March 9, 2018 at 10:00 AM
In 2009, Local 2002 launched the Gossip is like Spam campaign. Like unsolicited spam in our email and social media accounts, workplace gossip is persistent and needs to be kept in check. Gossip and rumour mongering - whether true or untrue - can damage reputations, deny someone their dignity and divide workplaces. Like spam, when you hear gossip... don't repeat – just delete.
Consider the amount of SPAM you receive every day on your computer. Would you even think of passing these unsolicited, unwelcome messages on to your friends, family and coworkers? Probably not.
Yet, most people send and receive spam (commonly known as gossip) daily, through the ever-living workplace grapevine.
As a communication tool, the grapevine can serve as a lifeline, keeping workers informed about social events and workplace changes. Left unchecked, it can creep out of control, choking and eliminating healthy workplace relationships.
Gossip and rumours can be hurtful and dangerous to a person’s emotional and professional well-being. Far from harmless, initiating or repeating random information about another person is abusive and can constitute personal harassment.
Avoid the temptation to gossip. It divides us as coworkers, as a union and as a workforce. Let's take back our workplaces and promote encouragement, positivity and respect. Make hurtful workplace gossip a thing of the past.
If you get spammed... DON’T REPEAT IT, DELETE IT!
For more information please contact:
Cate Moss, National Human Rights Coordinator
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