In this economy, you can really pick and chose your new employees, which can be a huge advantage to any company. But, what you do with that new person is extremely important. You could take the most educated and experienced new hire there is, but without adequate employee development nearly all of their assets are useless and they will take forever to become a productive employee. I like to think of employee development like gardening; you choose and plant a certain seed and know that for it to reach its full potential you must nurture it and offer it a conducive environment. It’s really that simple. Not easy, but simple. Proper employee development will mean the difference between having a valuable and productive employee dedicated to your company for years or one that just goes through the motions. Their success is your success and the better equipped a person is to succeed with you, the more loyal and motivated they will be. Good employee development is one investment opportunity I make sure my company never misses out on!