Turbulent economic times, aging baby boomers, advances in technology

and Southwest Florida’s growth have ushered in a new, more diverse workforce.

And companies are learning that they must adjust to their changing workforce,

offering flex schedules, telecommuting and other benefits that help motivate

and retain employees, especially as layoffs force additional work on employees

who escape the ax.

Employers must take retention and recruitment issues even

more seriously in the coming 10 to 20 years to get the talent they need, says

Donna M. Long, an Orlando-based trainer and consultant with more than 20 years

experience, including managing the human resources departments for Disney and

Hyatt Hotels. Nationwide, companies have increased benefits packages, offering

extras such as tuition reimbursement, fitness programs and even eldercare. Some

have even hired company chefs who prepare meals-to-go for workers heading home

for the evening.

We’ve spotlighted four Southwest Florida companies that are

showing employees they’re valuable by offering opportunities to develop in

their industry and rewarding them for their hard work. These business owners

and executives also believe their extra efforts help keep good employees happy

and on the job.

Appreciating employees—and showing it

Each march, Colonial Bank’s Southwest Florida Region

employees expect surprises, gifts and recognition. That’s because the bank’s

Employee Appreciation Week happens during the month. One day, professional

singers serenade employees, going from office to office. Another day, managers

deliver lunch to workers. Corporate executives visit the area throughout the

week, attending receptions to thank employees. And there are gifts galore, from

flowers to polo shirts with the bank’s logo (to wear on casual Friday, of

course). The lobbies are decorated with banners announcing the company’s

appreciation and posters featuring baby pictures of the employees.

These efforts reach beyond employees, says Harlan C.

Parrish, president and chief executive officer of Colonial Bank’s Southwest

Florida Region, which received awards in both Collier and Lee counties in 2001

for its employee benefits program. “A happy employee is a productive employee,

and customers are the first to pick up on this positive energy,” he says.

Mergers and acquisitions, regulatory changes and technology

have all increased the need for a highly skilled, motivated and well-trained

workforce, Parrish says. One of Colonial Bank’s strategies is to provide

incentives to its employees through formal programs designed to increase growth

and profitability. The region spent more than $175,000 in incentives during

2001 and more than $130,000 in 2000.

The result has been a drop in turnover, from 69.5 percent in

1998 to 20 percent in 2001, which has improved the bank’s efficiency and

productivity. “I firmly believe that customer retention is directly

proportional to employee retention, which has enabled us to strengthen our

customer relationships, thus increasing our market share and profitability,”

Parrish says.

Many businesses don’t have a clue when it comes to managing

and motivating employees, Parrish says. “They cannot comprehend the power of

making decisions based on the feedback and perspective of their employees.

Also, many employers still hold their human resource department accountable for

employee turnover and retention,” he says. “That makes as much sense as having

a delivery nurse responsible for raising someone else’s kids. You need to hold

your managers accountable for the people they supervise.”

Satisfied employee equals satisfied client

The yearly raises are wonderful, but the biggest reason

Teresa Smith has remained at Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt is the

opportunity for career advancement. After several years of working as a

secretary at the Fort Myers law firm, Smith decided last May that she wanted to

become a legal assistant. The firm paid for her education and made room for her

in the business and tax department when she received her certification.

Recognizing that client satisfaction begins with employee

satisfaction, Ron Smalley, managing attorney at Henderson and Franklin, one of

Southwest Florida’s oldest law firms, says employee development is taken

seriously and happens on several different levels. “Retention is a hot button

to our firm,” Smalley says.

That’s why the firm, founded in Fort Myers in 1924, provides

profit sharing, a health and fitness program, and a professional development

fund that pays for tuition reimbursement, association fees and even books,

along with more traditional employee benefits. Its efforts were recognized last

year, as Henderson Franklin Starnes & Holt received an industry

appreciation award. “Almost anything that encourages someone to expand his or

her knowledge will benefit us,” Smalley says. “If they want to join the Legal

Secretaries Association or buy books on how to become a better person, they can

do that.”

Hiring is not just giving people a job

When Joseph and Sandra Waite opened Platinum Coast Dry

Cleaners in Naples 13 years ago, they worked every day, repaired equipment and

went years without a vacation. In the past few years, through the advice of

business owners and personal skills development training presented by The

Workforce Stability Institute in Austin, Texas, the couple realized they needed

to stop working in their business and start working on their business. “We

stopped believing that we were doing our employees a favor just to give them a

job,” Joseph says.

Now, using several employee retention and development

practices unique to their industry, the Waites offer their employees much more.

Employees spend up to three weeks a summer enrolled in special training and

personal skill development programs. Finding that some of their workers lacked

basic life skills, such as proper cooking and meal planning and money

management, the Waites put employees in contact with dietitians, bankers,

insurance representatives and attorneys. English tutors are provided for those

who aren’t fluent in English. “When an employee has life balance, that employee

is awesome at work,” Joseph says. He adds that although these types of programs

take financial commitment, the result usually justifies the cost.

Platinum Coast Dry Cleaners has reduced turnover by 200

percent in the last two years. With turnover cost totaling approximately $4,800

for each employee, this adds up to net savings of $312,000. The Waites hope to

achieve a turnover rate no greater than 50 percent within the next two years, a

difficult goal considering the transient nature of the market.

Store manager Sandra Cavazos has taken advantage of several

management training and personal skills programs in her six years with the

company. “I feel that a lot of places don’t care about you. You’re just another

employee to them,” says Cavazos, who previously worked at Wal-Mart and Burger

King. “We do things together and our input counts. Even if our ideas don’t

work, at least they are taken into consideration.”

Adding benefits as the need arises

The Bonita Bay Group, which with more than 1,400 workers is

one of the area’s largest companies, has been recognized nationally for its

employee benefits, most recently as a finalist in Fortune magazine’s annual

list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America. Company management

understands that employee recruitment, retention and recognition are key, says

Sabra Spaugh, vice president of human resources.

The company recently instituted one week of paid leave for

new fathers. Like other area companies, The Bonita Bay Group offers assistance

with child care costs, including adoption assistance. Its “Sick Kids Care”

program allows parents the option of using the Naples Community Hospital’s

special program free of charge.

Recognizing that the high cost of area housing can be a

problem for many employees, The Bonita Bay Group was the first company to

partner with the Bonita Springs Area Housing Development Corp. to help

employees achieve homeownership. The Bonita Bay Group also provides a $5,000

interest-free loan for employees; and if the employee remains with the company

for five years, only 40 percent of the loan must be repaid. The company

received a Collier County Excellence in Industry award in 2000 for its employee

benefits.

Besides positioning computers in employee lunch areas, The

Bonita Bay Group also has two full-time staff members who oversee employee training

and development, which includes Spanish/English courses and computer classes.

Training programs averaged 48 hours per employee in 2001.

Dan Demczak joined the company in 1993 as a part-time

bartender at Backwater Jack’s, the marina restaurant at Bonita Bay. Since then,

he has taken advantage of Bonita Bay’s management and training opportunities to

rise up the ranks. His courses have included a seven-week Dale Carnegie

leadership training seminar for managers, an advanced achievement leadership course

with Dr. Gerald D. Bell from the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler

Business School and Spanish classes.

“It was obvious to me that employees were valued and trusted

and the company backed it up by excellent training and customer service programs,”

says Demczak, now general manager of The Marina Club at Bonita Bay.From

paternity leave to personal growth, employers are investing in all sorts of

ways to recruit and retain good people.