Fortune Small Business Magazine’s January cover story: The Next Big Thing, is a celebration of American ingenuity and entrepreneurship. More than a collection of new and ground-breaking innovations, the article speaks to the American workers’ capacity to thrive outside of the traditional corporate environment.

There is no doubt that small business is big business in America. According to the U.S. Census over half of the 102 million people who work do so at firms that has 500 or less employees.  Think about this for a second; there are over 616,000 firms in the U.S. that have less than 19 employees. 

Small businesses are the heartbeat of economic growth. Small businesses mean innovation and growth. And while small businesses benefit the economy we all share, they do pose a new set of challenges for Human Capital executives in bigger firms.  Back in a 1994 article published in the Harvard Business Review (“How Entrepreneurs Craft Strategies That Work”), author Amar V. Bhide claimed that 71% of all business innovations are from the direct result of an idea replicated or modified from previous employment. In other words when people walk out the door so does your latest competitive initiative.   

Any business must watch its intellectual property carefully, but bigger business can be especially susceptible. That’s why larger companies must pay particulate notice to retention by developing and sustaining cultures that promote mutuality and shared commitment. Recognition programs can help organizations close the emotional disconnects that can fester and drive employees to seek satisfaction elsewhere.