Positive Workplace Gossip Scale

Is your workplace gossip harmless, or is it time to find another way to spend your breaks? Take this test to find out.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | February 15, 2024

Workplace gossip is an informal and evaluative conversation among co-workers about another colleague who is not present to hear what is said. Although it is believed that gossip is malicious, it can be either positive or negative in nature.

The Workplace Gossip Scale is designed to assess dimensions of gossip at work as a construct independent of deviance. Researchers' conceptualizations of gossip resulted in two distinct factors: positive workplace gossip and negative workplace gossip.

Positive workplace gossip is conversations about acceptable behaviors and positive evaluations of co-workers. It includes praising an absent third party or sharing positive information with good intentions. This kind of gossip can help build trust and strengthen group cohesion.

The Positive Workplace Gossip dimension of the Workplace Gossip Scale can help gauge how much an individual speaks in a positive light about other colleagues. The scale includes statements about workplace conversations about one's supervisor and co-workers when they were not present. Through this tool, individuals can evaluate whether their work gossiping tendencies are healthy or harmful.

You can take this test here. Please follow all of the steps to receive your results.

Step 1: Rate the following statements, on a scale of never to always, based on how often you frequently you say them:

1. I complimented a colleague’s actions while talking to another co-worker.

2. I told a co-worker good things about another colleague.

3. I defended a colleague’s actions while talking to another co-worker.

4. I said something nice about a colleague while talking to another co-worker.

5. I told a work co-worker that I respect another colleague.

Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores to people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.

References: Brady, D. L., Brown, D. J., & Liang, L. H. (2017). Moving beyond assumptions of deviance: The reconceptualization and measurement of workplace gossip. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(1), 1.