The study, by Washington State University, probed the emotional health of workers at food-processing companies rife with rumors of layoffs, shift and work changes. For employers, rumor mills pose other concerns. With the global reach of the Internet, gossip and rumors of real and imagined events not only impede productivity but can also affect the bottomline. Bad news posted on the Internet and picked up by prospective job candidates can send a top job applicant running in the other direction. The fact that access to rumors has become instantaneous and global has put a premium on dealing with tough issues, such as layoffs, openly, early and in a forthright way.
Specialists say proactive companies are less likely to let rumors fester.
And in our business, the ground is quite fertile. It becomes like a virus spreading through the chain. But 99 percent of the time the rumors are false . . . Reacquaint yourself with trade groups and associations that might lead to new work. Use it to vent your anger and fear.