What a $252,000,000 contract means to you

A 25-year-old has just agreed to a quarter-billion-dollar contract (yep, that's a "B"), but it's really a home run for human resources. As we speak, Alex Rodriguez, a shortstop who now works for the Texas Rangers baseball franchise, is entering spring training with one of the largest jackpots ever

Terry Turner, assistant vice president for human resources for the corporation that owns the Rangers, told WORKFORCE late last year that the contract was "like buying a company ... or a country." Turner says the HR department had to buy insurance in case something happened to Rodriguez.

All these zeroes are a good thing for everyone who reads this magazine. They're a good thing because it's a sign that people are adding up the contribution that employees make to the bottom lines of their employers. I mean, if we really believe that (cliche coming) employees are our most valuable asset, then certainly Rodriguez is worth every penny. In his profession, in his position, he's the best employee in the world, and arguably the best ever. If we look at the company's business results, and put the money where our mouths are, this kind of dough starts making sense.