Sixty percent of respondents in a recent employee survey said that gossip was their biggest pet peeve about their jobs. Most gossip centers on the workplace and the personal lives of coworkers. How often have you gossiped at work—either as a sender or as a receiver? Although you may think workplace gossip is harmless, it can have some pretty serious consequences. First, spreading rumors can damage morale and increase anxiety. Second, it can hamper productivity and impact performance. And it can lead to something you might not even have considered, as it did for four former employees of the town of Hooksett, New Hampshire. Fired by the city council for gossiping about their boss, they learned the hard way that gossip can cost you your job.* The longtime employees were fired because one of the women had used derogatory terms to describe the town administrator and because all of them had discussed a rumor that he was having an affair with a female subordinate. All four of the women acknowledged feeling resentment toward the woman, who worked in a specially created position and was paid more than two of the gossiping employees, despite having less experience and seniority. Despite an appeal of their dismissal by the four employees, the Hooksett council didn’t budge and stated, “These employees do not represent the best interests of the town of Hooksett and the false rumors, gossip and derogatory statements have contributed to a negative working environment and malcontent among their fellow employees.” Despite national media attention and a petition signed by 419 residents asking for the women to be reinstated, the city council didn’t waver on its decision. An attorney for the four women said that his clients were “legitimately questioning the conduct of their supervisor, and whether the female subordinate was getting preferential treatment. It almost cheapens it to call it gossip. It might have been idle, not particularly thoughtful, talk. But there was no harm intended.” Although the four women represented nearly fifty years of combined service to the city and all had positive performance reviews, the town council believed that the women’s actions were “insubordinate” and “dishonest.” All four received a settlement for being fired, which cost the town a total of $330,000. The settlement agreement also stipulated, however, that two of the women can never apply for a job with the town again.
Is it okay for employees to openly gossip about others in an organization?
Do you agree with the action of the city council? Why or why not?
If the women in this story had taken their concerns to management regarding the alleged affair, do you think this would have changed the outcome? If so, how?
Viewed in a different context, does the story shift from one of malicious gossip to one of concern over a potential sexual harassment situation?
What guidelines would you suggest for supervisors who want guidance in deciding when it's appropriate to control workplace gossip?
please no plagiarized answers and please type out the answers