Whispering in front of others is almost always inappropriate and generally makes others feel uncomfortable, according to an article in the Houston Chronicle. There are times, however, when whispering is necessary in the workplace, such as if you quickly need to tell a coworker two buttons just popped off his shirt. The key to whispering is making sure it is done quickly and appropriately, without making bystanders feel talked about or excluded.
Relentless workplace whispering is a form of mental bullying. Whispering to exclude, damage or demean another person -- whether the person himself is in ear shot or not -- never has a place in the office environment. The people responsible for constant whispering need to be held accountable through a manager or human resources. The consequences of ongoing whispering perceived as bullying can lead to employee absenteeism, in addition to rising health care, litigation and recruitment costs.