The ability to retain employees has gained considerable importance in the battle for scarce resources. There are numerous areas that can be addressed but one of the more obvious ones is Self-Development Plans. Assessments are also utilized to assist an employee in identifying their "blind spots", areas that, if addressed, could improve their future in the company. Conflict resolution, effective team participation, dealing with change and career planning are but a few of the areas around which self-development plans can be structured. A current survey by Robert Half International Inc. found that 91.7% of IT staff would be more loyal and likely to stay if the aforementioned development plans were in place. If your current employee statistics were half of the aforementioned, they would have very significant implications for your business. Implementing self-development plans is less costly than new hires and can help align worker's personal and professional goals with the company's business strategy. Again, behavior, 360 and interest, attitudes and values assessments can point out blind spots, areas that, if improved, could assist the employee personally as well as help their growth within the company.