‘Shh … quiet! Here they come.’ Black employees as targets of office gossip

Abstract

This study explored black employees" experiences of racial profiling by their white peers through the medium of gossip at a historically white South African university. Participants consisted of 24 black employees (males = 50%, females = 50%; support staff = 50%, academic staff = 50%). The employees completed a semi-structured interview that elicited their perceptions of the settings in which gossip about black employees occurred, the perceived intentions of such gossip, and their responses to it. The data obtained was thematically analysed. Findings suggested that the gossip targeted black employees who were absent from meetings, and that such gossip undermined the work performance and morale of these employees.

Minorities’ experiences of office gossip

“…On the other hand, Foster (2004) argues that the purpose of office gossip is to obtain valuable information that one works with. Office gossip is also used to hurt a high-fliers' reputation or to ensure that certain people remain powerless in the organisation (Carrim, 2016).…”

“…A vast body of research has examined the negative causes of gossip, but to a lesser extent on the positive sources of gossip (Carrim, 2016;Grosser et al, 2012;Shallcross et al, 2011). More recently, scholars are increasingly calling to focus on both the positive and negative elements of gossip in a single study (Altuntaş et al, 2014;Grosser et al, 2010).…”

“…Nevertheless, because of its pervasive nature, individuals constantly engage in some form of gossip, be it positive or negative. Hence, whether at a wedding or at work, gossip forms a major part of social interactions (Carrim, 2016). The reputation of an individual can be tarnished or uplifted within a split second as a result of gossip.…”

“…Previous research indicates that women, as a marginalised group and racial minorities in the workplace, have been targets of malicious gossip (Carrim, 2016;Crothers, Lipinkski, & Minutolo, 2009;McAndrew, 2014). Recent studies on office gossip have contributed to knowledge in the field of management.…”

Employee’s Perception on Workplace Gossip in the South African Public Sectors: The Implication on Job Performance

“…Fernandes et al (2017), asserts that gossip is considered as an effective tool, to create social groups, and further provides an opportunity for people to learn new things and to be known as a new group. Carrim (2016), opines that for organisations and researchers to understand workplace better, it is essential to acknowledge that intergroup relations, group association might shape interaction at a micro level or at a personal level. Ferrari (2015), reveals that a group setting can provide a flourishing platform for workplace gossip.…”