Rumors in the Workplace Affecting Organizational Change Readiness

Abstract

The spread of Rumors/Grapevines/Rumor-mills continues to be an issue for most midlarge organizations throughout the United States. Rumors have been an integral part of American political views and have had an effect on most organizational change initiatives. The notion of not knowing something provokes human instincts to seek the truth among employees by spreading rumors. In so doing, rumor-mills have the potential to penetrate most organizational structures, which could lead to organizational change derailment if not addressed accordingly. Moreover, studies have suggested that most business related rumors are accurate. Most importantly, organizational immunity is not recommended. This can intensify rumors in the workplace. Consequently, this leads to a negative work environment that will ultimately affect work productivity. Although the spread of rumors cannot be completely eliminated, suggestions will be provided to streamline organizational change initiatives that can alleviate rumors in the workplace.