Working as a trainer for the last few years, I’ve encountered many business owners and managers who complained that investing in their employees is a waste of company’s resources since they usually have a high level of turn over after the training. “Many of my employees left to find better jobs after we trained them last year” Complained a factory owner in Herat.

In the other hand, today in business management theories, investing in human resource is a very popular concept. We hear a lot from great gurus in business management who emphasize that organizations should invest more in developing the capacity of their employees. The formal education in university is not any more sufficient to provide the skills and knowledge that the employees need in order to perform well in their jobs. So ongoing training is essential to keep the employees sharp and qualified and keep the business running successfully.

But investing in employees is not the same as investing in an organization’s human resource capacity. Investing in employees is just part of it. And here is the root of the problem. Many business owners think that by simply sending their employees to training workshops or paying their university’s tuition they can build a great loyal team of skilled employees. This is far from the truth.

So what is a good way to investment in human resource?

Investing in your employees and thinking that they are your asset is not going to help you much. You don’t own your employees. They are free individuals that they can leave you as soon as their benefits are higher somewhere else. They can be just one-month notice away from next job.

But with no doubt, human resource plays an essential role in any organization’s success. However, human resource is not limited to the individual employees who work in the company. Human resource is the design, system and structure of your company in which you can attract most qualified individuals, use best out of their talent and above all retain them as long as you need them. It is worth investing in your system and then you can enjoy having loyal good employees working for you.

Employees don’t stay to work for you because you have trained them and now they owe you something but because you have created an environment in which they can contribute with their talent while their expectations for their personal needs are satisfied.