The Tribune

Bahamians have long been renowned for ‘sip sip’. The work environment is never exempt, and usually presents a reflection of what happens in the wider community.

If you work - or have worked - in an office setting, then you know there are times when the entire office is lit up by some kind of news. Gossip in the office is not always negative, but at its core it is unproductive and can sometimes break a team down, especially when it takes an evil turn and morphs in to slander.

Slander in the workplace can really undermine an employee’s work, their productivity and their happiness. Slander can even develop into a huge liability for companies, since the employee being slandered can take legal action. These matters must be dealt with speedily to avoid all these issues.

We begin by defining gossip as casual, unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, usually not confirmed as being true. This is similar to slander, which is making a false spoken statement damaging to a person’s reputation or career.

The seemingly harmless chatter of two employees ‘getting it on’ in the employee restroom has the ability to spread like wildfire in the right office climate, dealing a tremendous blow not only to the individuals involved but, critically, to productivity levels.

Whether it is pure gossip or has morphed into a full blown case of malicious slander from the creative, imaginative and idle minds at work, who simply must ‘juice up’ the story, it is the company’s responsibility to discourage and squash any negative impact these actions may have on both employees and the business.

Because slander is oral, and not written down on paper, it can be really difficult to prove someone is making defamatory comments about you. Gossip and slander have become such an interwoven part of everyday life and conversation in the Bahamian context, it is quite challenging to decipher if - and when - persons have crossed the line.

The truth is that the spreading of rumours, true or untrue, can be terribly damaging. It is true that rumours and gossip are an inevitable part of office life, but when the information making the rounds becomes slanderous, it must be stopped, especially if individuals feel they are being targeted due to gender, race, age, religion or sexual orientation.

Rumours in the workplace can lead to hurt feelings, and may mean employees have to work in a hostile environment. Employers have a responsibility to try to control the spread of workplace rumours, and ensure that the work environment is a positive place for all employees. Rumours are often spread due to a lack of communication in the office environment, ignorance and unhealthy competition between employees.

To avoid rumours and defamation of character in the workplace, effective communication strategies must be implemented. Employers should make an effort to strongly discourage workplace rumours by sending a clear message that engaging in such behaviour is not acceptable.

The employee policy handbook should clearly articulate that these actions will not be tolerated, and outline the consequences of such behaviour. Any activity that disrupts the workplace, affects productivity or disparages others and harms their reputation, should be strictly prohibited.

Every work environment must attempt to create a culture of respect by demonstrating that all employees are valued, no matter what their differences or deficiencies. Tell your team members that you expect them to help co-workers build skills and overcome their shortcomings, rather than criticising them for what they are not able to do. We will probably never eliminate gossip completely, but we must all do our part in encouraging more responsible forms of workplace communication.

• NB: Ian R. Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@coralwave.com.