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The Cost of Disappearing Acts: Ghosting and Catfishing in Today’s Virtual Workplace

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The Cost of Disappearing Acts: Ghosting and Catfishing in Today’s Virtual Workplace

In remote and hybrid work environments, ghosting—sudden communication drop-offs—and catfishing—misrepresenting identities or capabilities—are eroding trust and disrupting team dynamics, with 97% of employees concealing aspects of themselves at work, leading to 54% higher stress and 43% lower productivity per the 2025 Hu-X and HiBob Covering Study. 

This HR Spotlight article compiles insights from business leaders and HR professionals on these challenges. 

Experts highlight how these behaviors foster anxiety, hinder collaboration, and create operational vulnerabilities, akin to uncovered risks in insurance. 

They recommend clear expectations, regular check-ins, and psychological safety to rebuild authenticity, ensuring hybrid teams thrive through transparent, supportive cultures that prioritize genuine connections over polished personas.

Read on!

Tia Katz
CEO & Co-Founder, Hu-X

Ghosting and catfishing are no longer limited to dating apps. They are appearing in hybrid workplaces when employees suddenly withdraw from communication or misrepresent their workload or availability.

Our Hu-X and HiBob Covering Study found that 97 percent of employees conceal aspects of themselves at work. Those who cover most intensely are 54 percent more likely to experience stress and 43 percent report lower productivity.

Over time, this quiet disengagement chips away at trust and slows collaboration, leaving teams to operate with incomplete information.

To prevent this, HR leaders can set clear expectations for availability, encourage regular check-ins, and reinforce that honesty, not constant perfection, is the expectation. Hybrid teams thrive when employees feel safe to show up as themselves.

Ghosting Erodes Trust, Stresses Teams

Patti Yencho
Principal Agent, Piains Agency

Ghosting and catfishing shatter the foundation of trust essential for any professional relationship, especially in remote settings. My experience in insurance teaches that uncertainty and hidden “exposures” prevent effective risk management within teams.

These behaviors create significant operational vulnerabilities, akin to “uncovered risks” that hinder proactive planning. When team members cannot rely on clear communication, building comprehensive “big picture” strategies becomes impossible, impacting overall team dynamics.

Just as transparent communication helps secure optimal insurance coverage, consistent and honest engagement is vital for team stability.

Lack of trust makes collaborative “partnerships” impossible, leading to unseen “claims” on productivity and morale. Our “whole life or risk” approach emphasizes anticipating challenges, and these behaviors represent the ultimate unanticipated, yet preventable, risks to team cohesion and success.

Hidden Risks Disrupt Team Stability

Clytie Robinette
Head of Marketing, A New Therapyutah

Ghosting and catfishing severely erode the psychological safety crucial for effective team dynamics, especially in remote or hybrid settings.

When communication is absent or identity is deceptive, it breeds mistrust and anxiety among colleagues. This lack of transparency directly conflicts with our commitment to compassionate, personalized care.

Such behaviors hinder open collaboration, causing stress and uncertainty that impact overall team cohesion and individual well-being.

A reliable, authentic environment is paramount for productivity and fostering the positive mental state necessary for any team to thrive.

Catfishing Undermines Psychological Safety

Joe Szynkowski
Founder, The UpWrite Group

People are getting bolder behind screens. I saw a remote employee recently trashing her boss while she thought she was muted. It broke trust instantly.

These kinds of slip-ups, plus things like ignoring messages or faking roles on LinkedIn, are becoming more common in remote work. And it’s messing with team dynamics.

When someone disappears or isn’t who they say they are, it creates tension that’s hard to fix over Zoom. Relationships in this kind of setup take effort, and we’re seeing what happens when people stop trying.

Screen Anonymity Fuels Workplace Mistrust

Jodi Blodgett
Professional Photographer & Visual Storyteller, Jodi Blodgett Photography

As a photographer who’s worked with hundreds of families and couples over the past decade, I’ve noticed similar trust-breaking behaviors creeping into professional settings. When team members suddenly go radio silent or misrepresent their availability/skills, it creates the same emotional disconnect I see when clients ghost during wedding planning.

In my photography business, I’ve seen remote collaborations fall apart when vendors “catfish” their capabilities—claiming expertise they don’t have or using heavily filtered portfolio work. One wedding coordinator I worked with in 2023 completely misrepresented their experience level, leaving three couples scrambling weeks before their big day.

The photography industry taught me that authentic relationship-building requires consistent, honest communication. When I shifted from generic client interactions to genuine personal connections—sharing my own family stories and being transparent about my process—my referral rate jumped 40% in Massachusetts alone.

My advice: treat professional relationships like portrait sessions. The magic happens when people feel safe to be authentic, not when they’re performing a character.

Misrepresentation Disrupts Remote Collaboration

Audrey Schoen
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Audreylmft

From my work with remote teams at law enforcement agencies and tech companies, I’ve seen how ghosting colleagues creates ripple effects beyond just missed deadlines. When someone suddenly stops responding to messages or skips meetings without explanation, it triggers abandonment patterns similar to what I address in couples therapy – teams start questioning trust and assuming worst-case scenarios.

The most damaging case I encountered involved a project manager who gradually reduced communication over two weeks before disappearing entirely. Their team members developed anxiety about their own job security and started over-communicating to prove their value, creating a toxic cycle of hypervigilance.

Catfishing in professional contexts – like misrepresenting skills or experience during remote hiring – destroys psychological safety once funded. I worked with a startup where a “senior developer” turned out to have fabricated their entire background, causing the remaining team to question everyone’s credentials and become defensive about their own expertise.

Triggers Team Anxiety Cycles

Jamilyn Trainor
Owner & SPM, Mullerexpo

As it relates to remote and hybrid work, ghosting and cat-fishing are no longer just “dating” issues, they are very real workplace issues. I have personally experienced hiring people for freelance work only for those individuals to ghost me, disappearing without notice in the middle of the project timeline.

