At a glance
By Emma Foster
People spend on average about 52 minutes per day gossiping about others, according to a study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, and only about 15 per cent of it is in some way critical.
“As humans, we are social creatures, and we spend a lot of time thinking about other people and talking about them,” says Professor Kim Peters from the University of Exeter Business School in the UK.
“Although the popular stereotype of gossip is that it is about scandalous rumours, most of the time it is positive or neutral.”
Handy helper
Evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar has argued that gossip can be traced back to the earliest days of human progress, where it was used to pass on socially useful information about who could or could not be trusted and who was reliable.
Its usefulness as a mechanism for successful human cooperation remains just as fundamental today, Peters says. “In both social and work environments, we tend to interact with people we do not know very well – sometimes with complete strangers.”
This can make us vulnerable, she adds.
“Gossip can be useful to help us build up a picture about them from what others say, giving us a wider lens to get a better sense of whether they are trustworthy.
“It can help us to make better choices when working out who might be the right person to team up with for a particular project or who can be trusted to give credit where it is due,” Peters explains.
Workplace glue
Research suggests up to 90 per cent of employees engage in gossip. The prevalence of gossip in the workplace also reflects its importance as a social bonding mechanism and in boosting job satisfaction.
“Shared secrets have a way of bonding people together,” writes Frank McAndrew, professor of psychology at Knox College in the US in Psychology Today.
“Harmless gossiping with one’s colleagues builds group cohesiveness and boosts morale, and this can lead to greater job satisfaction.”
Gossip can also reduce an employee’s job insecurity and increase their organisational identity, according to a 2022 Chinese study published in Frontiers in Psychology.
While malicious gossip is a cause for concern, particularly when it is self-serving, untruthful or misrepresentative, negative gossip can sometimes be useful.
“Gossip can be important for warning people when there are real interpersonal risks at stake,” says Professor Brock Bastian, director and principal psychologist at Psychological Safety Australia.
“Perhaps a boss is known to be difficult to work for, or an employee is known to have some shortcomings in various areas of performance. Sharing this information with others in a constructive manner can be hugely valuable.”
Warning sign
The role of gossip in expressing concern about unethical or unprofessional behaviour is also being taken seriously, says coaching psychologist Dr Kathryn Waddington from the University of Westminster.
“When the topic of gossip is about poor practice in organisations, it can act as an early warning signal that should be heeded, rather than ignored or disregarded,” she says, noting that perceptions of gossip have changed with the rise of “speak up cultures” and the creation of psychologically safe environments where truth can be told without fear of recrimination.
“The focus has now shifted from gossip as a problem itself, to gossip as a way to represent the ‘problem behind the problem’, exposing structural issues that have been swept under the rug,” Waddington explains.
The importance of boundaries
To ensure gossip at work is doing good and not harm, Bastian says it is important for people to set clear boundaries and not tolerate malicious or harmful gossip.
“If someone starts a conversation that makes you feel uncomfortable, it is important to let them know, and not to engage further,” he says.
“This also sets the tone around the office in terms of what is tolerated and what is acceptable when talking about others. It will also likely impact on how people treat others at work as well, making it clear that respect and integrity are values that are important in the workplace environment.”
Be aware of and accept the fact that people are likely to talk about you, Peters adds.
“It may feel uncomfortable, but it is the reality of the world. Accept that you are going to be discussed, because it is just how groups of humans work,” Peters says, “But keep in mind that the things you do – good and bad – are going to contribute to your reputation.”
