Most employees will encounter an office snitch as they climb the corporate ladder, and usually more than once. This is the co-worker who goes running to management to tattle on you.
I just have to tell you what so-and-so said this morning while you were in the conference call. We were all sitting there, and she said...
Yep, that co-worker.
Why does the workplace tattletale have to spill the beans? He or she might be an unrepentant office gossip, an unabashed brown-noser, a boundary-challenged braggadocio, a passive-aggressive practitioner of office politics, a bored busybody, an in-your-face informer, or...maybe a Millennial? The reasons can be many, and varied.
Whatever the reason, you have to figure out how to deal with the office snitch, and fast! So, what can you do about it?
The most important thing you can do, of course, IS TO SHUT UP, STAT.
That's right. Stop sharing so many details about your personal life, no matter how tempted both on, and off, the clock. Do not verbally knock any co-workers, and severely throttle down the flow of personal opinions shared during the work day.
It sounds easy, but shutting up can feel like shutting down for many employees used to living out loud over social media. Strive to keep work conversations work-focused, however, without veering into personal territory unless it's a completely innocuous topic, such as how cute your cat acts around catnip.
Unfortunately, the office tattletale is ready to pounce, and isn't likely to change his or her stripes anytime soon. Meow.
Besides, it never hurts to learn the lost art of self-editing.
When you say something at work, try to keep it positive. A good rule of thumb is to think to yourself: Is what I'm about to say something I wouldn't mind management knowing?
Try to maintain a sense of humor, too. You might view it as an opportunity to pat yourself on the back occasionally when interacting with this gossiping co-worker:
Can I just say that I finished the project in record time? It's a personal best so far this quarter. I totally rocked it, and now I'm all caught up on work. But instead of slacking off here on this fine Friday afternoon, I'm going to start next week's project. I. Love. My. Job! By the way, you look great in that color.
Okay, don't be over-the-top obnoxious about it, but you might decide to toot your own horn a little bit here and there. Think of it as a form of reputation management, and good PR. You deserve it for putting up with this taciturn-inducing situation. With any luck, a glint of good gossip about you will circulate right back to the boss and show up in your annual performance review. (Well, we can hope so, anyway.)
Also, build your workplace alliances with valued peers, especially someone in a more senior role who can back you up, if necessary. This video offers some great tips.
Sometimes, it might be obvious who the office snitch is, but other times it might not be clear how tales from the cube farm keep making it back to the corner office. How did my boss hear about that? Hmm. This co-worker is definitely working undercover.
Dealing with this situation takes personal discipline, because idle prattle gets many of us through the average work day. It's human nature to seek common ground through "I know exactly what you mean!" conversations with our colleagues.
And you do have something in common with your favorite co-workers right off the bat: The office tattletale! Beware TMI, because the audience is listening. And how.
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