"Maria's skirt is awfully short, isn't it? And she sure doesn't have the figure to pull that off!"
"You're not going to believe what I heard about our new client . . ."
"Did you hear who is getting divorced? You're not going to believe what happened!"
"We're not getting bonuses this year because of what happened between Fred and Susan."
"Did you hear why Martin got that raise? And did you hear how much it was?"
Statements like this are heard in workplaces around the country, including veterinarian offices, with victims of gossip being managers, coworkers, clients - and anyone else the gossiper runs across during his or her day. While gossip can contain kernels of truth, stories shared are often blown out of proportion, and are sometimes completely false.
When people who work at a veterinarian's office gossip, and the manager doesn't effectively address the situation, the workplace quickly becomes toxic. Some managers don't address the gossip because they are turning a blind eye (or, more accurately, ear!) to what employees are doing. And, unfortunately, sometimes the managers are active participants in the gossiping, which makes the situation even worse.
Originally Published in Today's Veterinary Business, April 2018
