What if the biggest workplace blowups aren’t caused by shouting matches, but by silence? Misunderstood Slack messages. Unasked questions. The awkward pause that turns into a lasting rift. According to Harvard Business Review, around two thirds of managers admit they’re uncomfortable talking to employees—so it’s no surprise that hard conversations often get shelved, not solved. Meanwhile, Gallup data shows that teams with strong communication are 21% more productive. The numbers don’t lie—but neither do the small daily tensions we often ignore. In this expert roundup, we unpack how today’s leaders are turning down the drama and turning up the clarity, connection, and trust.

Monthly Check-Ins Create Safe Space for Honest Feedback

Running monthly one-on-one check-ins that aren’t tied to performance reviews. I managed a small but fast-moving team where people were getting burned out and communication was starting to slip. So I started setting up 20-minute check-ins once a month, strictly to ask: “What’s working? What’s annoying you? What do you need more of?” The only rule was that it wasn’t about deliverables, it was about what it felt like to work here.

It changed everything. One person told me they felt invisible because their work was always on backend systems, never user-facing. We fixed both within a week. It didn’t require policies or budgets; it just involved making space for people to talk without fear of it being mentioned in their annual review. If you want to reduce tension, give people a place to be honest without consequences. That’s where real fixes come from.

Joel Miller, President, Miller Pest & Termite

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24-Hour Rule Transforms Conflict into Constructive Conversations

One HR practice that’s stuck with me is setting a 24-hour rule for conflict resolution. If something frustrates you, you’ve got 24 hours to bring it up; otherwise, you’ve got to let it go. It wasn’t anything major, but the little annoyances were festering into bigger problems because no one felt empowered to address them in the moment. Once we implemented the 24-hour rule, things changed rapidly. People began having smaller, more honest conversations instead of letting resentment accumulate.

What made it effective wasn’t just the rule itself, but the culture shift it created. Folks knew they had a window to speak up, and that made it easier to say, “Hey, this didn’t sit right with me,” without fear of dragging it into drama. It taught the team to value clarity over comfort.

Tony Ragan, President, Absolute Pest Management

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Clear Communication Channels Minimize Remote Work Misunderstandings

To reduce workplace friction as a Director of Marketing in an affiliate network, implement a robust communication framework. Clearly defined channels using tools like Slack for real-time chats and Asana or Trello for project management can enhance transparency. Regular check-in meetings further ensure alignment among teams working remotely or across various functions, minimizing misunderstandings about roles and project timelines, ultimately boosting productivity.

Michael Kazula, Director of Marketing, Olavivo

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Weekly Debriefs Prevent Burnout in Crisis Counselors

In a field like ours, workplace friction isn’t about office politics; it’s almost always a symptom of burnout and the immense emotional weight our team carries. The most effective strategy I’ve used isn’t a traditional HR policy but a human one: a mandatory weekly “debrief” for our clinical staff.

Every Friday afternoon, we block out an hour. There are no clients, no paperwork, no agenda other than to be human together. It’s a protected space where our counselors and staff can openly and confidentially talk about the tough parts of their week. They share the frustrations, the heartbreaks, and the stresses that come with walking alongside people in crisis.

It’s not a gripe session or a performance review. It’s a pressure release valve.

By giving that stress a designated place to go, it stops it from spilling out sideways into snippy emails or short tempers between colleagues. When a counselor can say, “I had a really difficult session and I’m feeling drained,” their coworkers respond with empathy, not annoyance. They see the person, not just the professional.

This practice has done more to reduce friction than any manual or memo ever could. It builds a powerful sense of camaraderie and reminds us that we have to care for the carers. As an owner, protecting my team’s emotional health is the single best investment I can make. A healthy team is the foundation of the healing we offer to the Columbus community at Ridgeline.

Andy Danec, Owner, Ridgeline Recovery LLC

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Customer Story Sessions Build Collaboration Over Competition

I implemented “customer story sharing” sessions where team members share positive feedback they’ve received directly with the whole team. This creates natural peer recognition and helps everyone understand how their specific role contributes to customer success. Instead of top-down performance reviews, we focus on peer acknowledgment of great work, which reduces competitive tension and builds collaborative problem-solving. The practice also helps new team members quickly understand our service standards by hearing real examples of what exceptional customer care looks like in action.

Dan Grigin, Founder & General Manager, Elephant Floors

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Quick Weekly Check-Ins Boost Team Output

One effective HR strategy I’ve used at Best Retreats is weekly one-on-one check-ins with my team. These quick, 15-minute talks let freelancers and core staff vent or share ideas, like when a Peru retreat vetter flagged a process bottleneck. It cut misunderstandings and kept everyone aligned, boosting output by 20% in 2024. It’s like catching a bad vibe at a retreat early. Advice? Keep check-ins short, ask open questions, and act on feedback fast to kill friction before it grows.

Chris Brewer, Managing Director, Best Retreats

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Two-Way Feedback Loop Resolves Issues Early

One effective HR practice we use to reduce friction is what we call the “Two-Way Feedback Loop.” Instead of just annual reviews, we encourage open, informal check-ins every quarter. It’s a simple but impactful habit: team leads and members sit down to discuss what’s working, what’s not, and how to improve—on both sides. This keeps communication flowing, surfaces small issues before they become big ones, and helps the team stay aligned on shared goals. It’s not a flashy initiative, but it’s created a culture where people feel heard, which makes everything else smoother.

Eugene Leow Zhao Wei, Director, Marketing Agency Singapore

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Monthly One-Ones Create Safe Space for Resolution

One effective HR strategy we used to reduce workplace friction was implementing structured check-ins that focus on listening more than reporting. Instead of only quarterly reviews, we introduced short monthly one-on-ones where employees could openly share challenges and successes without fear of judgment. This created a safe space for early conflict resolution and built trust between managers and teams. We also trained managers to ask open questions and follow up on concerns promptly. Over time, this approach reduced misunderstandings and improved collaboration because issues were addressed before they escalated. It shifted the culture from reactive problem-solving to proactive support, making the workplace smoother and more connected.

Georgi Petrov, CMO, Entrepreneur, and Content Creator, AIG MARKETER

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Open Communication Tackles Workplace Friction Head-On

Fostering a culture of open communication is an effective HR strategy to reduce workplace friction. This approach promotes transparency, minimizes misunderstandings, and enhances team dynamics. Implementing regular one-on-one meetings, team check-ins, and collaborative platforms encourages employees to share their thoughts freely. For instance, after organizational changes, a company held town hall meetings to address employee concerns, effectively boosting morale and productivity.

Mohammed Kamal, Business Development Manager, Olavivo

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Conflict Resolution Training Empowers Teams to Self-Solve

One effective HR strategy we’ve used at ICS Legal to reduce workplace friction is implementing a structured conflict resolution policy paired with proactive communication training. We introduced monthly workshops that focus on active listening, empathy, and assertiveness—key soft skills that help employees address misunderstandings before they escalate. By empowering team members to handle minor disputes themselves, supported by clear escalation paths when needed, we saw a significant drop in interpersonal issues. Open-door sessions with team leads also helped employees feel heard and valued. This approach not only reduced tension but also improved collaboration and morale, fostering a more respectful and productive work environment.

Amir Husen, Content Writer, SEO Specialist & Associate, ICS Legal

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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