Why foundational employees deserve more attention

In today’s corporate world, the spotlight often shines brightest on high performers—the top 10–20% who drive innovation, leadership, and revenue. Yet, there’s an equally vital cohort powering long-term success behind the scenes: the foundational workforce—employees who consistently meet expectations, deliver reliable output, and help stabilise the company culture.

While these individuals may not regularly exceed KPIs or climb the fast track to leadership, research from Harvard Business School and Gallup suggests they play an irreplaceable role in sustaining growth, enabling team cohesion, and preserving institutional memory.

The Overlooked Value of Steady Performers

Organisations that over-index on top talent risk burnout, internal competition, and knowledge silos. In contrast, the "meets expectations" cohort forms the backbone of sustainable teams. These employees bring consistency, mentorship, and cultural continuity—all of which are essential during scaling phases or market disruptions.

Points to ponder on the above argument for the cohort are as follows:

Improvement in team dynamics: Research from Harvard’s Amy Edmondson states that average employees often bridge gaps between high and low performers, thereby facilitating smoother workflows. They are willing to provide mentorship to junior cadre, which reduces the burden on top talent.

Loyalty & cost-effective: A Gallup-Harvard study found that engaged average performers contribute significantly to profitability as they may not excel individually but enhance team performance. Additionally, they are more likely to stay long-term, ensuring continuity in key roles, but at the same time, tailored training programs anchor their career advancement journey.

Enhancing Engagement and Inclusion: They act as "cultural carriers" during rapid scaling phases, and their consistent presence creates psychological safety for diverse hires.

Companies winning the talent war aren’t just chasing stars—they’re making stars out of their average talent, as sustainable growth requires investing in the entire workforce, not just the top 10%. Every company should audit its talent strategy to ensure that average employees receive development, recognition, and career paths. Their contributions are the silent engine of growth. A few recommendations are summarised below: 

Redefining Performance Metrics- Adopting "team contribution" KPIs to reward collaboration over individual brilliance. Do bear in mind that the cost of replacing an average employee is 1.5x their salary, versus 3x for top performers.

Targeted Upskilling: Research exhibits 50- 60% of average performers have untapped skills that, when developed, boost productivity by 25%. Bring in a tailored approach of upskilling coupled with career paths that require stability, consistency & industry know-how. 

Recognition Programs: Build this cadre as champions of culture & continuity of workplace. They model consistent performance without the ego - that's gold for psychological safety. 

Data leaves no room for debate. Organisations that fail to strategically engage their core performers are leaving massive value on the table. As talent leaders navigating hypergrowth environments, we must evolve beyond binary high-potential programs and embrace a more sophisticated approach to workforce optimization. This paradigm shift requires a talent approach to evaluate the following: 

Rebalance investment portfolios: Allocate development resources with the same strategic rigor as financial investments 

Design for complementary excellence: Create structures where different performance profiles enhance rather than compete.

Measure organisational metabolism: Track how energy flows between performance cohorts to sustain growth velocity.

The companies that will win the talent wars of this decade aren't those with the most stars, but those who've mastered the alchemy of turning their entire workforce into a competitive advantage.