The Rise

Societal and corporate structures, hierarchy, norms, and behavioural boundaries confined your influencer to hide away underground. But they have always been apparent. The water cooler chats, workplace relationships, friendships, mentors, and bonds have been their foundation. Strong relationships and elegant communication are their skills. In the past, they may have even been considered troublemakers, political, or simply too vocal. But were they? A different time with a different prism, and the view changes. Smart managers learn to harness the workplace influencer’s potential. 

Post-pandemic, in combination with the global war for talent, we witness the explicit surge in employee power. Employees expect organisations to have a greater emphasis on what is now important to them and have equal concern for their wants and needs. More confronting is the willingness of employees to change organisations if their needs are not met. With the abundance of jobs on offer, this is easily done. 

So, who better to assist in understanding and having sway with the collective employee gaggle than your influencer? The workplace influencer now sits supremely at the top of the organisational chart. Perhaps, only visible to those in the know. Regardless, they reign. 

Change managers advocate recognising laggards and early adopters, for they too are workplace influencers and harnessed adroitly, play critical roles in successful organisational change. Take it up a notch in our distanced, less visible, more informal, less structured, and hierarchical world and these influencers form a pivotal role in your business. Whether you desire it or not, it’s occurring.

Identifying the workplace influencer

The workplace influencer takes many forms. They are the cultivator, who plants the seed and spreads the word, the cheerleader, championing the cause and injecting a powerhouse of enthusiasm, or the counsellor, an enlightened mediator, who acutely feels the pain of both sides and adeptly bridges the gap. Of course, equally, there is the energy zapper, with a disregard for Pollyannas, intent on a ‘higher purpose’, draining and deleting morale and potential. 

But, they are not so easy to spot. Of course, keen observation of whom colleagues listen to and take note of is essential, but you may be surprised. Consider when conducting performance reviews or surveys to ask, aside from their manager, who are the people they go to for advice?  

They may be the highly social person in your team or your longest standing employee. Or not. Don’t assume the influencer as the extravert, either. It has nothing to do with particular personality traits. The most ‘quiet’ people in history changed the world: Albert Einstein, Rosa Parks,  Eleanor Roosevelt, Isaac Newton and much more. A great workplace influencer listens, hears, understands intuitively and is less prone to bias. 

The impact

Remote, hybrid and flatter structures mean the workplace influencer is increasingly sought out for advice, support, guidance and more. It is common for 3-5 per cent of employees to account for 20-35 per cent of the value-added collaborations in workplaces. How do they do this? Trust. Without the traditional power position, the workplace influencer is a leader without a team. They garner buy-in and support through trust, authenticity, and respect. They are not self-serving, and the genuine interest in colleagues and their success makes them mighty. 

With such capacity to impact positive change, how to leverage? Discovering the hidden power source in your organisation is one thing. Exacting your influence is another ball game altogether. This is where leaders and managers misappropriate the value of the influencer. It isn’t about the influencer having your back or belief in your company cause or your culture! They are free agents. Rather, the influencer can elevate your understanding of the workforce, far more valuable than pushing through an agenda.  

Of course, an added benefit would be positive support exerted through their influence. This can also be achieved, but only authentically. Just as trust is the lifeblood in the influencer’s relationships with your employees, so too must it be for you. In achieving authenticity, be prepared to be challenged by your influencers. They have to feel comfortable doing so. Otherwise, transparency which is the gift from these employees disappears. 

Workplace influencers serve the people first.