Gossip girl

Q I work in a small company where the employees work very closely with one another. A few weeks ago I was complaining about one of my colleagues and I'm sure she overheard. I'm not usually a gossip but I was very upset and disappointed by her work performance. Now everyone is taking sides, making it personal, and the atmosphere is very tense. How do take back what I said to her when the situation has rippled into a major problem for all?

Whether you are the victim of office gossip or a participant in it, the best advice is to nip it in the bud right away. Don’t let it fester because like a cancer it will grow and cause a good deal of stress in your work environment. Many of us have voiced our concerns about co-workers work habits at one time or other. It’s simply human nature. It sounds like you weren’t trying to be malicious. Speak to your co-worker and apologize for your remarks, whether warranted or not. If the co-worker requests an explanation, you owe it to her to explain the reason for your comments. If you are in a position to help your co-worker than offer some assistance. Perhaps the co-worker is going through a rough patch and could use your help.

Gossip can be described as mere water cooler journalism and in some instances can be beneficial for example when messages need to be transmitted immediately or if you’re planning my next birthday party which is soon by the way. So gossip can be good in some circumstances but should never be used to drive a wedge between workers. And another word of caution, before going off making off the cuff remarks about a co-workers inabilities, better make sure you don’t have any yourself.