Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

The perks and perils of remote-work gossip

The perks and perils of remote-work gossip

In remote- and hybrid-work settings, the watercooler whisper to colleagues has been digitised. But spilling all online can be risky.

While some might associate workplace gossip with a toxic office culture, many studies show its benefits: confiding in colleagues can deepen trust and improve mental health. And though a quick grumble about a bad manager may be harder when employees no longer share an office, our innate need to seek – and share – information about others persists in the pandemic era of hybrid work. In fact, office gossip has become a crucial means of connection for many employees in virtual work arrangements.

“We’re the descendants of busybodies,” says Frank McAndrew, professor of psychology at Knox College in Illinois, US. “It was in our ancestors’ interests to know what everyone else was doing in order to be socially successful – to find out who they could and couldn’t trust.”

However, the current reality of hybrid work has made the normal channels of office gossip – watercooler whispers and desk-side chats – more difficult. A new era of workplace surveillance and digital communication has raised the stakes around venting about a boss or other colleagues. More than ever, workers now run the risk of having their complaints monitored by suspicious bosses, something most people would like to avoid amid the current rounds of layoffs.

“As soon as technology is involved, the risk of gossiping is amplified,” says McAndrew. “More bad things can happen more quickly.”

Even in light of these concerns, many employees will continue sharing information and opinions to socialize and stay up to date on office politics with their colleagues.

Hybrid work has made the normal channels of office gossip – watercooler whispers and desk-side chats – more difficult.


“It’s the grapevine effect,” explains Ronald Placone, associate teaching professor of business-management communication at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, in Pittsburgh, US. “In most organisations, the demand for information is greater than supply: if there’s talk of impending layoffs but leadership remains silent, you can expect gossip to fill the void.”

But with more employees practising flexible working arrangements, there are fewer opportunities to gossip – at least via traditional means. “Not only are people less likely to be physically working together, but there is also less to observe when you’re working remotely from your laptop,” says Placone. “Workplace gossip would be prompted by sitting at the desk and seeing a colleague unexpectedly go into the boss’s office: ‘Are they in trouble?’, ‘Are they going for a promotion?’. That source of gossip is largely gone.”

Despite this suppressed flow of information, many workers still feel the need to keep one another in the know. In doing so, they often turn to the same tools they use for their job. “The opportunities to gossip are often on Zoom and Slack,” says Elena Martinescu, a research associate at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. “People may no longer work in the same space as each other, but they still have an ingrained need to share thoughts and observations, and seek information.”

But the same workplace tools that employees use to gossip can also be tracked by employers. More bosses are also surveilling workers through dedicated software: according to consulting firm Gartner, 70% of large US employers will use monitoring tools within the next two years. Sometimes branded ‘bossware’, this technology can log keystrokes, capture screenshots or covertly activate employees’ webcams.

People may no longer work in the same space as each other, but they still have an ingrained need to share thoughts and observations, and seek information – Elena Martinescu


It means workplace gossip is not only more complicated in virtual-work settings – it’s riskier. “Compared to face-to-face conversations, in which tone of voice and non-verbal signals can emphasise sensitive information that shouldn’t be shared, digital communications have fewer nuances,” says McAndrew. “A message can be easily forwarded, misinterpreted and seen by unintended audiences.”

And although a worker may not lose their job for speaking badly of their employer, a disparaging message history might have serious implications down the road. “Compared to face-to-face gossip, there’s a paper trail – making it easier for the employer to trace, and harder for the employee to deny,” says McAndrew. “I suspect that firing isn’t out of the question, but it would have to be a very serious infraction.”

In response, anonymous workplace forums, such as Blind and on Reddit, are flourishing as digital gathering spaces to dish about work. “Although you may not have an annoying boss in the same space as you, you’re still going to experience the same frustrations, anger and anxiety about your job,” says Martinescu. “Going online, and broadcasting your annoyances via a pseudonym, could be the new way of gossiping about work.”

Even in largely hybrid and virtual office environments, many workers will continue to find a way to gossip. “We have an innate desire for information that won't go away,” says McAndrew. “And some people enjoy gossiping: they have a reputation for knowing what’s going on at the company, while being discreet and responsible handling sensitive information – they’re often quite popular.”

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
×