Get the money before it's gone

Sarasota-based FCCI, which provides property and casualty insurance to businesses, is known around the region as a top company for which to work.

But even a room full of Sarasota executives well versed in FCCI's philosophies was impressed upon hearing a human resources-related nugget about the 700-employee firm: FCCI's turnover rate of employees leaving the firm is less than 4%, a remarkably low number that dropped from 7% last year.

That's the word from FCCI senior HR executive Lisa Krouse. Krouse talked about the turnover figures while speaking on a panel at a recent event put on by the Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County.

Krouse was one of three executives assembled to talk about how the companies they work for are utilizing training grants from state and government agencies. Tim Graham, with Venice-based drinkware manufacturer Tervis Tumbler, and Karen Hodges, with the local branch of United Natural Foods, joined Krouse on the panel.

Krouse says FCCI has used grants for management, technology and other training programs. The firm's employee surveys constantly rate training as a priority and Krouse thinks FCCI's proactive response in providing a variety of programs plays a key role in its low turnover rates.

Moreover, the executives all said the onerous applications for many of these grants have been streamlined recently, making the process of getting the funds easier. “The money is available,” says Krouse.

For more information on local employee training grants, go to the SunCoast Workforce Board's Web site, www.swdb.org or Workforce Florida's Web site, www.workforceflorida.com.