Q&A: Office Gossip

Q:
Dear Ms. R
I’m having serious co-worker issues. My department has its own break room. I used to enjoy eating with my co-workers. We’d dish on our favorite TV shows and our lives in general. But as of late, the daily dish has turned into mostly in-house gossip. They’ve started discussing other employee’s business, bad mouthing our bosses and just voicing their dissatisfaction with their jobs. Complain, complain! So many different people come in and out of that break room, including our bosses. The last thing I want is to get caught up in some mess. Plus, did I mention that whispering is not their strong suit. Instead of telling them how inappropriate and embarrassing it is to sit with them, I decided to just do my own thing and started leaving the office for lunch. Sure enough, they accused me of being anti-social. How can I enjoy lunch with my friends without being attached to their office drama? Should I tell them how I feel or go it alone for lunch? Sincerely, No More Drama

A:
Dear No More Drama,
Thank you for your question. You have to love workplace gossip. Company break rooms/cafeterias can be a tricky thing. After all, lunch time is where you unwind and escape from the job’s pressures. It seems like your co-workers would very much like to keep the job alive while they’re at lunch. Let’s face it…office gossip is simply human nature. On some level, I think it’s safe to say that everyone participates in it at some point. Yet, some cases are more extreme than others. I don’t blame you for not wanting to get mixed up in your friends’ office gossip – especially when it’s being done so publicly. I also don’t blame you for not wanting to lose your lunch buddies. The best way to handle this dilemma is to be up front and honest with your friends. This way, you can enjoy a harmonious lunch with friends without the threat of being labeled the “office gossip” and offending others around you. Be gentle when expressing your opinions to your friends as you do not want to alienate them in any way. Let them know that you’re also looking out for them. It’s possible that they might be completely oblivious of the traffic in and out of the break room as they are so engrossed in dishing they’re scoop If they’re really your friends, they’ll understand and appreciate your concern. So try this. And, if this doesn’t work…lunch for one it is
Sincerely, Ms. R