In some cases, gossip may continue after your supervisor addresses the problem. If your manager can't stop the gossip or participates in the conversation, go to your human resources department and ask them about the possibility of filing a complaint. Gossip is a distraction at work, but it can take a darker turn if it turns into harassment. Most employers specifically prohibit harassment and clearly note it down in their employee handbook.
If a gossiper doesn't stop after the confrontation, it could be considered harassment. Document it and don't hesitate to use Human Resources if there are any problems that you can't solve on your own. The first thing I suggest you do, assuming you can do so calmly and respectfully, is to get closer to your co-workers. Ask them, in a polite and non-confrontational manner, to discontinue this behavior.
While you may be rightly upset, if you don't think you can control your emotions, of course, consult Human Resources for help. No one who is doing their job to the best of their ability should have time to gossip in the workplace. Consider the above strategies so that when faced with a gossipy coworker, you know how to respond. One is that the person who listens to the gossip feels socially included and part of the team, reducing social anxiety and creating a sense of personal connection among their employees.
Proactively creating a culture that doesn't support gossip will help protect you and your colleagues from unfair rumors. For example, if one employee gossips to another about a co-worker who spends too much time on personal phone calls, the employee who listens to the gossip feels included and part of the team, and also learns that excessive personal phone calls are socially unacceptable in this workplace. However, there are steps you can take to strategically handle workplace gossip when it reaches your ears. Check your organization's code of conduct if you think someone may be violating you with online gossip.
Malicious gossip is a form of harassment that can damage morale, increase anxiety, reduce productivity and ruin reputation, according to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). Managing gossip appropriately will help you establish yourself as a leader and foster a positive work environment that increases retention and instills a sense of psychological safety. In this case, the goal of the gossip could probably fix the situation on its own by restricting your personal phone calls at work. Some examples of workplace gossip that causes harm include spreading rumors about a co-worker's sex life, criminal past, alleged violations of policies, or medical illnesses.
However, some types of gossip are psychologically destructive and can also expose you or the company to liability. Gossip among employees can have positive effects, such as creating a strong sense of social connection.
