With one eye on the clock and the other on keeping the team moving ever forward in sync, a boss is a little like a quarterback, although he or she is unlikely to celebrate an achievement by, say, spiking a computer. So what does a good boss do when employees are chatting about the Big Game Du Jour or the presidential races?
Probably nothing, experts say. The camaraderie that comes with workers sharing a little fun can go a long way toward their feeling like part of a team. It's well known that when staffers are happy, they work better.
A smart boss will tolerate some chatter, recognizing that staffers who feel good in the workplace are likely to be more productive, rather than less.
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•Clamping down on employee conversations can create an atmosphere that's unpleasant, even oppressive.
•If you need to tell staffers in person that they're overdoing the chatter, do it privately to avoid humiliating them and making everyone else feel uncomfortable.
•Don't use a verbal sledgehammer. A firm but friendly reminder that work needs to be the first priority is a better approach.
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