or even say ‘Hello!’. They might not know you but the interaction and image that are portrayed do say something about the company.

Benefits

You do not want to end up taking lesser than your current role by looking into your overall remuneration package. Some may be enticed by the amount that was given to you in your basic salary, yet when you look into the other benefits, you are getting so much lesser than what you have. For instance, if the company does not offer health insurance, you will realise that you will be spending more out of your pocket.