Office gossiping - They did what in the stationery cupboard?!

Fact: Everyone gossips

Whether it's done verbally, via email or more recently via social media platforms like Facebook and twitter, it doesn't matter what form gossiping has. Gossiping in the workplace, especially when it is about other work colleagues, has all the negative downsides associated with the following words:

Tribunal
Harassment
Money

These are three words to make any employer jump to attention. Why? Because gossip usually becomes their problem after a fallout or incident. Read more about how inappropriate behaviour between two employees at a staff function became idle talk in the office and led to an employer landing claims of sex and pregnancy discrimination, harassment and constructive dismissal on his desk.

Does this look familiar?

Socialising and interaction in work is all part of fostering teamwork as well as building a culture of openness and transparency, but when rumours and malicious gossiping start to affect a workplace, it can become increasingly uncomfortable for everyone.

Here are our top 3 tips for businesses dealing with office gossip:

• Cut it out - Warn everyone that it won't be tolerated
• Make your staff aware of boundaries. You don't want all your staff to be robots - after all it's human nature to get things off your chest.
• Don't participate yourself!

Twas the night of the office Christmas party...

Let’s all deck the halls with boughs of holly

Party time, the season to be jolly

With short skirts, earrings and reindeer hats

A few vodkas at home and then off to get rats'd

As grumpy John from accounts asks Edna to dance

In walks the boss, just back from France

He makes straight for the bar, full of French bonhomie

And says “Over here folks the drinks are on me”

This is the moment when he should have known better

But it’s all a laugh, bit of fun and he’s a go getter.

Next thing he knows Lucy’s perched on his knee

And he’s fooling about and his hands are quite free.

Her boyfriend takes umbrage, Lucy heads for the loo.

It goes down in history as a “hell of a do”.

But come the next day with his head in his hands

He opens a letter that makes big demands:

Sexual harassment and a promised pay rise

Will his wife believe that it’s really just lies?

From all at The HR Dept, we wish you a very Merry Christmas

Christmas parties - Where has the fun gone?

Where indeed?

It is the definition of fun in regards to a Christmas party that needs some refining:

A social meet up at Christmas to thank staff members for their contribution to the business, whether paid for or not.

The problem is that there are so many stories that come out of Christmas parties that it means it can all sound like employment law and HR is the Christmas Grinch!

Though it may not sound like the Christmas spirit the reality is a business can be liable for the action of their staff and be the ones footing any legal bill.

HR Dept top tips for a Christmas Party without further cost;

• Make sure all of your staff (including directors) are aware that the Christmas party is an extension of the workplace. Yes, people should enjoy themselves but as a business owner you have a responsibility to them and you could be the one picking up the pieces
• Ask employees to use their common sense. Regardless of where you hold it, they are employees representing your business brand
• Be mindful if you have any staff under the age of 18
• If the party is in the office, keep the photocopier out of bounds
• Have a range of food and soft drinks available so that individuals religious observance is catered for
• If the staff do is during the week, make clear that everyone is expected at their desks at normal time the following day - or organise it on a Friday!

Here are some examples why:

'Gossip about an employees pregnancy following a Christmas party'

'Teacher loses sacking appeal after punch up'

'Explicit text message told husband of wife's affair'

'Millionaire boss humiliated as tribunal rules he sexually harassed employee'

We aren’t part of the ban the Christmas party brigade, it is these and many other untold stories that did not hit the media serve as a reminder of an employer’s liability when organising an event that should be seen as reward and time of enjoyment.

Anti Bullying Week 2011 “Stop and think – words can hurt”

This week is Anti Bullying Week, with the theme “stop and think - words can hurt”, a campaign that the HR Dept echoes.

Creating a policy to combat bullying and harassment is great down on paper, however it is the example set by management and proactive actions of all staff which will determine the success of any policy, especially in regards to action against bullying and harassing behaviour.

There have been several cases in the past accompanied by hefty compensation payouts for victims of bullying and harassment where is it is clear there have been fundamental failures in regards to dealing with incorrect behaviour. 

Being left out in the workplace can be a form of bullying

Bullying and harassment comes in many shapes and forms and is defined by the eye of the beholder. There is no exhaustive list stating ‘this is bullying or this is harassment’ but it comes down to not treating another human being with dignity and respect.

The ability of management to set an example but to also spot the signs of any incorrect behaviour in the workplace is crucial in order to deal with any issue promptly and professionally.

Delivery of your policy is fundamental and here is The HR Dept advice:

• Foster a culture of openness
• Zero tolerance on bullying - set this out from day one
• Treat everyone with dignity and respect -  this is your brand and reputation
• Investigate thoroughly any allegation of wrong doing
• Be aware of the rise of social media and actions of bullying/harassment can take place outside the actual work environment

What's love got to do with it?

Quite a lot actually. In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s that time of year again. Love is in the air, or should I say, in the office. With over 70% of single employees becoming romantically involved with someone on the job at some point in their careers, today’s workplace has become the new “singles bar”. In fact, the workplace has also become the number one place for married men and women to meet affair partners and conduct extramarital affairs. I suppose it’s not surprising seeing as we spend a third or more of our lives at work. But for employers, the office romance can make for dangerous ground. Handled well, it can lead to a relationship. Handled badly, it can lead to a lawsuit for harassment.
The HR Dept says: “While relationships between colleagues are commonplace, it is important for employers to try to restrict activities that are harmful to the business. It is your responsibility to make the company policy on harassment clear to all employees, and if you don’t have one, you need to generate one right now.”
The difficulty comes in distinguishing when flirting crosses the line to become harassment. If an employee is not interested in, or receptive to, an advance from another employee, it should end there. Playing around, banter, etc. are appropriate preludes to dating, but only if the receiving party is comfortable with them. In most cases, mutually-agreeable relationships pose no danger to the company. However, there are instances where they are inappropriate. For instance, The HR Dept suggests, “it is never a good idea for a manager to be romantically involved with a subordinate in their own organisation. Situations such as this should be clearly spelled out in the company policy as inappropriate and subject to corrective action”.

The HR Dept specialises in advising small and medium sized businesses on all employment issues. Here are their 3 top tips for managing love in the office.

• Have a clear policy on what someone should do if they have a relationship at work.

• Treat everyone like adults, not like renegade teenagers.

• Have the tissues ready, should it end like a teenage romantic crush!