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

Abstract

Gossip is pervasive in any working environment. Sketching upon the existing and scant body of research knowledge surrounding the subject of gossip, the current qualitative study undertaken critically assessed how the employees protrude themselves after being victims of gossip in a workplace. This study examined the influence of workplace gossip on the job performance of employees within selected municipalities in South Africa. The researcher intended to establish the likeliest behaviour of municipality employees towards their job performance in the event of encountering workplace gossip. Interviews with twenty-five office workers were conducted and data documented and analyzed. The heuristic of this study was to equip managers or those in practice with an in-depth understanding about office gossip, by providing a new dimension about the influence workplace gossip on job performance and employees self-efficacy. Moreover, the study necessitated an in-depth understanding of several reactions that emanates from employees behavioral patterns when affected by office gossip. The study uncovered a substantial outcome, such that if gossip is work-related, rather than non-work-related, employees are more likely to improve their performance. However, unremittingly exposure to gossip can have a negative impact on employee’s self-efficacy.