What Happens When You Don’t Develop Your People

If there’s one thing you can count on in Greater Des Moines (DSM), it’s a rapidly evolving business climate. Small businesses are driving employment and economic growth across the city, creating thousands of jobs and growing the economy.

What all of these thriving companies have in common is their efforts to continually invest in their people. With increasing competition for skilled workers and evolving workforce expectations, professional development is a business imperative.

Failing to prioritize employee development can have serious consequences that may not be immediately visible but are quietly corrosive: reduced morale, decreased performance and slowed growth.

Over time, the absence of growth opportunities can chip away at your company’s culture and productivity, making it harder to attract and retain top talent.

When Roles Stagnate, So Does Your Business

Engagement suffers the most when employees don’t see a path forward. When they feel they’re stuck in their roles, with nowhere to go. Tasks start to feel repetitive, initiative dwindles and productivity declines. As time goes on, stagnant roles create environments where burnout festers, innovation stalls and your top performers look elsewhere for growth.

This pattern is especially pronounced among younger generations. Gen Z and Millennials are already facing productivity challenges, often tied to burnout and a lack of clarity. Without strong development support and clear expectations, these workers struggle to stay engaged, leading to higher turnover and lower morale.

Stagnant roles affect entire teams as much as they affect individual workers. Communication breaks down, collaboration wanes and morale dips. A business that fails to develop its people is often one that struggles to maintain momentum.

Keep in mind, too, that a lack of investment in organizational management can lead to disengagement, employees who hate to come to work and eventually them leaving, undermining long-term growth.

It isn’t just HR’s responsibility to fix these things. They're core business problems that impact revenue, customer satisfaction and long-term viability, and they need everyone from the CEO to the cashier to work together to solve them.

The True Cost of High Turnover

Turnover is a serious drain on business resources and sucks the life out of the rest of the team. Hiring externally takes time and money, not to mention the productivity loss during onboarding. In contrast, developing internal talent is often faster, cheaper and better for team cohesion.

Research shows that engaged employees are less likely to leave, and development is a top driver of that engagement, as is full support of employees' psychological and physical needs. When you invest in learning and career growth, you increase retention, reduce recruitment cost and enhance performance.

Continuity goes out the window when turnover is high. It also weakens company culture and ruins customer relationships. Imagine a seasoned team member leaving, taking with them not just skills but institutional knowledge and client trust. Replacing that isn't easy, and it isn’t cheap.

Missed Innovation, Missed Opportunities

Innovation comes from employees who are engaged, informed, and empowered to think creatively. But when staff feel stuck, they stop contributing fresh ideas. They stop thinking outside the box. They’re also less likely to challenge the status quo or adapt to change, two qualities essential for thriving in DSM’s vibrant business community.

Immediate tasks become the sole focus when employees are underdeveloped. They just come in, check tasks off their priority list and go home. However, growing professional employees are more likely to spot inefficiencies, recommend improvements, help your business stay competitive and stand out.

Without intentional development, you risk missing the next big idea, failing to pivot in time or losing market share to more agile competitors. Development isn’t about training, either. It’s about building a culture where curiosity and continuous improvement are the norm.

Make Development Part of Your Growth Strategy

You’re probably concerned now that you’ve learned what happens when you don’t develop your people. However, the good news is that you don’t need a massive budget or a corporate learning department to start developing your team. Practical, cost-effective strategies like mentorship, cross-training and online learning can make a huge difference.

You can start with one of the many networking events and programs the region offers to current and prospective employees. The DSM Fellowship Program, for example, is a notable professional development initiative for top-tier graduates in the area. The Top Five Series for Small Businesses and the Inclusion Economic Growth Certificate are also worth exploring.

Another effective way to align development with business strategy is through cascading goals. This approach connects individual goals to broader company objectives. The result? Employees gain clarity on how their work contributes to the bigger picture, increasing engagement and accountability.

Even simple steps, like encouraging employees to attend webinars or take part in peer learning groups, can lead to meaningful growth.

When employees grow, the business grows. It’s that simple.

Neglecting employee development costs your business money; more importantly, it costs you momentum, morale and innovation in your team. From high turnover to disengaged teams and missed opportunities, the risks of underinvestment cannot be overstated.

Prioritizing development leads to stronger retention, better performance and a more agile organization. And it doesn’t require massive spending, only a thoughtful commitment to helping your people grow.

Business leaders in DSM have a unique opportunity to set a new standard: one where professional development is not just a perk but a strategic priority. By investing in your people, you’re investing in the long-term success and sustainability of your business.

Job opportunities and career resources are abundant in Greater Des Moines (DSM). Whether you're looking to find an internship, a job, develop professionally or grow as a student, we have the resources to help you thrive.