How Glue Employees Strengthen Teamwork and Communication
Behind many thriving organizations are individuals who work quietly in the background to keep the group connected, focused, and functional. Behavioral scientist Jon Levy calls these individuals glue players, employees who bind teams together through empathy, trust, and collaboration rather than authority or attention.
Understanding who these employees are and why they matter reveals much about how organizations actually operate.
What Is a Glue Employee?
Levy, a behavioral scientist, coined the phrase “glue player.” A glue player is a team member who leads through relationships rather than titles. They hold the team together (like glue), without expecting reward or recognition. These employees notice when others are struggling, bridge communication gaps, and ensure that all team members feel included. For example, a glue employee might help a new team member feel welcomed into the organization or smooth tension between departments before a conflict turns into something greater.
Organizations often overlook these contributions because they are not easily measured by sales numbers, project milestones, or other key performance indicators. However, small acts, such as informally mentoring colleagues, clarifying miscommunications, or promoting collaboration, can determine whether a team functions or falls apart.
Glue employees often act as informal leaders. They may not hold management titles, but their peers naturally seek them out for guidance and support. According to Forbes, invisible leaders build credibility through trust and emotional intelligence. They connect across departments, anticipate needs, and help others solve problems. In many cases, these employees influence workplace culture more effectively than high-level managers because their leadership emerges organically.
Informal Communication and Organizational Culture
The influence of glue employees is especially visible in how they communicate. Formal communication follows organizational hierarchies, such as reports to supervisors or meetings with department heads. Informal communication, on the other hand, happens in everyday interactions such as side conversations, online chats, supportive messages, and on-the-fly check-ins.
The shift toward remote and hybrid work has made informal connections harder to build and sustain. As companies moved online, many business leaders have worried about how organizational culture would be affected. Yet, as Bloomberg’s reporting on remote work culture shows, healthy interactions do not depend on physical offices. Culture exists wherever people communicate, whether face-to-face or through digital platforms.
Why Glue Employees Matter
Despite their importance, glue employees often go unnoticed. Most organizations reward visible achievements (e.g., goals met, deals closed, campaigns launched) while undervaluing (or possibly ignoring) the interpersonal labor that keeps teams functional. As Levy explains, this creates an imbalance where people are motivated to compete rather than collaborate.
Some companies are beginning to change this, introducing peer-nominated awards that recognize teamwork and mentorship. Others are revising performance reviews to include questions like, “Who helped you succeed this quarter?” or “Which colleague strengthened the team?” By acknowledging collaborative behaviors, leaders send a clear message that cooperation matters as much as individual results.
In the Classroom
This article can be used to discuss informal communication and the role of groups and teams (Chapter 7: Organization, Teamwork, and Communication).
Discussion Questions
- What is a “glue” employee, and where does this term come from?
- Why is informal communication important to organizational culture, and how do glue employees strengthen it?
- What challenges make it difficult for organizations to identify and reward glue work?
This article was developed with the support of Kelsey Reddick for and under the direction of O.C. Ferrell, Linda Ferrell, and Geoff Hirt.
Heidi Mitchell, "The Underrated Power of ‘Glue Employees’ Who Hold Everything Together," The Wall Street Journal, October 12, 2025, https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/workplace/employees-team-holding-together-8eea5f6d
Katrina Jones, "Informal Leaders Are The Hidden Heroes Of Your Organization," Forbes, November 15, 2024, https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2024/11/15/informal-leaders-are-the-hidden-heroes-of-your-organization/
Rebecca Greenfield, "What Is Company Culture If You Don’t Have an Office?" Bloomberg, December 20, 2021, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-20/employers-want-workers-in-the-office-for-the-company-culture-not-productivity
Tracy Lawrence, "Company Culture Matters More Than Ever In 2025," Forbes, January 26, 2025, https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracylawrence/2025/01/26/company-culture-why-it-matters-more-than-ever-in-2025/
Linda Ferrell is the Roth Family Professor of Marketing and Business Ethics in the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business, Auburn University. She was formerly Distinguished Professor of Leadership and Business Ethics at Belmont University. She completed her Ph.D. in business administration, with a concentration in management, at the University of Memphis. She has taught at the University of Tampa, Colorado State University, University of Northern Colorado, University of Memphis, University of Wyoming, and the University of New Mexico. She has also team-taught classes at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand.
