Results matter. A successful organization needs skilled and committed employees who contribute directly to achieving its objectives. However, over the years, our HR Consulting Services team has learned that there can be a significant difference between a high-performing employee and one who is truly strategic to the organization's future. This distinction is often more important than it may seem.
Results only tell part of the story
In many organizations, top-performing employees naturally attract attention. They take on important projects, manage complex situations and quickly become trusted resources for their colleagues. They are often the people everyone can rely on.
The risk, however, is assuming that these results alone define an employee's value. Because in reality, some contributions are much more difficult to measure.
Think about the employee who helps new team members settle in. The one who willingly shares knowledge with colleagues. The one who helps maintain a positive work environment or positively influences others during challenging times.
These individuals may not always appear at the top of performance dashboards. Yet their impact on the organization can be considerable. And when they leave, we often realize just how important their presence truly was.
The departure that surprises everyone
Our HR Consulting Services team remembers an organization we worked with some time ago. When an employee announced their departure, the initial reaction was relatively calm. This person did not hold a management position. They were not considered an exceptional technical resource. At first glance, the situation seemed manageable.
A few weeks later, the picture had changed completely. New employees were having more difficulty integrating into the team. Some projects were moving more slowly. Several team members seemed less engaged. Managers were noticing a decline in collaboration between different groups.
Gradually, the organization realized it had lost much more than an employee. It had lost a positive influence that had never truly been measured.
That situation has stayed with our HR Consulting Services team. Because it demonstrates that an employee's value is not necessarily limited to their job description or performance indicators.
Who creates value for those around them?
When we talk about talent, we often tend to focus on what individuals accomplish themselves. Yet another question deserves to be asked. Who helps others succeed?
Some people have a natural ability to do just that. They share their knowledge. They act as informal mentors. They encourage collaboration. They help resolve tensions before they become problems. They positively influence the organization’s culture.
Their impact is often difficult to quantify. Yet when they leave, the absence of their positive influence quickly becomes apparent. Conversely, some people may produce excellent individual results while creating little value around them. They do their work effectively, but their contribution remains essentially individual.
It is not about opposing individual performance and collective contribution, but rather recognizing that both play an essential role in an organization's success.
What the numbers don’t measure
Organizations today place a great deal of importance on performance indicators. And rightly so. Data helps organizations make better decisions and track the evolution of several important issues. However, some things remain much more difficult to measure.
How do you quantify the impact of an employee who reassures new team members as they work through a learning curve? How do you measure the impact of someone who consistently helps maintain a healthy work environment? How do you assess the value of an employee who encourages collaboration across departments?
Most of the time, these contributions do not appear on any dashboard. They remain invisible until the day they disappear. And that is often when their importance becomes clear.
Organizations evolve because of their people
When we look at companies that successfully navigate periods of growth, economic challenges or organizational change, one element often stands out. They can rely on people who have a positive influence on those around them.
Not only because they are competent, but because they help move the entire organization forward. They approach change with an open mind. They encourage their colleagues. They look for solutions rather than people to blame. They build trust rather than mistrust. They willingly embrace new challenges and take on new responsibilities.
These behaviours may not always be the most visible, but they play a major role in a team’s ability to perform over the long term.
Identifying truly strategic employees
Our HR Consulting Services team believes many organizations would benefit from broadening their definition of talent. Instead of asking only who delivers the best results, they could also ask who contributes the most to collective success.
Who develops others? Who shares their expertise? Who positively influences their environment? Who contributes to the culture the organization is trying to build? Who is willing to step up and take charge when the organization is going through challenging times?
The answers to these questions are often extremely revealing. Because a strategic employee is not necessarily the one who attracts the most attention. Sometimes, it is the person whose absence is felt far more than anyone expected.
Looking beyond performance
At Bedard Human Resources, we regularly support organizations in their efforts to attract, retain and develop talent. One observation comes up frequently: many companies are very good at identifying their high-performing employees, but much less so at identifying their influential employees.
Yet both are important. Results remain essential. They allow the organization to achieve its objectives and continue growing.
However, people who help develop others, maintain an engaging work environment and strengthen the culture also play a fundamental role in the company’s success.
After all, your best employee may not simply be the person who gets the most work done. It may also be the person who helps others do their best work.
To discuss your talent attraction, retention or development challenges, feel free to contact Stéphane Pépin at spepin@bedardressources.com . Together, we can identify practical ways to better recognize the strengths within your teams, develop your talent and recognize the people who contribute not only through their performance, but also through the positive influence they have on others.
