New research reveals office gossip is latest weapon in the quest for career advancement

Ears will be justifiably burning across UK offices today as results from a new study commissioned by diet Coke reveals that gossiping about office politics, other colleagues and the boss is now a staple skill being deployed by career-minded Brits in order to get ahead. And it's girls who are leading the way.

Over half (53 per cent) admit to gossiping about their colleagues and office politics over and above typical chat about family (24 per cent), private life (22 per cent) and their feelings (18 per cent). And its bosses who should be especially worried as more than one in ten (12 per cent) admitted to gossiping about their boss more frequently than the day's headlines (7 per cent), world events (5 per cent) and celebrities (5 per cent).

The report found that this work-time gossip is not just idle small talk, rather it's a crucial skill with a specific code of rules that forms the backbone of modern office communication.

No such thing as 'downtime'

• Half of 18-25 year old women (49 per cent) say that bonding is crucial in order to secure success in the modern cut-throat workplace
• Six out of ten (57 per cent) say they use their break time as strategic moments to gossip and share secrets to form these bonds
• Women are 20 per cent more likely to use a break in their working day as a strategic networking opportunity than men

Masters of chat

• Women spend a whopping 69 minutes a day, equivalent to two years of their working lives, gossiping with their colleagues
• Girls have a broader gossip repertoire than the boys, with the average woman's gossip session covering 5.1 topics compared to men's 4.6
• It's not just office politics. Women are three times more likely to discuss their family, 10 per cent more likely to discuss their private life and 6 per cent more likely to discuss how they are feeling than men

The etiquette of gossip

1. Never be seen to be a gossip, but be good at it.
2. For 'no one likes a gossip' read 'no one likes a bad gossip' (especially at work).
3. Know the difference between a secret that can be used as office social currency and a secret that should be kept.
4. Know your gossip friends (and enemies) and who to trust.
5. Choose your spot wisely. Out of the office is best!

Leading social anthropologist, Kate Fox says: 'People have always gossiped at work but in today's cut-throat workplace it's taken on a more complex form. Women in particular have developed advanced skills, turning even their break time into a strategic moment to form bonds through gossiping and chatting together.

'What might appear to be idle chit-chat is actually a finely-honed communication skill integral to career advancement where being a 'good gossip' and using crucial downtime as a subtle networking device can set you apart from your colleagues.'