NOWADAYS the job market is becoming more and more competitive. Old ideas of good grades, a pleasing personality and a smile are not enough. Even inside help cannot guarantee one a job these days. Employers are searching for young and talented individuals with experience and technical skills to add to their already well-rounded workforce. However, many times some co-workers and colleagues become jealous or even fearful of these bright and eager new employees. What do these unconfident and most often, uninformed, employees do to get rid of the new talents? They spread lies and rumors about them by ruining their reputations and good names.
The other day I was visiting a friend who had told me such a story. One of her relatives had been hired to do a job in a well-known company. His boss was very pleased with his hard work and eagerness to learn. He always spoke well of him to other employees.
The young man was complimented many times on his projects and his future within the company. For months he had spent time researching his work and offering his help to others. He was very excited by the attention he received from his colleagues. After all, his job was a very competitive one. He was even invited out by a few senior employees and asked to do projects with them. One particular senior employee took an ominous interest in him. As he began socializing with this senior employee, trouble began. After a few weeks, his new friend began slandering the boss and other employees in conversations. The new employee quickly tried to change the subject because he did not wish to engage in such gossip. He knew the harsh words were untrue and even if they had been true, it was no business of his.
A few weeks later he noticed that his colleague no longer called or returned his calls. After some time, he also noticed a dramatic change in his boss’ attitude and that of some other employees. A distant fellow colleague had overheard the new “friend” spreading lies and rumors about him to his boss. He tried to confront his boss but unfortunately, the boss was unwilling to speak to him. What more could the hardworking new employee do? The damage was done and the senior employee had been a close colleague of the boss for many years. He left his boss’ office, feeling sick and helpless with thoughts of resignation. His credibility as an employee and his relationship with the boss as well as other employees had been ruined.
Another story involved Khalid, a Saudi educated in the United States. He was hired by one of the Kingdom’s top companies, was popular with his colleagues and valued by the top management because of his American values and ethics. We need not go into the details of his story but he too became a victim of jealous employees and their wild tales and untruths. After some months of trouble and difficulty, he was noticed by another manager who took him on and put him into a responsible and financially rewarding position.
Gossips love to stir up trouble among people and sit and watch as everything explodes. Gossiping and rumor-mongering can destroy a person’s trust and respect for others as well as their good name. Left unchecked, it can lead to poor work performance and a lack of productivity in employees and also ruin a person’s credibility. When situations like this occur, it is best to deal with them immediately before they get out of hand. Confronting the troublemakers privately in a professional manner and letting the boss know of the false accusations is a good idea. The best thing to do, however, is to go on with your normal work routine and continue as before. That is the best way of teaching the gossips a lesson and, at the same time, of getting under their skin.