Secretarial: Careless talk can cost jobs

Gossip is fun, and does have its uses. But newcomers to the office should be careful whose company they keep.

IT'S THE first week of your new job and you barely know the post- boy from the MD. Suddenly, however, a juicy piece of gossip starts tongues wagging and, within minutes, the darkest secrets of the entire office appear to have been revealed to you.

Julie, it seems, is a real back-stabber; Tim is absurdly high-minded; the unassuming looking chap in the corner whose name has escaped you is rumoured to have a dreadful temper; and so on.

But as you make a mental note of every colleague's personality type, you should consider how you yourself are being sized up. Since you are a fresh recruit, this is important. After all, you don't want to appear to be a killjoy. Indeed, if you keep too quiet and stony-faced, you may even be suspected to be a snitch. But, at the same time, you ought to be aware that being seen to indulge in gossip so early in your career has its downside.

Your superiors may think you're easily led and your colleagues may frown on you for not sticking to the principle that applies to companies and families alike: fully fledged members can run them down, but woe betide anyone else who does so.

So, how do you strike a balance? According to Judi James - who trains new recruits in the working environment - this is no trivial matter, and it is of particular importance to employees fresh out of education.

"Graduates [or school-leavers] who are new to office life tend to feel as though they are starting at a new school, because that's what they're used to. In a new school, a great deal of immediate hearsay and slander goes a long way in resolving the fact that everyone is unaccustomed to everyone else. Then, as time goes on, it all gets forgotten.

"But, in an office, the chances are that everyone already knows each other, and if you walk in and back the wrong horse it can be extremely detrimental to your career and working relationships."

Furthermore, claims Angela Baron, policy adviser for the Institute for Personnel and Development, being indiscreet about colleagues will imply to a manager that you are also indiscreet about the company.

"Any good company should not even have a grapevine," she asserts.

But Cary Cooper, professor of occupational psychology at University of Manchester Institute of Technology, disagrees. Gossip can be useful in circulating ideas indirectly. If you are new to a company, you may be too shy to approach the boss about a wacky idea. Instead, you can spread it about as a rumour to get some initial feedback."

In addition, he says, it's a good way of comparing notes: "If your boss is coming on to you in his office, you may find out through gossiping with others that you are not the only victim. Then you can do something about it."

Stefan Stern, of the Industrial Society - which will soon be publishing a book on office dilemmas - believes that hearsay can be effective if you have had suffered misfortune. "If, say, your partner dies, it is doubtful that you'll want to make an announcement about it. But by telling the right people, you know you won't have to.

"The same can apply if you've made a mistake at work that can't be kept secret."

Is the aim, then, to make sure your gossip focuses only on specific issues? When it comes to innovative ideas and any negative personal experiences you may have had, the answer would seem to be Yes. Even rumours about potential disasters should be considered grist for the rumour mill, claims Cooper. "You may hear that the company is downsizing, and that there are going to be redundancies.

"Gossip like this can spread fast and force bosses into a situation where they have to let you know whether it is the truth or not."

But what about that oldest form of gossip: back-stabbing? Can office workers - especially new recruits - hope to avoid dishing the dirt on their colleagues?

"That may be the ideal, but it is unrealistic," claims Cooper. "All gossip should be accepted as part and parcel of human nature in any environment. My advice is obvious when it comes to slander: try not to get involved, but accept that it goes on."

This is the area where graduates are most likely to come unstuck, warns James.

"You can find yourself part of slanderous gossip just by listening in. Even if you don't contribute anything to the conversation, the fact that you are looking like a dog staring at a biscuit, or laughing like a clown, means you're already involved.

"The best thing is to acquire the type of smile that most managers have perfected - very subtle, while at the same time nodding down at your chest. That way, you can be diplomatic, yet hear everything. After all, there's no doubt that knowledge can be power."

How To Prevent Gossip

Ruining Your Career

Indulge in office gossip only when:

n You want to discover the truth about something that affects you directly.

n You want to spread around information without making a formal announcement.

n You know for sure that no one is going to suffer unduly as a result.

Never indulge in office gossip when:

n You know you are doing it just as a way of brightening up an otherwise dull day.

n It might unfairly damage someone's reputation.

n You're not sure who's who in the office.