Gossip serves a purpose—and not always a negative one
Why do people gossip? And is gossip always bad? According to professor of Organisational Behaviour Bianca Beersma, talking about others is not always a bad thing. “You can also say positive things about people when they’re not around, and even saying negative things can be very effective. It can improve the functioning of teams and organisations.”
Professor Bianca Beersma has spent years studying the motives underlying gossip, as well as its upsides and downsides in the workplace. Her research explores whether the motive behind gossip has an impact on the ultimate consequences of that gossip. “People can gossip for various reasons: to tarnish someone’s reputation, to protect the group from people who commit social transgressions, or simply for the sake of entertainment. The question is whether the subject of the gossip is aware of it, and whether that matters for the consequences of gossip.” In all likelihood, gossip leads to increased uniformity within the group. Whether this is positive or negative depends on the task entrusted to the group. In a workplace where people perform similar administrative tasks, it can have a positive effect, but when creativity is needed, peer pressure that results in conformity can end up being a negative.”
Beersma aims to gain insight into situations in which gossip is beneficial, such that it may be used as an intervention technique to improve cooperation and work atmosphere within an organisation.