Whispers, rumors, gossip – they’re alive in your contact center and even managers are guilty of them. How destructive is the toxic talk?
Almost 90% of contact center pros – agents and managers alike – think someone needs to do something in their company about the toxic talk, a poll by consultant Barbara Burke found.
What’s worse, most leaders aren’t setting a good example. The same poll found 60% of them gossip about co-workers (not so much about customers, at least!)
The effects of workplace gossip rumors are harmful:
- Reduces trust between co-workers
- Adversely affects overall morale
- Causes agent stress
- Reduces agents’ willingness to participate, and
- Causes agents to loose faith in leaders who see it but don’t do anything about it.
To squash gossip and any toxic talk about customers:
- Set the example. Don’t do it yourself.
- Note it. When colleagues are about to spread gossip, tell them, “Let me get my pen and paper. I want to make sure I get this right.
- Be positive. If co-workers say negative things about others, reply, “Gee, they always say such nice things about you.”
- Be open. Managers can stop the rumor mill by keeping agents informed of company, customer and department changes. Then they won’t fill the voids with rumors or gossip.
