BREAKING DOWN THE RUMOR MILL
Has gossip gotten out of control in your office? If so, don't look the other way. And especially if you're a manager, don't engage in it yourself!

Gossip, according to workplace experts and various studies, is an issue that often affects the workplace, as well as every other place where people gather. As Alice Roosevelt Longworth said, " If you haven't got anything nice to say about anybody, come sit next to me." (Source: wikiquotes.com )

So if your workplace is being overrun with rumors, here are some tips about how to cope with them before they damage your career or someone else's:

• Try not to keep secrets from employees about firings, promotions, demotions, layoffs, etc., when you can avoid it. Creating an information vacuum can be an invitation to some employees to fill the void with speculation.

• Immediately address gossip that is malicious or crosses the line into harassment. Sit down with the offender and discuss the problem directly, but tactfully.

• Don't be shy about confronting a chronic offender. If the problem continues after an employee has been warned about gossiping, you may also want to revisit the issue during an employee evaluation.

• But don't overreact. There will always be a certain amount of lies, innuendo and even some nastiness in almost any work environment from time to time. It's time to take action when there's the potential for people to get hurt or for reputations to be damaged.

• Educate your employees about how damaging gossip can be to themselves, their coworkers and their company.