Have You Heard ... Ways To Control Office Gossip

It's a natural human action, but you need to keep your participation under control

It’s been said that “you can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your family.” And unless you’re in HR, chances are you aren’t able to choose with whom you share an office space either.

Often, what comes from throwing random strangers together into a cubicle-clad office space can lead to situations that make fingernails on a chalkboard sound like a four string quartet. From the break room food klepto to the budding office romance, co-workers offer juicy material for water cooler chatter or hearsay that sparks at your desks, in the break room, or on the elevator. Even at the bar after work.

What starts with a casual observation of how you saw “Joe and Sally exchange lingering glances” can escalate into allegations that could hurt both their personal and professional images, and yours.

Here are a few tips that will keep your professional life from getting tangled up in the web of office gossip.

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