We all know that rumours can be truly damaging to our work environment and no one wants to create a toxic atmosphere, especially in the workplace. Deliberate accounts of misleading facts can be destructive, leading to negativity and bad morale amongst teams. Whether rumours are about company operations, the management team, or other colleagues, they can spread very quickly and get out of hand. Before you know it, people are starting to believe rumours even if they were never true to begin with!

To foster an inclusive environment, always use your sound judgment before anything else. Ask yourself: ‘on what grounds am I making this statement? How will it affect my team members? Am I one hundred percent positive of the truth behind my words?’ Self-correcting behaviour and good judgment can go a long way in preventing unnecessary conflict.

While we encourage friendly relationships at work, we also value everyone’s privacy. Information regarding someone’s personal life is not for public disclosure and should not interfere with his or her professional dealings. The bottom line is rumours will not be tolerated. However, when interpreting a rumour and possibly reacting in anger, take a step back and understand that the source of the rumour may not be of malicious intention but rather a simple misunderstanding.

Let’s face it; we spend more time at work than we probably do at home. Most of us appreciate good energy and thrive on positivity! We should all strive to create a healthier and rumour free working environment at all times.