There's not a company in the world that won't benefit from making the most of the resources available to it. What these resources are may vary between organisations - for instance, raw materials that need to be used efficiently or effectively - whilst there are certain resources that are common to all businesses, such as the time available for work. And, of course, there's the most important and most limiting resource of all, money, the one whose ups and downs dictate so much else that goes on in the company.

However, there's a further vital resource, common to nearly every business, which is all too often overlooked - yet which can play a key role in the growth of the organisation. That resource is experience, easily ignored in the rush for the new, but overlooked at the peril of any business.

What do we mean by experience? It may refer to individuals who have spent a long time with the organisation, and are very familiar with its workings and the market in which it operates; it may be those employees who have a lot of experience in a particular kind of work, a certain system or method; or it may simply be those with many years working in an area in general. Whichever may be true, they'll have knowledge that can't be easily replaced or replicated.

So, if we've identified experience in our company, recognised its value and sought to maintain it, what do we do with it? We share the wealth. Mentoring allows an experienced employee to work with a comparative newcomer, and to pass on the benefit of all that unique knowledge.

Countless business situations can be improved through tweaking methods and techniques - those little changes to an approach that are learnt through performing the task time and again, and identifying little areas where time can be saved or productivity increased; with mentoring, these improved techniques aren't only the preserve of those who've been with the company long enough to develop them, but can be understood across the board, to the benefit of everyone within the business.

Yet mentoring isn't just a matter of teaching. It's also about supporting. Life isn't predictable, and any day in business can throw up all manner of unexpected obstacles, questions and problems. Experience can teach how to deal with whatever may be thrown in the company's path, to deal with it effectively and to the advantage of the organisation - and making sure that experience is available to solve those problems can make a real difference for any business in any situation.

The final, and in many ways the most significant, benefit of having a mentoring system to make the most of that experience resource is that it's ongoing, the gift that just keeps on giving. When an experienced individual passes on their knowledge to a newcomer, that doubles the number of people within your organisation who have that knowledge, who know the best techniques and methods - but then, that newcomer can also play a role as mentor, and further spread the advantages throughout the organisation.

Once the mentoring process is in full swing, there's no reason for it ever to stop. And being able to make the most of a key resource, and to keep getting the most from it as weeks and months and years go by, that is always good news for any organisation.