Suddenly my colleagues and I are in a panic trying to finish the project because we are beyond the point of no return. Ghosting erodes trust quickly, especially when there is trust to begin with, and digital communications do not help that; on the contrary, we lose opportunities for interpersonal growth that can build team trust.

Cat-fishing can take the form of an inflated resume, AI-generated portfolio, or candidates misrepresenting their role on past projects. There is friction built when we have to work through another company, like Müller Expo, if those individuals either ghost you or cat-fish you since we are tasked with getting the project created and completed.

Even more disruption comes in when we have to figure out whether to further vet other candidates or have back-up plans. It is certainly frustrating but equally so disruptive.

Professional accountability is much harder to uphold at a distance, therefore it is teams who do not place reasonable expectations, communications, and check-ins in place that get hurt most.

Ghosting, Catfishing Disrupt Remote Trust

Anu Mandapati
CEO, Qultured

Ghosting can look like candidates disappearing mid-process, new hires no-showing on Day 1, or even team members going silent when stakes are high. It erodes trust quickly and leaves leaders scrambling to fill gaps or make decisions with incomplete information.

Catfishing can look like inflated resumes, misrepresented skills, or showing up as one version of yourself in interviews and another entirely on the job. In a remote context, it’s easier to curate a polished persona and harder to build the kind of relationship where red flags are caught early.

These behaviors disrupt workflows, delay progress, and chip away at psychological safety. People begin to second-guess each other’s intentions and reliability.

Over time, disengagement and resentment increase. When expectations are clear, communication is consistent, and trust is built from day one, people are more accountable and red flags are easier to spot. It helps teams navigate uncertainty, call out misalignment, and move forward without losing momentum.

Clear Expectations Prevent Ghosting Issues

Jeff Romero
Founder, Octiv Digital

Ghosting and catfishing can significantly impact team dynamics in ways we may not always realize. I believe that ghosting fosters uncertainty, causing team members to feel neglected or unsure about their positions and contributions. It can damage trust and result in lowered morale.

When a person vanishes unexpectedly, it causes others to rush to find a replacement or to doubt their connections. Conversely, catfishing can significantly hinder teamwork. If team members are not who they say they are, it may result in deception and uncertainty.

I think this leads to a deficiency in genuineness, making it difficult to form any true connections or common objectives. Thus, in either scenario, the effect can ripple through the team, influencing communication, trust, and ultimately, performance.

It’s essential to tackle these problems directly to preserve a positive team atmosphere.

Deceptions Harm Remote Team Cohesion

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

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The Daily Art of Recognition: Gestures That Drive High Employee Engagement

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The Daily Art of Recognition: Gestures That Drive High Employee Engagement

Creating a workplace where employees feel valued is essential for engagement and retention. 

This HR Spotlight article compiles insights from business leaders and HR professionals on specific recognition practices, feedback rituals, and day-to-day gestures to help employees feel seen. 

Experts emphasize personalized, timely acknowledgment, such as customer-linked praise, struggle validation, or real-time shoutouts. 

They advocate for rituals like dedicated chat channels, meeting spotlights, and handwritten notes to foster a culture of appreciation. 

By tying recognition to specific contributions and personal milestones, these strategies ensure employees feel noticed and connected, enhancing trust and morale across teams in any work environment.

Read on!

Mark Harrell
Owner, Scrubs of Evans

Running Scrubs of Evans for 16+ years taught me that recognition is different when it’s tied to customer impact. I don’t just say “thanks for organizing inventory”—I tell my team exactly which healthcare worker found their perfect fit because of that organization.

My most effective practice is the “customer story share.” When a nurse tells me our Maevn scrubs helped her through a 12-hour shift comfortably, I immediately text that feedback to whoever handled her fitting. Real customer names, real impact stories.

I also track which team member’s recommendations lead to repeat purchases. When someone’s suggestion about Healing Hands scrubs results in a customer buying three more sets, I announce those numbers publicly.

Our sales jumped 31% once people saw their advice generating actual revenue.
The magic happens when employees see their daily work creating genuine value for healthcare heroes in our CSRA community.

Numbers and names make recognition stick—vague praise disappears.

Customer Stories Highlight Team Impact

Dr. Bambi Rattner
Founder, Intensive Therapy Retreats

After 30+ years treating trauma and running therapy retreats, I’ve learned that feeling “unseen” at work creates the same psychological wounds as other forms of neglect. The most powerful recognition practice I recommend is what I call “process witnessing”—acknowledging not just results, but the emotional labor behind them.

At my intensive retreats, I’ve seen how transformative it is when someone’s struggle gets acknowledged before their breakthrough. The same applies at work. Instead of only celebrating the closed deal, recognize the resilience it took to handle three difficult client rejections first.

Create “struggle acknowledgment moments” in team meetings. When someone steers a frustrating system or handles a difficult customer, name that effort specifically: “I saw how you stayed patient through that entire technical meltdown with the client.”

This validates their emotional investment, not just their output. The employees who feel most seen are those whose internal experience gets recognized—their persistence, their patience under pressure, their willingness to help teammates.

These moments of acknowledgment heal the daily micro-wounds of feeling invisible.

Acknowledge Emotional Labor in Recognition

Michael Weiss
Partner, Lerner & Weiss

As an employment attorney with 40+ years defending employers, I’ve seen countless wrongful termination cases that started with employees feeling invisible before performance issues escalated. The most effective gesture I recommend is the “documentation appreciation note”—when managers document good performance just as thoroughly as problems.

I had a client avoid a $135,000 discrimination lawsuit because their supervisor regularly sent brief emails acknowledging specific contributions: “Your contract review caught the liability clause that saved us $50K” or “The client specifically mentioned your thoroughness in yesterday’s presentation.”

When the employee later claimed bias, we had months of documented recognition showing consistent positive feedback. The key is making recognition legally protective while being genuinely meaningful.

Instead of generic praise, tie recognition to measurable business impact. This creates a paper trail that protects employers while making employees feel valued for concrete contributions.

