🎧 When Employees Came to HR - and Leadership Solved It with a Playlist

We in HR have those days - as in seriously.

Flashback to 2023. One of those moments in HR where you pause mid–coffee sip and think: “Okay… this is really happening.”

Funny now. Mildly traumatic then.

It started when several employees came to HR—not to escalate conflict, not to demand disciplinary action—but to ask for balance. Their concern? A colleague who sang during work hours.

Loudly. Enthusiastically. Frequently. And… not exactly on key.

This mattered because the office was an open workspace. No walls. No doors. No acoustic forgiveness. In an open office, when one person sings, everyone attends the concert—whether they want to or not.

HR Did Its Job (Calmly and Respectfully)

HR stepped in the way HR should.

The conversation focused on impact, not intent. No shaming. No threats. No “this goes on your record” energy. Just a straightforward discussion about shared spaces, professionalism, and awareness.

The employee acknowledged the feedback—and then responded with:

“I’m not the only one.”

And… he wasn’t wrong.

Which, in an open office, is both a defense and a warning sign. It also highlighted the real issue: this wasn’t about one person—it was about norms.

Footnote 1: The company name has been omitted to protect… well, let’s just say my HR credibility. 😅

Leadership’s “Solution”

After documenting the discussion, HR informed leadership so expectations could be aligned.

Instead of addressing behavior consistently across the team, leadership chose a more… creative solution.

Music access was removed from all desktops and laptops.

Problem solved. Technically.

Music didn’t disappear—it was replaced with a single, centralized playlist, mandatory for everyone. One sound. One vibe. One unavoidable soundtrack.

If you didn’t like it? Well… professionalism (ehem..)

Footnote 2: Yes, I had strong opinions about the playlist. Anonymity protects me from HR backlash here. 😆

The Irony

This was never about singing—or musical taste. It was about how leadership responds after HR handles something proportionately.

In an effort to avoid discomfort, individual choice was removed entirely. Everyone complied. Everyone listened. Everyone endured. (There were eyerolls. So many eye-rolls.)

Sometimes, the loudest thing in the workplace isn’t the singing. It’s the overcorrection.

What Management Could Have Done Instead

Leadership didn’t need to overcorrect. A proportionate response would’ve gone a long way:

• Acknowledge the issue openly – Open offices amplify sound; shared norms matter.

• Set expectations consistently – Apply rules to everyone, not just the loudest voice.

• Offer reasonable adjustments – Headphones, quiet zones, or clearer guidelines.

• Avoid overcorrection – Removing tools rarely fixes culture.

• Communicate clearly – Employees deserve to know why decisions are made.

What HR Can Take from This

For fellow HR practitioners navigating similar “petty-but-not-really” issues:

• Anchor feedback on behavior and impact, not personality

• Recognize how workspace design affects behavior

• Push for consistency, not convenience

• Document, escalate, and observe what leadership does next

• Remember: not every issue needs a nuclear response

Footnote 3: If anyone from “that company” is reading… this is written in good humor. No HR professionals were harmed in the making of this blog. 😉

The Takeaway

Open offices already ask employees to tolerate a lot—noise, distractions, overlapping calls, and the occasional unsolicited "musical performance."

In this case, employees did the right thing. They went to HR. HR handled it respectfully. What followed wasn’t a culture fix—it was a soundtrack decision.

Looking back, it’s one of those “what the heck just happened?” moments in my HR career. And at the end of the day, we’re human—with playlists, pet peeves, and limits.

The goal isn’t silence.

It’s mutual respect.

And yes, for the record: I will no longer add that song to my personal playlist…and I promise not to force mine on others.

A Question for HR Practitioners

How would you handle a situation where individual behavior affects the whole team—without turning it into a one-size-fits-all solution everyone has to endure?

About Me:

Joseline M. Alosbaños, known as the HR Carousel Ringmistress, is a Philippine-based Certified HR Practitioner with over twenty years of experience in Human Resources Management. Her extensive career spans various sectors, including corporate, freelancing, and consulting, equipping her with a wide range of skills. Joseline excels in employee relations, talent acquisition, total rewards management, HR operations, and organizational development, successfully implementing HR strategies that align with business objectives and promote a positive workplace atmosphere. If you require my services, feel free to contact me at joyce.alosbanos@gmail.com.