We discussed the idea of sharing knowledge in class, and I found an article that explores another method of disseminated information- gossip. Gossip is generally frowned upon, however, as stated in the article, in certain instances it can be quite beneficial in facilitating the transfer of knowledge that may help an employee adapt to the subtleties of a work environment. It also serves to form a 'community' feel, wherein employees share a unique bond.

The following are ways gossip can be productive, as outlined in the article:

* Help a new hire fit in. New employees need more than an orientation about their benefits and an introduction to the computer system. They also need to understand the culture of their new workplace, key events in their workgroup's past and the personalities of their new colleagues.
This can include work-related idiosyncrasies, said Rich Martinez, executive vice president and chief operating officer of IS2BE, a high-tech company in San Jose, California: "'If you bring a report in to the supervisor, make sure you've done this first,' or 'If you're going to this person's meeting, make sure you're on time.'"
* Alert management to problems. "You often hear about the grapevine being useful for finding out things that are going on that you need to address," said Carole C. Edman, a human resources consultant and coach in San Jose.
It can be helpful for managers to be tuned in to what workers are saying so they can respond to and clarify, if possible, the latest worries about layoffs or rumors about the company being sold.
* Prevent awkward situations. Sometimes sharing more personal information about a colleague can keep new coworkers from embarrassing themselves. If a coworker's mother is ill and the worker seems distracted, for example, it can be helpful for a colleague who knows about the illness to tell others who are complaining about the worker's performance, Martinez said.
"Then people understand, and they deal with that situation differently," Martinez said. "If you can give someone the benefit of some knowledge you might have and prevent an embarrassing or ugly situation, you should."
* Humanize the boss. Telling new hires about the time the intimidating boss burned the hamburgers at the barbecue could be a good use of informal storytelling, said Eric Marcus, a consulting social psychologist, based in New York, who works with organizations on dealing with conflict. "It can be useful when it exposes people's humanity," he said. "I think the intent is the critical thing."