I also advise clients to implement “feedback documentation” where positive conversations get brief follow-up emails: “As discussed, your handling of the Johnson account exceeded expectations.” This simple practice has helped multiple clients successfully defend against retaliation claims.

Documented Praise Builds Legal, Emotional Value

Campbell Hunt
Partner, Caldera Royalty

I’ve found that one of the simplest but most powerful ways to help people feel seen is to notice the small wins in real time. Not just when a big project wraps up, but when someone handles a tough client call with patience, or stays late to help a colleague.

I’ll often send a quick text or Slack message that night to acknowledge it. It takes less than a minute, but it shows them I’m paying attention even when no one else is.

Over time, those small gestures create a culture where people know their efforts won’t go unnoticed. Employees don’t just want formal recognition once a quarter – they want to feel like the little things they pour into the business actually matter day-to-day.

Real-Time Texts Boost Daily Recognition

Matt Short
LPC-Associate, Tactical Counseling

I am thrilled that you are joining our team. To get everything ready and better know you, I have a few quick questions (or not so quick if you like to overthink).

When is your birthday? Just the month and day; I heard you turn 29 next year. What’s your favorite holiday? What are other important calendar dates in your life? What are your hobbies? What is your favorite food or restaurant?

If you had $20, what is your favorite self-care act? For example, my wife goes to the movies; my brother likes relaxing candles; my sons would buy a new football or disc for golf; my stepdaughter treats herself to Dutch Bros or Starbucks; my best friend enjoys trying different whiskeys. What do you do to take care of yourself?

Is there anything else you’d like to share? I’m optimistic about having you on the team. I can’t wait to introduce you to the rest of the team and get you plugged in.

On Monday, I’ll be in the office to help with the onboarding process. I also want to go to lunch with you if you’re available. I’m also working on a few assignments to get you integrated into our team.

I expect you’ll push our program forward. I can’t wait to begin discussing our mission and vision and integrating your views, expressions, and opinions into the group. There is so much great work we can do.

Personal Onboarding Questions Build Connection

Christine Reynolds
Management Director, DoThings

Too many organisations rely on recognition portals, or gimmicks like “free coffee” vouchers. Real recognition is human. It should be easy to do (no separate portal) and built into the flow of everyday work.

One powerful practice I’ve used in my own HR teams and rolled out across Divisions I support is a dedicated “Shout Outs” channel in your team’s chat platform be that Teams, Slack, WhatsApp etc. This democratises recognition.

Managers post and staff soon jump in with peer recognition as well. It creates invaluable collateral for reinforcing praise in 1:1s and for recognising a full year of highlights at performance reviews.

Another ritual is starting every team meeting with a “Spotlights Session” where anyone can take the floor to recognise a team member. This ritual is sticky as each meeting starts on such a positive note.

Both practices build a culture of visibility, feedback and provide genuine appreciation at all levels.

Shoutout Channels Foster Team Appreciation

Christopher Migliaccio
Founder, Warren & Migliaccio

As a founder, I’ve come to understand that the power of recognition lies in its specificity and personalization. A “good job” is nice, but it loses its impact very quickly.

Conversely, taking the time to communicate the specific value of someone’s effort “Your extra effort with that client saved the deal!” or “Your research really opened our minds to the direction of our strategy!” creates an impact that is more valuable and lasting.

I have a weekly short check-in where the team can take a moment to share wins; however, I specifically want the team to highlight someone’s contribution that might otherwise go unnoticed.

The rituals leave the impression that we are building a culture where people do not just feel thanked, they feel like they are beholden to the mission. Recognition is not about being formal, it is about being sincere.

It is apparent to employees when things are disingenuous!

Specific Praise Strengthens Mission Connection

Kristie Tse
CEO, Uncover Mental Health Counseling

To help employees feel seen, it’s essential to practice consistent and intentional recognition. Start by acknowledging individual contributions during team meetings—call out specific actions or achievements that made a difference.

Regular one-on-one check-ins are also important; ask about their challenges, goals, and how you can support them. Feedback rituals, such as ending weekly meetings with a round of peer appreciations or kudos, create a positive culture.

Simple gestures, such as remembering birthdays, sending a thank-you note, or celebrating personal milestones, show that you value them as individuals.

Most importantly, listen actively and validate their emotions, letting them know their voice matters. These consistent, genuine efforts can greatly enhance their sense of belonging and appreciation.

Peer Kudos Enhance Team Belonging

Stephen Huber
President, Home Care Providers

After two decades of working with teams in both the military and healthcare industry, I have found that seeing people can be both easy and difficult, but it is always possible-if you put in the effort.

The most important thing that helps is mentioning individual wins at our weekly meeting. Not just ‘great job everyone,’ but actually saying something like ‘Maria, the way that you dealt with that family matter that day showed great compassion.’ People light up when you see the little things of what they do well, not just the big stuff.

I also go around the formal review riggishness for most feedback. If a person does something that’s worth mentioning, I’ll start the week and pull that person to the side and tell them. Or when they’re having problems with something, we discuss it before it becomes an issue.

It makes no sense to anyone to wait months to provide feedback. Handwritten Notes This sounds old fashioned but it works.

I have a collection of cards on my desk and write quick notes to people if they do something really good. This takes thirty seconds, but they are usually keeping those notes for months. It’s the micro, done right stuff that builds trust, not the fancy company-wide programs.

Handwritten Notes Create Lasting Trust

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

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Civility in Action: An HR Leader’s Key to a Positive Workplace

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Civility in Action: An HR Leader’s Key to a Positive Workplace

In an era where online debates often spill into workplace tensions, fostering a culture of civility is essential for team cohesion. 

This HR Spotlight article compiles insights from business leaders and HR professionals on one leadership behavior to promote a positive work culture driven by civility. 

