Rumors in the workplace. How to deal with them?
Rumors in the workplace are something that many of us have probably witnessed. Moreover, some of us may have been involved in the spread of rumors or even been victims of rumors.
It is not easy to stay away from such processes. People regularly discuss other people and any information that is of interest to them. The problem is that if a thin line is crossed, it can have a devastating effect on the microclimate and relationships in the organization.
How can we deal with rumors in the workplace? Let’s find out. Why do rumors appear?
First of all, it is useful to clarify why rumors appear in the workplace at all.
Very often, rumors at work arise simply because people want to have more information or to look like people who have information.
As the saying goes, “knowledge is power” and it usually gives the so-called “Expert power” in the hands of people with more information. Such knowledge, often based on incomplete information and conjecture, underlies rumors.
For example, an employee may be fired most unexpectedly and this may raise questions among other employees. If people do not know the real reason for the dismissal, they can try to use the limited information they have and make certain assumptions based on it, such as: “Most likely they fired Ivan, because he has been fired for a long time. For some time now, he has spoken openly against the way our manager determines monthly bonuses.”
Or, it is possible for two employees to develop close collegial relations, which could lead to gossip such as: “Peter and Mary can be seen together too often. They were sitting too close to each other that day on the weekly operative. There’s no way it’s just a coincidence. “
Rumors like the one in the second example are in fact gossip that most often discusses interpersonal relationships. Such gossip can quickly spiral out of control, affecting the work atmosphere or feelings of some employees in a destructive way.
How to deal with rumors?
Dealing with rumors in the workplace generally involves two types of behavior on the part of the manager:
Neutralizing rumors - creating an environment in which rumors are not encouraged and are less likely to occur.
Rumor Management - Dealing with rumors in a confident way when they do occur.
Let’s take a closer look at each of the two types of behavior in dealing with rumors in the workplace.
1. Neutralization of rumors
If you are a manager who does not want to allow rumors in your organization or department, you can do the following:
1. Maintain active communication. In times of economic crisis or market turmoil, it is important for employees to be informed of what is happening so that they do not have to use hypotheses. Effective communication skills are paramount in this case.
2. Be honest and open. In order to reduce the likelihood of rumors in the work environment, it is important for the manager to have an open and honest attitude towards his co-workers. People feel when they are not told the whole truth and start speculating with different guesses. Honesty and sincerity are always the right policy.
3. Ensure transparency in work systems. All supporting management systems - for example, evaluation systems, remuneration, career development systems, etc., should be as transparent as possible to people. In this way, everyone will have a more objective idea of why they are evaluated in a certain way, why they receive a certain salary, and why they receive (or do not receive) opportunities for promotion and career development.
4. Keep in touch with people. There is a well-known style of leadership, called “on-site management”, with the help of which managers maintain close contact with their employees and feel “first hand” the pulse of events in the department or organization. In on-site management, the manager regularly visits his employees’ workplaces, talks to them, discusses ideas and problems, and builds relationships. When the leader is easily accessible to his people and communicates with them often, this reduces the feeling of ambiguity and neutralizes the appearance of rumors.
5. Build a culture where rumors have no place. Encourage collaboration and teamwork between people, not a competition between them. At the same time, make it clear to employees that the spread of rumors and gossip is not desirable. Give a personal example.
2. Rumor management
If despite efforts to neutralize the rumors in your department or organization, rumors arise, you can do the following:
1. Address the rumors immediately. When rumors start circulating in the workplace, any delay can be fatal. The faster you address the rumors, the better. To cross them, reveal the necessary information, and be honest. If you do not have the necessary information or you can not disclose it at this stage - admit it, then remind employees that rumors have no place in the organization and their dissemination is not desirable.
2. Give a personal example. When someone at work wants to share a stubborn rumor or spicy gossip with you, make it clear that you don’t want to get involved and comment on such things. Maintain a principled attitude, breaking the golden rule not to do to others what you do not want them to do to you. If the topic is important, instead of spreading rumors, try to find out who in the organization has real information and ask your questions.
3. Watch for recurring rumors. When the same rumor or similar rumors appear again and again in the workplace, it means that there are certain prerequisites for this to happen. For example, if the same person spreads rumors over and over again, you should pay attention to stop it. Rumors undermine good relationships and effective work and cannot be tolerated.
In summary:
Rumors in the workplace will probably never disappear completely and at the same time should be taken seriously.
Two main behaviors on the part of the manager are needed to deal with rumors:
1. Neutralization of rumors;
2. Rumor management.
If rumors thrive in an organization, they can easily poison the work atmosphere and lead to side effects - fear, tension, deteriorating relationships and reduced productivity.