No-Gossip Policy?

Employers are cracking down on workplace gossip. Here is an article on what one employer did. Although I LOVE the intention of a no-gossip policy, if a policy requires a group of people to simply NOT do something, it may not work as intended.

Some employers actually train their employees to offer a suggestion if they have a complaint.

"This place is so boring."
-- "Do you have a suggestion to make it more enjoyable?"

This is a very workable technique, although it still falls short when it's a complaint about another person. People rarely have the tool to suggest how to deal with another person, other than...

1) fix them. if that doesn't work, move to step 2
2) shame them. if that doesn't work, move to step 3
3) blame them. if that doesn't work, move to step 4
4) tell 'em to leave. if that doesn't work, move to The Work 'cause none of these steps really work ;)

If a complaint is present, people could do some work to see it's value. I also invite you to give the complainer a tool to make that value work for them...really work for them.
--------------------------

QUESTION FOR YOU:

Regarding the workplace, do you see managers and employees open to structured formats for communicating complaints? If so, how are complaints currently being delivered in a constructive manner?

Going Complaint-Free

Do you think it's possible for those around you to go complaint-free or gossip-free with your influence?

I say yes...and here's my invitation to do so.