Experts emphasize modeling respectful communication, such as empathetic listening, setting clear ground rules, and using humor to defuse conflicts. They advocate creating structured forums for open dialogue and prioritizing face-to-face or video interactions to maintain trust. 

These behaviors ensure disagreements remain productive, reducing resentment and enhancing collaboration, ultimately building a workplace where employees feel valued and respected despite external or internal conflicts. 

Read on!

Amy P. Castro
President, Amy Castro

Set clear ground rules for communication and model them consistently. Too often, leaders assume everyone shares the same definition of “respect,” but that is rarely true.

Take time to clarify what respectful disagreement looks like for your team: no interruptions, ask clarifying questions before responding, address issues and behavior rather than attacking people, and focus on solutions instead of blame.

As a communication expert with more than 20 years of experience, I have seen that leaders who clearly define, model, and consistently reinforce these expectations create genuine psychological safety for their team. This approach ensures everyone knows what is expected and helps them feel confident sharing ideas without fear of personal attacks or escalating drama.

It keeps discussions productive, collaborative, and focused on problem-solving, all of which support a positive and truly respectful workplace culture.

Establish and Enforce Clear Ground Rules

Alanna Fincke
Executive Director Workforce Development, meQuilibrium

One of the most critical leadership behaviors that fosters a positive work culture, one driven by civility, is promoting open and respectful communication.

It may sound pat or obvious, but hear me out on why and how. It plays a powerful role—as do the leaders who practice it—in shifting team and organizational culture, even in the face of workplace conflict and the near constant stress from uncertainty and ongoing change.

Ultimately, open and respectful communication creates a culture of psychological safety at the foundation, and that’s what we need to fight the overwhelming tides of pessimism, uncertainty, and disengagement we’re seeing in the workplace.

Here are some specific suggestions on how to implement open and respectful communication:

Model It: As a leader, it starts with you. Model respectful and civil communication in your interactions. Avoid using inflammatory language, personal attacks, or dismissive behavior, even when (and especially when) disagreements arise.

Encourage Open Dialogue and a Range of Viewpoints: Create an environment where employees feel safe to express their views and opinions without fear of repercussions. Actively listen to different perspectives and acknowledge valid points, even if you disagree.

Provide Training: Effective and respectful communication is a practice and doesn’t always come naturally. However, it can absolutely be learned! Offer training or workshops on effective communication, conflict resolution, and fostering a respectful workplace culture. This is a critical piece in employees developing the skills to engage in constructive dialogue and handle disagreements.

Address Issues Promptly: When conflicts or uncivil behavior arise, address them promptly. It’s tempting to avoid it in the short term, but in the long term, it only reinforces just the behaviors we’re trying to avoid. Encourage open and honest discussions to understand the root causes and work towards resolution in a respectful manner.

Celebrate and Recognize the Good Stuff: Acknowledge and celebrate times when employees demonstrate communication, collaboration, or conflict resolution skills. A simple “great job collaborating on this” can be enough. This reinforces the desired behaviors and encourages others to follow suit.”

Open Communication Builds Psychological Safety

Kaomi Joy Taylor
Founder & Chief Namiac, The Museum of Names

Name Fluency is a deceptively simple leadership behavior that can radically improve workplace civility. It’s not just about pronunciation — it’s about care.

Names are deeply tied to identity, culture, and belonging. Everyone has one – and they’re used daily in the workplace in countless ways. So mishandling them erodes trust fast. But visibly demonstrating care can help heal workplace divisions and rapidly grow civility and respect.

A Name Fluent leader:

Models dignity in how names are spoken and written in personal interactions.

Works to remember, spell, and pronounce names correctly and checks when unsure.

Sets a tone that discourages jokes, stereotypes, and sloppiness around names.

Adjusts systems to accommodate longer, non-Western, and atypical names.

Ask yourself: can you remember a time when your own name was omitted or mocked? How did it feel? That’s why anytime leaders handle names with care, they send a powerful message: You matter here. It’s not about perfection — it’s about people.

Name Fluency Enhances Workplace Civility

Donald Thompson
CEO & Executive Advisor, Donald Thompson

In today’s polarized environment, where online debates can spill into Slack threads and strategy meetings, leaders must go beyond surface-level tolerance. They must become stewards of psychological safety. That begins not with reacting, but with listening.

Empathetic listening signals to your team that you value understanding over judgment. When leaders show genuine curiosity, especially with viewpoints different from their own, they send a powerful message: disagreement doesn’t equal disrespect. This message sets the tone for everyone else.

At a time when many employees feel overlooked or dismissed, your attention becomes a form of leadership capital. It costs nothing, but pays off in trust, engagement, and collaboration.

Teams that feel heard outperform those that feel silenced.

Civility creates a workplace where people feel safe enough to speak up and strong enough to grow together.

Empathetic Listening Promotes Team Trust

Rhett Power
CEO & Co-founder, Accountability Inc

Leadership Behavior: Set the Standard Through Micro-Moments of Respect

Civility isn’t built through grand gestures—it’s shaped in the small, everyday interactions leaders have with their teams.

One powerful behavior is using micro-moments of respect: greeting colleagues by name, acknowledging contributions publicly, giving credit generously, and showing appreciation consistently. These seemingly minor acts reinforce a culture of value and dignity. When tensions rise—whether sparked by online debates or internal disagreements—people are more likely to stay grounded and respectful if those around them model basic human decency.

Leaders set the emotional tone. If they respond to conflict with composure, kindness, and fairness, their teams are more likely to follow. In polarized times, civility must be intentional, and it starts with small moments done well.

Micro-Moments of Respect Set Tone

Joanna Lovering
Founder, Copper + Rise

Want to foster civility at work? Start with your executive presence.

When online arguments start creeping into team dynamics, it’s easy for things to get tense, fast. But leaders with real executive presence don’t take the bait. They stay grounded, speak with clarity, and model respect, even when conversations get heated.

This isn’t about avoiding tough topics. It’s about how you show up when they surface. Do you raise your voice or raise the bar? Do you shut people down or hold the space with calm authority?

