Poor communication isn’t just a nuisance. It’s a business risk. According to a report by The Economist Intelligence Unit, breakdowns in workplace communication contribute directly to increased stress, missed deadlines, and declining morale. And often, it’s not the loud conflicts that do the most damage. What to watch out for are the quiet missteps: a vague message, a missed cue, or a task no one claimed.

As management expert Peter Drucker famously said, “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.”

So how can teams surface issues before they spiral? What can reduce workplace friction and promote team clarity? In this expert roundup, people leaders share actionable advice on building healthier communication habits that help teams stay aligned with empathy and purpose.

Clear Communication Channels Prevent Workplace Friction

One effective HR strategy I’ve relied on to reduce friction in the workplace at Zapiy is creating clear, transparent communication channels combined with proactive conflict resolution practices. In any growing organization, misunderstandings and tensions are inevitable, but the way you address them can either build a stronger culture or let friction fester and undermine teamwork.

Early on, I noticed that many workplace conflicts stemmed not from major issues but from simple miscommunications or unspoken expectations. To tackle this, we put a strong emphasis on transparency—making sure that policies, goals, and roles are clearly communicated and accessible to everyone. This clarity helps prevent confusion before it arises and ensures that people know where to turn if they face challenges.

Alongside this, we developed a straightforward, no-blame approach to conflict resolution. Instead of letting problems simmer or encouraging people to “work it out on their own,” we encourage open dialogue facilitated by trained HR partners or managers. When friction does arise, addressing it early and respectfully helps prevent escalation and creates a culture where issues are seen as opportunities for improvement, not threats.

A practical example of this approach was when two teams at Zapiy had recurring misunderstandings around project ownership. Instead of letting frustration grow, we organized a series of facilitated discussions where both sides could express concerns and expectations openly. This led to redefining responsibilities clearly and establishing regular check-ins to ensure alignment moving forward. The result was smoother collaboration and improved trust between teams.

I’ve found that reducing workplace friction isn’t about eliminating conflict entirely—that’s unrealistic. It’s about creating a culture where friction can be addressed constructively and early, with communication and respect as the foundation. When people feel heard and understood, and when processes for resolution are clear and supportive, the workplace becomes a more positive and productive environment for everyone.

This strategy has helped us at Zapiy maintain a culture of openness and trust, which I believe is key to sustaining both employee satisfaction and overall business success.

Max Shak, Founder/CEO, Zapiy

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Weekly Check-Ins Eliminate Team Friction

One of the most effective HR strategies I’ve seen work time and again—especially within the fast-paced environments we operate in at spectup—is implementing structured yet informal weekly check-ins between team leads and their direct reports. Not a heavy performance review, just a short, honest conversation. We started doing this after noticing friction build up in one of our client’s teams due to lack of communication—not hostility, just misalignment. 

One of our team members suggested a lightweight cadence to surface concerns before they became problems. Within three weeks, tension had dropped noticeably. I’ve found that when people feel heard regularly—without bureaucracy—it eliminates 80% of the guesswork and gossip that causes frustration. At spectup, we use a similar rhythm internally, and it helps nip misunderstandings in the bud before they become team-wide issues. It’s low effort but delivers a high return on trust and clarity.

Niclas Schlopsna, Managing Consultant and CEO, spectup

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One-on-One Check-Ins Resolve Issues Early

One effective HR strategy I’ve used to reduce friction in the workplace is implementing regular one-on-one check-ins between employees and managers. This practice allows employees to voice concerns, share feedback, and clarify expectations in a safe, private space. I’ve found that these check-ins help identify potential issues before they escalate into larger problems. For example, after introducing this practice, a team member shared concerns about workload balance, which we were able to address by redistributing tasks. It fostered better communication and built trust, ultimately improving team dynamics. Regular check-ins create a culture of openness, where employees feel heard and supported, reducing misunderstandings and promoting collaboration. It’s a simple yet powerful way to keep the workplace environment positive and productive.

Nikita Sherbina, Co-Founder & CEO, AIScreen

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Frustration Logs Transform Hidden Issues

We create a “frustration log” channel during quarterly team health checks. We started this a year ago after one of our project retrospectives went sideways—people were venting privately, but nothing made it to leadership in a structured way. So, we launched a shared, opt-in document where people could submit items that annoyed them—process bottlenecks, unclear handoffs, and even repeat meeting invites without agendas. It wasn’t meant to fix everything overnight, but it gave our HR team a pulse on issues before they snowballed.

