Recently, a dispatcher friend of mine broke her foot. She was unable to drive and unable to perform her duties on the radio, so she was placed on light duty and assigned to work the desk at one of the stations. When she returned to the emergency communications center, she knew she would have to get back into the groove after being gone several months. What she didn't expect was finding herself the topic of the gossip floating around the bureau. Instead of her medical condition causing her to be assigned elsewhere, she learned, according to the stories, she had either been sent away because of her attitude or she had physically assaulted one of the other dispatchers. Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time un-substantiated stories had circulated about an employee. In fact, it is quite common, not only at this center, but at centers throughout the U.S.
Gossip and Rumors
Often the words gossip and rumor are used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Rumors are testimonials or opinions that may or may not be accurate. Gossip, on the other hand, is an intimate or sensational fact revealed about a person or situation. Gossip can further be broken down into speculative (created from employees' curiosity) and malicious (designed to cause turmoil or discredit certain individuals). Although speculative gossip is often less harmful than malicious gossip, both are unprofessional and distracting and create problems within communications centers and require management and employees to address them.
Gossip harms agencies in many ways. It damages trust and morale; hurts feelings; ruins reputations; decreases employee satisfaction; increases workplace stress and increases turn-over. Many of these issues are attributable to the negative atmosphere caused when co-workers talk about each other, regardless of whether the person is present or not. Another huge issue facing departments allowing gossip to continue, especially when supervisors are involved, is the possibility of an employee's privacy rights being violated.
Who Should Stop it?
The responsibility of eliminating gossip falls onto both management and employees. Most agencies want to create positive workplaces but often feel uncertain how to prevent the spread of gossip. Many times admitting there is a problem is the first step. Next, supervisors need to communicate effectively with employees when appropriate. If gossip appears to be speculative and based on employees curiosity about something going on within the department, such as budget cuts or new standards, agencies should use formal communication tools like policy modifications, informational memos, and employee newsletters to make sure timely and accurate information is being disseminated. Also, nurturing an open-door policy will help keep gossip from getting out of control. If a situation involves an individual employee, management can ask them what they want disclosed, if anything, about their situation. My friend with the broken foot wishes someone would have asked her and she would have graciously given permission for them to tell her co-workers why she was absent.
The most important gossip-eliminator a department can have is established, written policies addressing harmful gossip outlining the consequences. Agencies must make the restricted behavior and the penalty clear. Once the policy is in place, it must be ENFORCED. Although it might be uncomfortable for supervisors to address who is spreading gossip, remembering the wide-spread harm created can assist a manager deal with the issue. New employees must be taught in training that gossip will not be tolerated and employees coached to change their mode of trying to find out information.
Department supervisors are not the only ones with a responsibility to create a positive work environment. Emergency communication personnel should embrace policies addressing gossip because nothing beats a nice place to work. No one should feel like they are constantly protecting themselves emotionally from their co-workers. Enough stress exists in communications already without adding more from within. Employees can do several things to eliminate gossip from their center. Begin by isolating yourself from people who participate in gossip. You do not have to listen to people talk about others. Speak up and let them know you don't approve. Tamara Gremillion, Cracker Barrel's EAP Counselor offers several ways to get out of a situation in her article, "Don't Listen to Gossip." If you don't feel comfortable standing up to another employee, especially if you are new, if there is a policy against gossip, report it. No one wants to work in a bad atmosphere. You've invested a lot in this job already. Improving the atmosphere will only make the next few decades of your life more pleasant.
In a word, gossip sucks. During my days as a police telecommunications operator, I was the subject of wild-fire stories many times. Often, I thought, Wow, my life is really exciting! , but in the end I felt hurt. I wanted to trust those I worked with. We depended on each other. We dealt with the same stress and pain. Why were we so mean? Why did we allow ourselves to alienate and hurt each other? Where were the supervisors in all this? Often, they were a part of it.
Gossip was one of the most negative aspects of my time as a dispatcher and it continues to affect communications operators across the country on a daily basis. The solution resides with us. Whether you're a supervisor, an administrator or a brand new operator, the ability to make the communications center a better, more supportive place resides with you. You are responsible. Will you continue to allow co-workers to hurt each other? Or, will you make your environment a better one today?
