Silence or strategy? A TCCM-based systematic review of workplace gossip

Workplace gossip is an informal yet persistent phenomenon that influences employee behaviour, interpersonal relationships, and organizational outcomes. Although research on workplace gossip has expanded considerably, the literature remains fragmented across diverse theoretical perspectives, organizational contexts, research characteristics, and methodological approaches. This study presents the first systematic review of workplace gossip using the Theory–Context–Characteristics–Methodology (TCCM) framework. A total of 148 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2000 and 2025 were systematically identified from Scopus and Web of Science and analyzed using the TCCM framework. Unlike previous reviews that primarily adopted narrative or meta-analytic approaches, this review simultaneously synthesizes the theoretical foundations, contextual settings, major antecedents and consequences, and methodological trends within a single integrative framework. The findings reveal substantial theoretical fragmentation, a strong geographical concentration of studies in China, an analytical emphasis on the negative consequences of workplace gossip, and a heavy reliance on cross-sectional quantitative research designs. Based on these findings, the review identifies important theoretical, contextual, and methodological gaps and proposes a comprehensive agenda for future research. By providing an integrated understanding of workplace gossip and translating the findings into practical managerial implications, this review offers a valuable resource for researchers seeking to advance theory and for organizations aiming to manage informal workplace communication more effectively.