“The dark side of workplace chatter”: how gossip breeds revenge, knowledge hiding and silence

Purpose Workplace gossip is a negative workplace experience that sabotages employees’ as well as the organization’s performance. It is also one of the workplace stressors that can influence the negative behaviors and attitudes of target employees. Building on this context, this study aims to examine the direct and indirect effects of workplace gossip on deviant silence and knowledge hiding, using the conservation of resources theory as a theoretical basis. Additionally, this study examines the moderating role of resilience to buffer the harmful effects of revenge intentions, predicting knowledge hiding and deviant silence. Design/methodology/approach A two-wave study on 254 full-time employees in private sector organizations across the Northern Region of India. This study used partial least squares-structural equation modeling to test the hypothesized associations. Findings The results demonstrate that workplace gossip is positively associated with revenge intention, knowledge hiding and deviant silence. Furthermore, the results confirm that revenge intention mediates the association between workplace gossip and knowledge hiding, as well as between workplace gossip and deviant silence. Interestingly, the authors found that resilience is not a significant moderator. Practical implications This study extends existing understanding concerning hypothesized relationships, providing a more holistic view of gossip’s far-reaching effects within organizational settings. Research indicates that organizations should develop guidelines to discourage gossip and ensure employees are aware of its deleterious consequences, including revenge intentions, knowledge hiding and deviant silence, as well as the importance of maintaining a respectful work environment, thereby reducing gossip-driven conflicts. Originality/value This study significantly enhances the understanding of the pathways connecting gossip to negative behaviors, specifically through revenge intention, including knowledge hiding and deviant silence. Investigating resilience as a moderator, this study offers a novel perspective on individual differences in managing the behavioral consequences of workplace gossip.