Gossip as a medium of informal communication: A measurement model of gossip engagement at the workplace

Abstract

The presence of gossip in day-to-day communication has made this practice a common phenomenon among the members of society. Even though the sources are disputable, the inclination to engage in gossip as an informal communication medium indicates that it is still highly regarded as one of the strategies for getting information instantaneously. This study aims to develop a measurement model of Gossip Engagement by utilising four measurements: Positive Job-related Gossip, Negative Non-Job-related Gossip, Negative-Job-related Gossip, and Positive Non-Job-related Gossip adapted from the Workplace Gossip Scale (WGS). A total of 187 respondents participated voluntarily during the pilot test procedure. Principal component analysis and varimax rotation were conducted in the exploratory factor analysis procedure. The factors generated from the procedure were Positive Job-related Gossip, Negative Non-Job-related Gossip, Negative-Job-related Gossip and Positive Non-Job-related Gossip. Subsequently, a cross-sectional survey, was conducted via a questionnaire involving 783 respondents in Kelantan, Malaysia. The data derived was then analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) of AMOS. The confirmatory factor analysis test validated the Gossip Engagement construct for fitness index, validity and reliability. Lastly, the study managed to produce a measurement model of Gossip Engagement in the workplace setting. The study also demonstrates that WGS can be replicated in other local and Asian contexts as a predicting factor for additional variables such as individual work performance.