Your presence sets the tone. When you model composure, clarity, and mutual respect, others follow. That’s how you build a culture where disagreement doesn’t have to mean disconnection.

Executive Presence Models Civil Discourse

Jared Pope
CEO & Co-Founder, Work Shield

Today, disagreement doesn’t stop at the screen. It follows people into the office. Social media has made it easy to speak without filters.

People often say things online they’d never say to someone face-to-face. That boldness might feel harmless behind a screen, but when those comments carry into the workplace, whether through side conversations, Slack threads, or team meetings, they can quickly erode trust and collaboration.

Here’s a simple benchmark: if you wouldn’t say it to someone directly in a one-on-one conversation with respect and accountability, it probably doesn’t belong in a workplace discussion.

When something crosses the line online, leaders can’t afford to ignore it. A calm, direct check-in like “I saw what you posted. Can we talk about how that’s impacting the team?” can defuse tension before it festers. Just as important, modeling what it looks like to listen without judgment while still holding clear boundaries shows others how to follow suit.

Civility isn’t about being quiet or agreeable. It’s about showing up with clarity, curiosity, and self-control. Even when emotions run high. In today’s climate, leadership means knowing how to bring conversations back to common ground.”

Direct Check-Ins Defuse Online Tensions

Shaun Carse
Director, Trackershop

What under-appreciated technique for teaching politeness? The giving of ego the afternoon off.

At Trackershop, we receive this: if some form of dispute occurs, the last thing the world’ s best leader wants to do is attempt to turn the dispute to some form of power play.

What we do is attempt to be the “calm in the group chat”—the listener, the tension breaker with the smallest dad joke (“Alright, don’t throw the stapler—we’re all one team”), and return the communication to the unified goals.

Civility is not accommodating to the majority—it’s to the point where one doesn’t even feel the obligation to disagree at all, for one might be run over in the hallway or stared down in the break room at lunchtime.

If your workers see you resolve conflict humorously, humbly, and in reverence, they’ll do the same. Absolutely, less awkward silences in the break room.

Humor Calms Conflict, Unifies Teams

David Greiner
Founder & Attorney, Greiner Law Corp

Running both a law firm and Greiner Buick GMC for years taught me one crucial leadership behavior: create structured forums for open dialogue before conflicts escalate. When I served as Chairman of the Victor Valley Chamber of Commerce, I instituted monthly “straight talk” sessions where board members could voice concerns directly without formal procedures.

The breakthrough came when I co-founded the High Desert Senior Forum in 2009, operating it from my dealership showroom. We hosted over 100 meetings covering everything from congressional updates to gardening tips. The key was establishing clear ground rules upfront—everyone gets heard, but personal attacks weren’t tolerated.

At my dealership, this translated to weekly department head meetings where service, sales, and finance could air grievances openly. Instead of letting tensions simmer between departments, we addressed issues immediately. This approach helped us win multiple Best in the Desert awards for customer service.

The pattern I’ve seen in both business and legal practice is simple: give people a regular, structured outlet to be heard, and workplace conflicts rarely reach the boiling point.

Structured Forums Prevent Conflict Escalation

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

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The Geopolitical Hedge: Is Distributed Talent the Answer to Protecting Inclusion Goals?

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The Geopolitical Hedge: Is Distributed Talent the Answer to Protecting Inclusion Goals?

Navigating political upheavals that challenge diversity, equity, and inclusion goals requires innovative workforce strategies. 

This HR Spotlight article compiles insights from business leaders and HR professionals on whether a global remote workforce can safeguard DEI objectives. 

Experts highlight that global remote teams can enhance diversity by accessing talent across borders, buffering against regional instability. 

However, they caution that remote work alone isn’t enough without intentional inclusion policies, equitable resource access, and hybrid models to foster collaboration. 

By combining global hiring with robust cultural frameworks, these strategies ensure DEI goals remain resilient, creating inclusive environments where all employees feel valued despite external political pressures. 

Read on!

Sergiy Fitsak
Managing Director & Fintech Expert, Softjourn

Based on our experience, developing a global remote workforce can be an effective strategy to maintain diversity goals during political disruptions.

We’ve observed that remote work structures enable organizations to build teams across geographical boundaries, creating natural diversity that enhances both creativity and productivity.

However, remote work alone cannot address all the complex challenges posed by political upheavals, and organizations must also develop comprehensive policies that specifically address inclusion and equity issues regardless of work arrangement.

Global Remote Teams Buffer Against Political Diversity Threats

Justin Belmont
Founder & CEO, Prose

A global remote workforce can be part of the answer, but it’s not a silver bullet.
On the plus side, hiring globally means you’re not limited by one country’s politics—you can keep teams diverse even if local laws or social climates shift.

But the catch is, diversity on paper doesn’t equal inclusion in practice.

If you’re not building systems where remote employees actually feel heard, safe, and supported, you’ve just scattered people across time zones without solving the deeper issue.

The real win is combining global hiring with intentional culture work—otherwise you’re just exporting the same problems to new zip codes.

Remote Workforce: Beyond Geography to Genuine Inclusion

Wynter Johnson
CEO, Caily

It’s true that remote workers haven’t been cracked down on in the same way that domestic ones have, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a risk here.

There’s no telling when or if the current administration will target remote outsourcing, putting companies in the spotlight again. Another key issue here is that remote workers, especially in an office that also has in-person workers, don’t integrate into the company culture in the same way.

Just because you make diverse hires doesn’t mean you’re actually including them in a meaningful way.

Remote Work Faces Potential Risks Beyond Cultural Integration

Mike Qu
CEO & Founder, SourcingXpro

Building a global remote workforce can be a strong buffer against political upheavals that disrupt diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.

When teams are spread across multiple countries, no single region’s instability can derail hiring pipelines or limit representation.

At SourcingXpro, we worked with partners in three continents, which allowed us to maintain balance when one market faced sudden restrictions.

