Fighting Gossip in the Workplace

Office life has changed dramatically over the last century. But for all the advances in technology and work-life policies, one thing that's probably not changed much is what we talk about around the water cooler.

According to one workplace study, 60 percent of those surveyed said office gossip was their no. 1 pet peeve. Still another 64 percent admitted to gossiping on occasion.

Despite the fact that most people claim not to partake in it, some workplace experts say gossip is actually one way for colleagues to bond. But it's hard to feel that way when you think you may be the topic du jour.

Sam Chapman, the CEO of Empower Public Relations, declared a formal ban on gossip in his office when he realized he was the main target.

"People would stop talking when I walked by," Chapman says. "Doors would close even though we have an open door policy at the office."

Once Chapman figured out who was spreading it, they were fired. Almost immediately, there was a change in mood and the bottom line.

"Since creating the no-gossip zone, my company has doubled each year it's been in business," Chapman says.

Chapman has written a book on how to create a no-gossip workplace. One of the first steps is define what gossip is anything negative that's said about someone that you wouldn't say to the person directly.

It's not tolerated under any circumstances and when it does rear its ugly head, the source must be called out immediately.

The only exception?

"It's OK to gossip about public figures," Chapman says. "We can still gossip about Eliot Spitzer and Britney Spears at my firm."

After all, when you have sensational headlines and material like this, why waste time talking about someone you work with?

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