Rumor has it that gossip can be a positive force in workplace cultures, under the right circumstances.
While talking smack behind a colleague’s back likely won’t produce any personal or organizational benefits, research suggests sharing neutral or positive information outside of official workplace communication channels will.
According to a study published in the journal Group and Organizational Management, those who feel like they’re in the know tend to stick around for longer. The study of 338 nurses found the ones that shared work-related intel felt a sense of social power and ultimately had lower rates of voluntary turnover.
Joseph Grenny, however, is trash-talking the idea that gossip helps build trust amongst colleagues.
The social scientist for business performance, cofounder of Crucial Learning, and author of Crucial Conversations says the hush-hush nature of gossip frees the smack-talker from taking responsibility for their disparaging comments, which doesn’t exactly build credibility.
“It creates a feeling of connection without real trust,” he says. “The fact that I’m gossiping with you is evidence to you that I’ll also gossip about you—if I’ll do it with you, I’ll do it to you—so there’s actually an erosion of trust.”
Grenny believes gossip serves as an indicator of organizational health, and suggests rumors tend to fly more frequently in less positive work cultures.