Gossip, Rumors, and Other Hurtful Things

[Luba]

How do you handle gossip when you hear it? Do you try and squelch it or walk away? Is Your Workplace a gossipy place? Do you know people who just love gossip and spread it at every turn?

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I DESPISE Gossip and Rumors! I either walk away or interject something nice about the person talked about if I'm in a place where I can't just walk away without seeming rude. I do think it's abusive, too!

[TKDLady]

My work place is a little Payton Place (a soap opera from a long time ago for those that don't know), especially the manufacturing building. I usually just ignore it. If I know the truth I try to let that be known. I know a couple people that love to gossip and I stay away from them as much as possible.

[Luba]

It's the same in our Workplace; and I LOVE our Workplace except for that! I guess I'm just somewhat of a Pollyanna, I would just LOVE if people commented on someone's nice hair, eyes, clothes, or just smile or wave! Wouldn't that just be SO much nicer? I swear the atmosphere picks up the negative vibes, hangs over the place like a dark cloud, and you end up coming home drained, not from the Work but from the Negativity!

However, I do understand that there are SO many different personalities that hurt feelings or anger can occur. Why not then only have one trusted confidante that one can talk to and let it go at that? Why tell everybody and then that person tells another person, and another and another and so on and so on? I just don't get it...

Another thing I'm dead set against is someone spreading rumors about who is sleeping with who and that SEEMS to go around like Wildfire! Or using the term such and such a person is 'useless'! I don't think anyone is useless! One might not have a great work ethic or be too happy about their job, just proves one is either in the wrong job or hasn't found his/her passion yet.

[PepsiChic]

we have a game in the uk called "chinese whispers" its a childs game. one person thinks of something to say and whispers it to the next person, that person whispers what they think they heard into the next persons ear and so on. your not allowed to repeat it, but only say it once. normally by the end of the circle and the last person tells the person who started it what they have heard its something very different to what was first said.

i find that rumors as they spread and different people hear the gossip, change, people over dramatize them, and exaggerate what they have heard.

my work place at the supermarket is full of people who gossip, its a nightmare you can trust someone to talk to because by the end of the night everyone knows and its normally completely wrong and over the top.

[IvyRose]

I'm usually the one being talked about. I try to tell them there's no need to talk about me behind my back, I will eventually tell on myself.

I have a big mouth and my life is somewhat of a Soap Opera at times. I try to remain friendless, especially at work. I figure if I give them something to talk about, it will take the heat off of their latest victim.

Most of the gossip gets told to me. LOL! It almost always has something to do with the boss and my relationship, at any job. Strange, eh?

I learned my lesson long ago, not to be friends with co-workers. The more gossip they tell me, I assume they will say something about me as well. I've even been evil enough to start a rumor about myself and hear it turned around.

Good co-workers are your friend at work, talk about the job and stay away from your personal life. I like it that way. There are very few people I have kept as friends after my contract expired at a certain location. I have had those friends for almost 15 years now.

I'm just use to the gossip. Everyone talks about someone behind their back, good or bad. It's par for the course of life.

[Weiser]

The great thing about being in my office here in Toronto is that there isn't any gossip involving us. There is a lot of bad mouthing of the person I replaced, but she, well, was quite useless and I've seen first hand the damage she did as I am the one that had to clean it up. I'm still trying to figure out how much money we lost last year due to her incompetence. Right now it's up around $15,000.

[Mondo]

I try to ignore work place gossip and avoid any work place politics but it drives me mad when the gossip is about me. I'll try to confront the person who it started from and tell them its got nothing to do with them and they should put a stop to it.