The unfortunate reality is that office gossip has become a regularly accepted occurrence. Just like gossip in the halls at school, office gossip can destroy your reputation. But how do you avoid being a part of the gossip circles, or worse yet, having gossip spread about yourself?

Privacy is key to a healthy work environment. While you may like to share about your weekend plans, what your child has just learned, or fun things you enjoy as hobbies, some of these tidbits of information can easily be morphed into a negative gossip channel by your co-workers.

It is often nice to chat with your peers about things other than work, but be sure to censor the things you share in case you happen to be discussing the wrong topic with the wrong person. Many people can seem well meaning, but some may have a knack for spreading rumors that will negatively reflect your reputation.

Choosing not to participate in gossip can be just as hard as choosing not to share personal information. It can be easy to be sucked into others’ discussion about a co-worker who is often sick, someone who wears the same outfit more than once a week, and so on. While none of these things are our business, we often find ourselves being overly curious about others personal lives.

It is important that if you witness office gossip, you disengage yourself from the conversation or choose a different topic of conversation. Your co-workers will quickly realize that you do not want to participate in their gossip clique.

It is never easy to distance yourself from office gossip, but if you want a solid reputation within your workplace, it is often best to do so. Part of a career lifestyle is to be professional at all times, and choosing to be a part of negative gossip will only hinder your overall performance and professional outcomes. While it may seem like a good thing to buddy up with the more popular crowd of co-workers, but being a dedicated hard worker can also be well recognized within your company and work environment.