I remember one entry about onboarding delays stuck with me. A designer mentioned waiting three weeks for access to Figma due to admin handoffs. That one line helped us flag a bigger gap in IT coordination we’d completely missed. We ended up assigning a designated onboarding liaison—not an HR role, just someone on each team to shepherd new hires through their first week. It cost nothing but attention, and within two quarters, satisfaction scores for onboarding jumped.

Samantha Stuart, Co-Founder, Magic City Pest Control

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Context-First Meetings Align Teams Effectively

Surprisingly, “context-first” meetings worked for us. It’s simple: before any meeting, the organizer has to share a written doc with background, goals, and key questions, at least 24 hours in advance. I recall one specific project kickoff where three teams arrived with different assumptions, and we spent the first 20 minutes just getting aligned. After that, we made it a rule to send pre-read context, and the difference was immediate.

The first time I saw it click was during a cross-functional planning session. Everyone had read the doc ahead of time, so we skipped the rehashing and went straight into honest discussion. One of our engineers even told me afterwards it was the first time he felt like he wasn’t “just being talked at” in a meeting. It’s not a flashy policy, but saving people from scrambling has had a measurable effect on how quickly we move and how much people trust the process.

Jonathan Anderson, Co-Founder, Green Home Pest Control

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Anonymous Feedback Forms Build Trust

What worked for us was implementing anonymous monthly feedback forms. It started after a particularly rough quarter when communication breakdowns were high and morale was dipping. People were frustrated, but they didn’t speak up. So we introduced a simple form with just three prompts: “What’s working?”, “What’s not working?”, and “Anything else you want to say?”. The anonymity made it easier for folks to be honest, and we made a point to summarize the feedback and share what we were doing about it in our all-hands meetings.

The first time we did it, someone pointed out how one team’s Slack channel had become a bottleneck because no one felt ownership over responding. Once we assigned a weekly rotation for monitoring it, response times improved, and the tension eased. What made this work wasn’t just the tool, but the follow-through. People saw that we listened and acted on what they said, which built trust quickly. It’s now part of our rhythm, and it has helped us identify and resolve friction points early.

Matt Purcell, Owner, PCI Pest Control

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Open-Door Communication Solves Problems Face-to-Face

One HR practice that has worked well for me has been promoting open-door communication in day-to-day operations. Early on, I noticed that team members were hesitant to speak up about scheduling conflicts or frustrations with their workload. So, I made a point to check in regularly, unannounced, in person, and not just over text or email. I’d walk the routes with them, ask them how the day was going, and listen. You’d be surprised how many small issues could be cleared up simply by being there and talking them out face-to-face.

One moment that stuck with me was when one of our newer technicians felt uncomfortable speaking up about not fully understanding part of our treatment protocol. He was doing everything he could to avoid making a mistake, but he was afraid asking for help would make him look unprepared. I made it clear that it was better to ask than guess, and we worked through it together. That moment not only helped him but also sparked a culture where our techs now lean on each other more openly. Just being present and honest with your team can significantly reduce friction before it even starts.

Chris Rowland, Owner, Rowland Pest Management

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No Surprise Feedback Policy Builds Trust

One HR strategy that has been effective for us is implementing a “no surprise feedback” policy. A few years ago, I had a team member who found out during their annual review that leadership had concerns about their communication style. That experience made it clear we needed to build a culture of consistent, in-the-moment feedback, both positive and constructive. We made it an expectation that managers and team leads would check in weekly and surface minor issues before they escalated into big ones.

What I found is that this approach builds trust. People feel safer when they know where they stand. And as a leader, it’s a lot easier to have a two-minute conversation about a missed detail in a Slack message than it is to settle a six-month communication issue later. It takes discipline, but when done well, it prevents resentment and keeps relationships strong.

Andrew Peluso, Founder, What Kind Of Bug Is This

About Humane HR Perspectives

Our round-up series “Humane HR Perspectives” examines the fundamentals of humanising human resources (HR) from the perspectives of top authorities within and relevant to the industry. Q&A sessions with founders, CEOs, HR professionals, business leaders, and other significant players who are influencing the direction of HR are included in every edition.

Throughout the employee life cycle, we address a wide range of subjects in this series, including recruitment and selection, onboarding, training and development, performance management, employee engagement, pay and benefits, and more. We also go over important topics like compliance, change management in the workplace, morale and welfare, workplace communications, and diversity and inclusion.

The “Humane HR Perspectives” series offers insightful advice and practical examples to help develop a more encouraging, productive, and successful workplace—whether you’re an HR professional, a business leader, or just someone who is enthusiastic about creating a great work environment. Join us as we explore the approaches, difficulties, and triumphs that characterise HR humanisation and acquire unique access to the knowledge and experiences of individuals spearheading the movement.

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