By CHRIS DANIELS
Gossip around the watercooler may not be the time-wasting nuisance that bosses think it is - and one Auckland University academic is poking her nose into everyone else's business to find out why.
Dr Suchi Mouly, a senior lecturer at the Department of Management and Employment Relations, is trying to work out how gossip and rumours spread and operate in the workplace.
But she has quickly realised that pinning down those hushed chats is like bottling fog.
Studying gossip on her home turf, Dr Mouly has found a reluctance among university colleagues to admit they gossip.
As soon as she traces a juicy rumour to whoever started it, they deny ever doing such a thing or say they were misinterpreted.
She has also run into concerns from interviewees - people think there is something wrong with gossip itself but something even more suspect about a person who researches the topic.
Researchers from many fields have spent the past 50 years studying tittle-tattle, says Dr Mouly, but their discoveries have not been applied to situations such as the workplace.
It is a common idea that informal communication in the office is important, but no one knows how the gossip and rumours actually work.
Management tend to see it as a negative, divisive influence in the workplace, without knowing what benefits it may have, says Dr Mouly.
Positive aspects of gossip include stress reduction, a feeling of solidarity, teamwork and friendships.
Some managers feel it is a waste of time, morale-sapping and shows a lack of control.
They also fear it helps to pass on false information.
And who gossips the most?
Most researchers agree that women pass on gossip more readily than men, but do not tend to start it as much.
You didn't hear it from us, but gossip is under watch
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