However, remote structure alone is not enough. It must be paired with intentional DEI policies, transparent pay standards, and tools that ensure equal voice across time zones. Otherwise, existing inequities can simply shift online.

The real advantage comes when global remote teams are supported by systems that make inclusion sustainable regardless of local politics.

Global Teams Shield Diversity Goals Amid Political Upheaval

Illustrious Espiritu
Marketing Director, Autostar Heavy Duty

For a small business like ours, a “global remote workforce” isn’t a reality.

Our team has to be on the ground. But we do have to deal with unforeseen political upheavals that can affect our supply chain and our relationships with our customers.

So, is a global remote workforce the answer? No. The answer is to build a business that is a direct reflection of our values. The key is to see our business not just as a business, but as a community of people who are united by a shared sense of purpose.

When a political upheaval threatened our business, our response wasn’t to go remote. It was to be proactively transparent with our suppliers and our customers. From an operations standpoint, we called our suppliers and asked them how we could help. From a marketing standpoint, we created a new message that was a direct reflection of our values: “We’re a flexible, adaptable business that is here to help you get through any challenge.”

The impact this had was a massive increase in our business’s resilience. Our suppliers and our customers saw that we were a company that was honest and transparent. The biggest win is that we learned that the best way to handle a political upheaval is to be a company that is a direct reflection of its values.

My advice is simple: stop just hoping for the best. You have to be a person who is proactive and who is willing to build a business that is a direct reflection of your values. The best way to overcome a crisis is to be a leader who is honest and who is transparent.

Values-Based Business Trumps Remote Work During Crisis

Piotr Zabula
CEO, Feedink

While a global remote workforce can be part of a strategy to maintain diversity during political upheavals, our experience suggests it isn’t a complete solution.

When we implemented fully remote work, we encountered significant challenges including missed deadlines and ineffective mentorship for junior employees, particularly those from diverse backgrounds who benefit from direct guidance.

A more sustainable approach combines remote work flexibility with intentional in-person collaboration through hybrid models, ensuring both global talent access and the structured support needed for inclusive team development.

Hybrid Models Outperform Fully Remote for Inclusive Development

Jeremy Golan
HR Manager, Virtual HR Hub

DEI is a winner when it comes to divergent thinking and creativity, but the benefits are limited with a fully remote workforce.

Maybe you want to signal inclusivity when it comes to hiring, but the real magic is when different people come together and collaborate in person.

While virtual work attracts a higher volume of candidates—due to lifestyle benefits and traffic—colleagues rarely develop strong bonds that translate into increased productivity.

To benefit from both formats, consider a hybrid approach—with a minimum number of days in the office—paired with team-building activities.

In-Person Collaboration Maximizes Diversity Benefits Over Remote

Christopher Pappas
Founder, eLearning Industry Inc

At our company we understand that the political landscape can present challenges that impact diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals.

While a global remote workforce offers flexibility it is important to note that it is not a standalone solution. Remote work can be a tool for inclusion, but it should not be the sole strategy.

Businesses need to look beyond just enabling remote work to truly support a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Achieving DEI requires a holistic approach that goes beyond offering remote opportunities. We must implement strategies that ensure equal access to resources for all employees including those in politically unstable regions.

We must foster a culture of inclusivity where all workers feel supported and valued. By focusing on equitable practices and creating opportunities for everyone to thrive we can ensure that our DEI efforts are comprehensive and impactful.

Remote Work: Tool Not Solution for DEI Goals

George Fironov
Co-Founder & CEO, Talmatic

Remote work has fundamentally transformed how we approach workforce diversity, creating opportunities to build truly global teams regardless of political circumstances.

We’ve observed that hiring has evolved into a global talent competition, with candidates now evaluating potential employers based on flexibility, culture, and remote work arrangements.

While a distributed workforce can help insulate organizations from some regional political impacts, it’s important to recognize that remote work alone isn’t a complete solution to complex DEI challenges.

Companies must still develop intentional strategies to foster inclusion across distributed teams.

Global Teams Expand Diversity Despite Political Constraints

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

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From Invisible to Invincible: A Culture Where Employees Feel Valued

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From Invisible to Invincible: A Culture Where Employees Feel Valued

Creating a workplace where employees feel valued and noticed is vital for boosting engagement and fostering loyalty. 

This HR Spotlight article compiles insights from business leaders and HR professionals on specific recognition practices, feedback rituals, and day-to-day gestures to help employees feel seen. 

Experts emphasize timely, personal acknowledgment through real-time shoutouts, handwritten notes, and public celebrations of small wins. 

They advocate consistent rituals, like weekly highlights of collaboration or mentorship, to reinforce a culture of appreciation. 

By blending specific, immediate recognition with thoughtful, personal gestures, these strategies enhance morale, build trust, and ensure employees feel truly valued in both remote and in-office environments.

Read on!

Andrew Dunn
Vice President of Marketing, Zentro Internet

In my experience, specific acknowledgment in the moment makes the biggest difference.

I’ve watched real-time shoutouts during team meetings wipe out the feeling that small wins go unnoticed.

For example:-  we once highlighted the quick pivot of a junior marketer who saved a campaign, and it motivated the whole group. I’d suggest keeping recognition simple but consistent quick notes or mentions carry farther than you’d expect.

Real-Time Shoutouts Boost Morale

Tom Terronez
CEO, Medix Dental IT

Happy to walk you through what works for my team, especially how small, consistent gestures create the biggest impact.

One thing we do at Medix Dental IT is highlight a “win of the week,” where each department shares a moment of progress that others may not have seen in real time. It’s surprising how much employees light up when their quiet, behind-the-scenes contributions get noticed in front of their peers. I’ve also found handwritten notes go further than digital messages. There’s something about that extra effort that feels more personal.

My advice is to mix both public recognition and private gestures so your team feels seen from every angle.

