Let’s talk about scary workplaces…
What gets your blood boiling at work?
Is it a nasty coworker? The pervert in the cube next to you? Not getting a raise?
Turns out gossip is at the top of the list.
A survey by staffing firm Ranstad USA found that among the Top 7 Pet Peeves in the Workplace, workers talking about other workers is worse than anything else.
Being a journalist, gossip has always seemed to be pervasive in the offices I’ve worked in, and you know something, gossip really never bothered me. I usually tried to stay out of the latest news about love affairs and potential firings. Part of me figured it was a natural human tendency to pay attention to what other people were doing because you thought your life couldn’t be as exciting as theirs.
Eric Buntin, Randstad’s managing director of marketing and operations says:
“Gossip will always be a mainstay of the workplace, especially because office floor plans have become more open and communal. Though, hopefully the 60 percent of workers who are annoyed by it aren’t gossiping themselves!”
I do get lots of letters from readers about how gossip impacts their lives. Some employees have felt nasty rumors spread about them actually contributed to their lack of career advancement. I could definitely see that happening if there’s someone at work out to get you, or someone that wants your job.
The best way to combat that: stay out of the fray people. Don’t gossip at lunch or by the water cooler no matter how much you want to. Gossip always comes back to bite the gossipers on their butts.
If you’re already the subject of a nasty rumor, or someone is spreading news about something embarrassing in your life, don’t address it unless you’re sure the higher ups are now wondering about you.
Once that happens, and you truly believe the gossip is derailing your career, sit down with your manager and put the cards on the table. Let your boss know whether the rumor is untrue. If it turns out there is some truth to the gossip, explain yourself simply, and without going into details.
But again, do this only if you’re 100 percent sure the stories being spread are damaging your day job.
There are other pet peeves besides gossip, according to the study.
Here’s how the peeves stake up:
1. Gossip 60%
2. Others’ poor time management skills 54%
3. Messiness in communal spaces 45%
4. Potent scents 42%
5. Loud noises 41%
6. Overuse of electronic personal communications devices in meetings 28%
7. Misuse of email 22%
Talk about gossip. Why are workers watching what other workers do on email?
It’s none of your business people. Who cares if your coworkers watch the latest funny YouTube video. ((check out the rotting pumpkin video or the video of a pumpkin that carves itself. Come on, piss off your coworker!! ))
October 31st, 2007 at 8:58 pm
BIG pet peeve of mine….1. Gossip 60%
Totally grosses me out 4. Potent scents 42%
Why should I care if they email aunt martha on company time?? 7. Misuse of email 22%
Let me do my job. If i don’t want birthday cake in the breakroom, then let me be!
November 1st, 2007 at 8:49 am
Working from home a lot I must admit I miss the random birthday cakes.
November 1st, 2007 at 1:55 pm
Office politics and gossip are scary, but this scares me more. I’m job hunting, and have had some frightening experiences in interviews:
1) Ask about “benefits” listed in the ad & find out it’s scam catastrophic health insurance that they “pay an allowance toward.”
2) Call an ad for “sales reps” & find out it’s an “investment opportunity” to sell the same scam catastrophic health insurance.
3) Take info at the unemployment office on alternatives to COBRA insurance, call the number & get the same person who answered for the “Sales Rep” job.
4) Drive home & see a sign on a telephone pole that sez: NEED HEALTH INSURANCE? . . . with the same number on it.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Come on!! Is this true? That is unbelievable.
November 2nd, 2007 at 5:59 pm
Oh, yea. SAD, FRUSTRATING, but TRUE! Sorry I mistyped my email. Email me if your curious about. I think this company needs investigated.
November 25th, 2007 at 12:39 am
Biggest peeve: Others poor time-management skills; namely my boss. His desk and office are atrocious, papers everywhere; you have to give him items 2 or 3 times because he “loses” them. He will spend 2 hours of each day on the phone for some of the various “boards” he’s on (not work related at all) and then wants to finally get to work at 4pm when most of us are winding up our days and finishing the last of our work and wonders why no one will now stay late to help him get his work done. We all now hate when he comes into our offices to discuss anything because he cannot stay on topic and ends up rambling for 1/2 hour or more (sometimes work related most times not) unless you pointedly turn back to your computer screen to get him to leave.
November 25th, 2007 at 8:35 am
Wow MT. Sounds like he’s a total scatter brain. Or he may have some sort of disorder. I’ve interviewed a few bosses that had ADD, and a study I write about next week in my MSNBC blog (www.yourbiz.msnbc.msn.com) found that a high number of entrepreneurs had dyslexia.
Or maybe he’s just a scatter brain.
I hate that he wants to work at 4 p.m. Have you discussed this with him. And I mean, sat him down and told him why that’s tough on you and your schedule?
Might be worth laying the cards on the table. (In a nice way.)