The silent cheerleaders: The adhesive every organisation needs to facilitate productivity

They may not always be on the top of their game. They may not seem dynamic or extremely talented. They might work hard, but that's no guarantee that they'll exceed their targets. But their presence at the workplace spreads cheer and joy. They are invaluable assets to the company as they boost the morale of others and indirectly facilitate productivity.

They are the silent cheerleaders— employees who are not necessarily the smartest of the lot but nevertheless invaluable to an organisation. Bhagwat Yagnik, managing partner at Next Orbit Consulting describes these kind of workers as 'covert performers'. "They are the ones who will let their work speak for themselves. They draw energy in solitude and feel scratchy with overt public attention," says Yagnik. "They are the real backbone of the company. For them, the organisation always comes first. They take on every responsibility without bothering to ascertain whether it genuinely falls under their functional domain or not."

High EQ

According to Reena Gor, these workers naturally think about how to keep a company's flag flying high. "This is why they create a good team, which can take an organisation to new heights," says the CEO of SK Logistics. For Bipin Shah, the managing director of Anuh Pharma, such workers are crucial. "It is due to the consistency and personality of these silent cheerleaders that they invariably create a good impression of a company."

Talking about their traits, they point out that "silent cheerleaders" have consistent performance, high emotional quotient, they encourage and facilitate others to reach their full potential and they enjoy good inter-personal relationships. This is why it is important to recognise and acknowledge their efforts. But, in order to do that, human resource personnel would have to first identify these people.

Acknowledge them

Gor believes that their uniqueness lies in their identity, and thus these people can easily be distinguished from others. This is especially true in close-knit companies. Yet, in large companies a more organised approach to identify silent cheerleaders should be put in place. "A leader would have to continuously evaluate past and current performance, conduct small group discussions, assign special projects, assess ability to multi-task and gauge their level of emotional intelligence and decisiveness. Silent performers produce great results, but a leader has to make those contributions known to the rest of the organisation," says Yagnik.

Once the management identifies such performers, it is important to acknowledge their efforts to encourage them. Very often, workers who have "measurable" performances and are able to flaunt their accomplishments are rewarded. The silent cheerleaders have a role that cannot be measured in traditional terms but are nevertheless crucial. And this calls for acknowledgement and rewards.

There are varied ways of doing this. "Ours is a public limited company. We have identified a couple of people who are our silent cheerleaders. We ensure that they receive their due acknowledgements," says Shah. "We have varied incentive schemes linked to their areas of work. We introduce them to the Board of Directors and to important clients to underline their value to the organisation. Overt praise and acknowledgement of their contribution goes a long way. After all, they are the backbone of the company."

Yagnik sums it up aptly when she says, "The key takeaway is that overt and covert performers both make valuable contributions to an organisation. But silent cheerleaders don't always get the acknowledgement they merit. It's crucial for management to ensure that both are recognised equally."