Weekly Wins, Handwritten Notes Shine

Karl Threadgold
Managing Director, Threadgold Consulting

With remote teams, I’ve found small consistent rituals matter more than big quarterly recognitions. For instance, we start our weekly sync by naming one person who demonstrated collaboration or problem-solving that week, which sets a positive tone.

Drawing on my background in leading global teams, I’ve leaned on this practice countless times to help people feel their efforts are visible across time zones.

Generally speaking, you’re in good shape with recognition if it’s both specific and immediate, rather than waiting for formal reviews.

Consistent Rituals Foster Remote Recognition

Edward Piazza
President, Titan Funding

Day-to-day, fixing that feeling of being unseen almost always means giving recognition that’s both specific and personal. For example, I’ve taken time to attach a handwritten note to a performance bonus, calling out the exact deal or borrower relationship that made a difference, and I noticed how much it motivated the team.

I’d suggest prioritizing those small gestures alongside the financial rewards, because people remember the words just as much as the numbers.

Personal Notes Enhance Bonus Impact

Sean Grabow
Owner, Central City Solutions

In my experience, small acts go a long way, like simply calling out someone’s hard work during a morning meeting instead of waiting for a big company milestone.

When one of my crew members managed a tough renovation under budget, I printed a framed photo of the finished property and gave it to him. That little gesture sat on his desk for years, and he told me it reminded him that his efforts weren’t invisible. I’ve learned that recognition doesn’t need to be complex; it just needs to be thoughtful and specific to the effort someone put in.

Thoughtful Gestures Make Efforts Visible

Pavel Sher
CEO, FuseBase

One practice that’s been effective for my team at FuseBase is publicly recognizing those who take time to mentor new hires.

We do this by making space in our weekly syncs to highlight who helped onboard or shared knowledge that saved time.

The big takeaway from running a SaaS business is that you can’t skip these moments; it reinforces collaboration as part of the company culture.

Acknowledge Mentorship in Weekly Syncs

Carl Fanaro
President, NOLA Buys Houses

In my 23 years leading real estate teams, I’ve found that recognition doesn’t always have to be big to make an impact.

For example, when a senior agent took the time to mentor a new hire through a tricky property evaluation, I made sure to acknowledge their efforts during our weekly meeting. When the chips were down during a rough month, that small public appreciation really lifted the whole team’s spirits.

I also like having a simple monthly spotlight for someone who solved a tough foreclosure problem or closed a complex deal with creativity.

My advice: keep recognition personal, specific, and timely so employees truly feel seen rather than lost in general praise.

Specific, Timely Praise Lifts Spirits

Jimmy Welch
President, The Jimmy Welch Team

Recognition works best when it feels real and personal. I’ve seen firsthand how a quick text at the end of the day saying “great job handling that client call” can mean more than a formal award. People remember what you noticed in the moment.

I like to tie recognition to something specific. If a teammate works late to solve an issue, I’ll thank them for that sacrifice, not just for “working hard.” It shows you were paying attention.

Sharing those wins with the whole group, whether in a team huddle or through a quick email, gives everyone a boost and builds momentum.

The day to day gestures matter too. I keep track of birthdays, kids’ events, even favorite restaurants, and I bring those up naturally. Those small details make people feel seen.

Over time, those touches create loyalty and trust, which is what every strong team is built on.

Personal Texts Build Team Loyalty

Lara Woodham
Director, Rowlen Boiler Services

In my experience at Rowlen Boiler Services, small gestures tend to carry the most weight.

For example, when one of our engineers passed their Vaillant Mastertech certification, I surprised them with a hand-written note and a framed badge for our office wall.

Our clients don’t care about the fancy details; they just want a reliable team, and our crew feels more valued when their skills are proudly displayed. I’ve noticed that celebrating these milestones in visible ways builds confidence and fosters a tighter bond across the team.

Celebrate Milestones with Visible Gestures

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

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Authenticity in Action: How Leaders Can Restore Workplace Trust

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Authenticity in Action: How Leaders Can Restore Workplace Trust

The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals a global decline in employee trust, with only 75% believing their employers “do the right thing,” signaling a critical trust gap. 

This HR Spotlight article gathers insights from business leaders and HR professionals on practical steps to rebuild trust. 

From transparent communication and authentic leadership to creating safe feedback channels and consistent follow-through, these experts share strategies to address skepticism while aligning with business goals. 

Their actionable approaches, like visible micro-consistency and employee-centric platforms, offer a roadmap to foster loyalty, enhance engagement, and close the trust gap in today’s dynamic workplace.

Read on!

Jared Pope
Founder & CEO, Work Shield

In light of growing concern around employee trust, one of the most important and actionable steps a company can take is ensuring employees feel heard and protected.

Create a Work Shield to help organizations foster workplaces of integrity and trust by giving employees a secure way to report misconduct–without fear of retaliation.

As the first and only end-to-end third-party misconduct management solution, Work Shield demonstrates a company’s genuine commitment to integrity, which is essential to rebuilding trust.

Secure Reporting Rebuilds Employee Trust

Hayden Cohen
CEO, Hire With Near

The only way to really rebuild this kind of trust is to actually do the right thing.

From an employee’s perspective, that means being loyal to them, but it can also mean taking moral stands that align with employee values and even making smart business decisions.

Whatever you do, don’t start talking about how moral and trustworthy you are in your internal communications. Let your actions speak for themselves.

Trust is Built by Actions, not Words

Spencer Romenco
Chief Growth Strategist, Growth Spurt

Trust is hard-earned currency in marketing, and it’s not limited to customer relationships, it starts internally.

At our company, we help brands rebuild consumer trust by being there as human, authentic, and transparent.

Employees are the first ambassadors, so trust issues internally have the potential to impact everything externally, specifically how a brand is received by customers.

When we’re talking about rebuilding trust in DTC brands, we’re not giving get-your-corporate-gloss-on PR phrases or “brand tone” tweaks. What we do is tell the truth, show the flaws, and speak openly about product testing, sourcing, and how we set prices.

