How to Deal With Rumors at Work

Rumors have no place anywhere, especially at work. They distract you from performing your expected duties, resulting in a less productive work day; cause unnecessary conflict; are detrimental to employee relations and decrease employee morale. There's no way to prevent rumors at work, but there are a few ways to deal with them.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Ignore them. Rumors spread if you acknowledge them. If you ignore the rumors, the rate at which they spreads is decreased.

2. Confront the people spreading the rumor if you can't ignore it or if it is about you. Deny the rumor, then ask them to stop spreading rumors and gossip.

3. Let the rumor run its course and die on its own. Rumors have a short shelf life. Be patient and it will eventually go away.

4. Talk to your boss if you can't solve the problem on your own. Ask her if she has a suggestion on how to deal with distracting work rumors.

5. Concentrate on your work. Focusing your attention on work will get your mind off of the rumor of the day.

6. Tell those that gossip that you don't want any part of the rumor. This will take away any enjoyment that they get from spreading rumors.

Tips & Warnings

• Keeping a positive attitude will show those who spread nasty rumors and gossip that you are above their negative influences.
• Stay silent. Hateful and hurtful rumors do not dignify responses.
• If you simply must respond, make it short. Keep responses to rumors short and to the point and speak in a matter-of-fact tone, not emotionally.
• Don't engage the people starting the rumors. People start hurtful rumors for many reasons; if you don't get along with those people, don't let them drag you down to their level.
• Keep rumors from affecting your work by not taking it personally. This is difficult to do when the rumor is about you, but doing so will prevent you from being sucked into the work "rumor mill."

Resources

• A look at rumors at work at Hard at Work.
• Learn about rumor control at Beyond Intractability.

[TriniGabby]

on 1/11/2009 Thanks, this was helpful

[robertsloan2]

on 10/5/2007 It can also help in denying the rumor to laugh out loud at it when you hear it, as something ludicrous. Turning it with a humorous response can sometimes defuse a rumor completely, especially if it's untrue.