So What’s the Tea
Unless you work in a tea shop, a person asking about the ‘Tea’ isn’t literally asking about tea. They are asking about the latest gossip, or an update on old gossip, and they know you’ve got it!
According to Urban Dictionary, the slang term ‘Tea’ comes from; ‘the custom in the South when women who gather in the afternoon to drink tea and gossip.’ And it’s often used in the phrase ‘spill the tea’ or ‘what’s the tea,’ which means to share juicy gossip about a situation, person, or organization. You can give tea, get tea, or spill the tea.
Let’s Spill the Tea
- 86% of employees gossip during the workday and 41% of Millennials use gossip as the source for workplace news.
- Workers spend 40 minutes per week gossiping. That averages nearly 35 hours per year!
- 33% of employees who engage in job related gossip have negative feelings and behavior toward colleagues, superiors, and the organization.
- 52% of gossip is job related while 45% is non-job related gossip.
- 71% of gossip is directed at other employees while 44% is directed at upper management and 34% is specific to a reporting superior or boss.
- 86% of gossip concerns corporate issues and challenges.
- One out of 5 employees have left a company due to gossip and workplace drama.
- Employees who engage in job related gossip have higher levels of doubt, cynicism and with lower levels of morale and productivity.
The Impact
Gossip damages productivity, trust, it divides employees, and lowers morale. It hurts the reputation of good workers, damaging advancement and promotion opportunities. Ultimately forcing a good worker to seek employment where they feel more valued. This can also lead to legal liability for employees, managers and even the organization who allow malicious, false, and slanderous gossip.
Try to Mitigate the Damage
A No Gossip Culture – Start with a culture that does not embrace it. A healthy work environment means avoiding watercooler conversations that are not productive and that can lower morale.
Create a Positive Culture – Communication is key to keep workers feeling valued. This means one-on-one meetings as well as group meetings that are productive and provide morale boosters such as acts of appreciation and recognition.
Hold Everyone Accountable – A gossip-free workplace only works when everyone is accountable for their actions. Get everyone involved in creating an environment that defines what gossip is (and isn’t) and how they will be accountable personally, as a group, and to each other.
At the end of the day remember Newton’s third law goes something like this: “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” So, when something negative is brought up, find something positive to say.
Cardinal Staffing Services – Your Staffing Partner since 1994
Whether you are a company looking for employees OR a candidate looking for work we have you covered. For more details, reach out to your local Cardinal Staffing office to hear more about current offerings or for job postings – we’re here to help!