My number one strategy for trust-building I have discovered is authentic content, whether it’s UGC reviews, behind-the-scenes content, or real-life usage scenarios.

On top of that, we have seen customers get real traction with open talk in their marketing. Instead of hawking perfection, we show customers real problems being solved in real life.

Customers do not require perfection, customers require brands to take responsibility and make something that resonates for them. That’s how you approach trust not through guarantees, but through open books.

So, sure, you can’t simply hang a “We Care About Trust” sign on your page and call it a day, but you can align your people around your brand story because trust starts inside and extends outside.

No company rebuilds trust without genuine alignment on values and communication, internally and externally.

Authentic Content Rebuilds Brand Trust

Kyle Sobko
CEO, Sonder Care

Where trust is the basis of how we support both clients and employees.

Trust can be rebuilt with employees through continued transparent communication. When decision-makers communicate not just their successes but also their setbacks, they minimize uncertainty and build trust. We regularly and openly discuss with our teams, and this is true even when we don’t share good news.

One of the ways I do this is through regular weekly check-ins which allows for feedback to flow both ways. This allows us to build a culture of feedback where people know they were valued and heard.

Trust is earned under specific actions that align with your words. This means that doing what you say you will is critical.

It is about creating an environment of stability and reliability where employees can speak openly and their contribution is valued. This simple practice significantly increased our trust and engagement within the team.

Transparent Communication Rebuilds Employee Trust

Matt Bowman
CEO & Founder, Thrive Local

After 18 years leading a business with both local and global teams, I’ve learned that rebuilding trust isn’t about grand gestures—it’s about MICRO-CONSISTENCY. Start by over-communicating decisions and the “why” behind them.

Second, put faces to leadership. Let teams hear from people, not departments. I’ve held weekly 15-minute “Ask Me Anything” calls across time zones—those built more goodwill than any memo ever could.

Third, own your missteps publicly and promptly. “We got this wrong. Here’s what we’re doing to fix it,” earns more loyalty than spin.

Trust Rebuilds Through Micro-Consistency

Bennett Barrier
Chief Executive Officer, DFW Turf

I run a field-heavy business in Texas. Turf crews, site leads, logistics. Not a Fortune 500, but we’ve got boots on the ground year-round. And I’ll tell you what erodes trust fastest: telling your team something’s handled when it isn’t. No survey, memo, or bonus program makes up for that.

We had a stretch where we overpromised on equipment upgrades. Said new trucks were coming, better blade kits were ordered, and schedule shifts were being reviewed. None of it hit the calendar fast enough. Morale dipped, not because the gear was late, but because guys stopped believing what leadership said.

So, we scrapped the big talk and flipped the play. We now use what we call visible proof updates.

If we say something’s coming, new trailer, adjusted start time, pay structure tweak, we show the change in writing, confirm it twice, and let crews see the impact within a week. No vague rollouts. No in Q3 noise.

Trust doesn’t drop because people are ungrateful. It drops because they hear one thing and see another.

You want to fix that gap? Get small promises right, every time. If the word doesn’t match the walk, no survey metric’s going to save you. That’s the part the trust barometers miss; it’s not the culture slides that count. It’s the follow-through that lands.

Visible Proof Builds Trust and Follow-Through

Walt Brown
Founder, Walt Brown

Start by listening—really listening.

Run a simple, anonymous BITE7 survey to understand where trust is breaking down across the Seven Critical Needs: Belonging, Belief, Accountability, Measurement, Being Heard, Development, and Balance. Don’t guess. Measure.

Then, act with transparency. Share the results with your team. Own the gaps. Pick one issue and fix it visibly. Small, consistent wins rebuild trust faster than grand gestures.

And finally, tighten your structure. When people know who’s doing what, how decisions are made, and that leadership follows through, trust follows.

Listen, Act, Structure to Rebuild Trust

Jennifer Mihajlov
EVP North America, Leading Workplace

Rebuilding trust begins with consistent transparency and authentic communication. Employees need ongoing opportunities for real-time feedback, not just annual surveys to feel genuinely heard.

AI-powered platforms that capture employee insights continuously and enable leaders to respond quickly and personally to concerns are essential.

Trust grows when employees see clear follow-through on commitments and receive recognition tailored to their individual contributions. Equally important is leadership modeling accountability by admitting mistakes and demonstrating a sincere commitment to improvement.

This continuous cycle of listening, acting, and communicating builds a foundation where employees feel valued and secure, effectively closing the trust gap and fostering a culture of loyalty and engagement.

Consistent Transparency Rebuilds Employee Trust

David Rice
HR Expert, People Managing People

Moving people along in their career journeys in a way that maintains trust you’re building through empathy and transparency will require some coaching and investment in training.

Being transparent is great, but if you don’t back it up by showing people you value them by investing in their skills, then why wouldn’t they jump to the next logical conclusion, which is at some point you’re not going to need them? That’s what they’re used to hearing and the leader’s tone on this has not been helpful thus far.

Neither has the decision-making in many sectors where organizations have blindly adopted AI at the expense of people. But in any case, people think they can’t trust the organization that leaves them to figure out how to do all of this on their own.

So you’ve got to help them see it and give them the resources to make the necessary moves to get to where they need to go.

Transparency Needs Investment in People’s Skills

Rabbi Shlomo Slatkin
Certified Imago Therapist & Advanced Clinician, The Marriage Restoration Project

In our work, we’ve seen that the first step to rebuilding trust is creating a safe space for honest, non-defensive dialogue. That means leaders have to go first—they must show humility, take ownership of mistakes, and invite feedback without punishing vulnerability.

From there, consistency becomes key. Trust doesn’t come back all at once—it’s rebuilt one interaction at a time. I often say, ‘The repair is more important than the rupture.’ So don’t aim for perfection—aim for presence. Show up, listen deeply, and make integrity visible through your actions.

Rebuilding Trust: Intentional Effort, Not Time

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

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Discover the latest HR Tips and trends with our weekly newsletters!