The most recent series of The Apprentice has brought workplace bullying and malicious gossip to the fore once again. The customary back-stabbing escalated into the victimisation of one woman, Sara Dhada, leading Sir Alan Sugar to slam the behaviour of the rest of the candidates.

Gossip can happen in any workplace, no matter how big or how small. It’s virtually impossible to stamp it out completely — and a little can even be good for team bonding and working relation ships.

However, it is vital that you don’t let it get out of control. Excessive gossip is distracting, hits employees’ well-being and slows productivity – something that is particularly damaging in the current business climate.

If all the gossip is focused on just one employee, however, you must take action immediately. Bullying is completely unacceptable, and it’s not just the victim who will be affected — your company could face an employment tribunal, particularly if the victim can prove discrimination.

Meet up
Regular meetings will help stem the flow of gossip about work-related issues in a controlled and constructive environment. You should make sure that everyone is kept up to date on people moves, promotions and any other changes that might be taking place. This will help stop rumours spreading, give you a chance to emphasise the benefits and give your employees the
chance to air any concerns.

Downtime
Getting staff together in a more informal situation can do wonders to improve working relationships. Having a regular team get-together allows everyone to get to know each other. It’s also a chance to get concerns out in the open and gives youa chance to see how the team dynamics are working.

Crack down on time-wasting
People who are gossiping almost certainly aren’t pulling their weight in the workplace. Employers need to make sure the same staff aren’t taking regular tea breaks or cigarette breaks together — not only is this the perfect breeding ground for gossip, but it also causes productivity to drop. While it’s unreasonable to ban breaks altogether (indeed, staff are legally entitled to computer screen breaks), having a policy on the amount of time employees can take out in a day may help.

Address work-related gossip
If your company is going through a period of change, gossip is bound to increase — people will always fear the worst, and it isn’t easy to dispelfears when you can’t talk about every detail. You eed to be as open as possible and make sure everyone knows your door is open to discuss any worries.

Address personal gossip
It’s important to respond quickly if someone feels they are being victimised. Personal gossip will often centre around one ringleader, and you need to speak to them directly — particularly if it looks as if the situation might get out of hand. Ask them to explain their actions and let them know their behaviour is not acceptable, while allowing them to air any grievances.

Make it company policy
All staff members need to know that malicious gossip and bullying are unacceptable in the workplace. Having a clear policy in place will help to discourage damaging office
politics and encourage people to be more open about their worries.

Mark Gardiner is regional director at Stark Brooks

Key points for avoiding malicious gossip and bullying

• Be as open as possible with staff
• Make sure the same people don't always have breaks together 
• Confront gossipers, but address their concerns tactfully 
• Discourage gossip as part of your company policy 
• Organise downtime, like drinks on a Friday