Steelcase just released a report highlighting the results of a study they conducted on office communication. To be exact, they looked at the way that news travels through all the different channels in a work environment and how effective it is. 700 office workers in the U.S were surveyed.
Stop right here -- I'm going on record as saying that maybe they could have interviewed a few more office workers. It's not as if there's a lack of workers. But onward.
Some results:
- Most office workers think that their company is doing a consistent job of getting news to workers.
- 59% of workers get the latest happenings in an email, 12% from a staff meeting, 31% from an "off the record" meeting with the boss, and a full 28% said most of their news comes from office gossip.
- 62% say that most workers gossip about company news all, most, or some of the time.
Steelcase points out that 'watercooler chat' rarely takes place around the watercooler anymore but in kitchens and break rooms. Color me shocked. I know we all joke about watercooler chit chat; but when was the last time you actually stood at the watercooler for a talk? Have you ever stood at a watercooler for a chat?
I do like that Steelcase found out that 76% of office gossip is usually smack on. I've found that percentage to be about right myself. The survey also found that the older you are the less likely you are to gossip. This I have not found to be true but as I pointed out, they did only survey 700 workers.
The most interesting part of this whole survey is that Steelcase points out that the main gossipers (or inside knowledge holders) in a company "Can be leveraged for increased productivity through space planning." That is very strange. But in a way makes sense. I'd be curious to see how placing a specific employee by another, or in a certain room could increase or decrease productivity. I will have to look into this because it's fascinating to me that a human gossiper is the key to curing productivity woes.
How do you get your office news?
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I wish they would interview office workers where an acquisition, divestiture or merger has taken place. I've gone through all three transitions with the same company and they shot themselves in the foot by trying to keep it close to the vest (they may have been required by law to do so), but the employees ended up finding out about these transitions via regular news rather than their own management. That's been a hard pill to swallow for some.
Posted by: Scott Gunelius | August 13, 2007 2:38 PM | Permalink to Comment