St. Lucie County 19th Annual Best Places to Work Awards

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL — The economy is improving, employers are hiring and St. Lucie County residents are looking for the best places to work. That is exactly what the St. Lucie County Human Resource Association did today as they recognized twelve companies during the 19th Annual St. Lucie County “Best Place to Work” Awards.

Small Employers

Boys and Girls Club of St. Lucie County
Manpower
St. Lucie County Property Appraiser
Treasure Coast Food Bank

Mid-Sized Employers

ABC Home Medical Supply, Inc.
Southern Eagle Distributing
St. Lucie County Clerk of the Circuit Court
St. Lucie County Tax Collector

Large Employers

City of Port St. Lucie
Fort Pierce Utilities Authority
St. Lucie County BOCC
St. Lucie Public Schools

The St. Lucie County Human Resource Association commissioned Personnel Dynamics Consulting of Fort Pierce, to calculate turnover rates, growth percentages, employee development spending, promotion percentages, insurance packages and retirement plans; a total of 37 different measurements to determine the St. Lucie County’s Best Places To Work.

This program is free to all St. Lucie County employers. Participating companies were required to answer a 40-question survey about their organization. Every company will receive a detailed personalized report documenting the results of the survey and samples of some of the best practices used in St. Lucie County to attract and retain their workforce. If you would like a copy of the survey or would like to inquire about participating next year, please contact St. Lucie County Human Resource Association at (772)-200-6610.

The St. Lucie County Human Resource Association is the local chapter for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). The association became an affiliate chapter of SHRM in 1986 with the purpose of bringing together human resources professionals. The goal of the association is to promote a high standard of excellence for human resources practitioners in the St. Lucie County area through the following activities: professional development, networking opportunities, current events and community involvement. To learn more about the St. Lucie County Human Resource Association visit the website at https://stluciehr.com

Small Employers

Under 100 employees

Boys and Girls Club of St. Lucie County

47 employees

Averaged $610 per employee spent on Training and Development
96% of the employees received training in 2019
5% Growth Rate (Survey Average: 3.2%)
15% Promotion Rate
Highest Rating in Management Diversity
Promotion Team participates in an average 40 community events throughout the year to promote BGC job openings and benefits at their booth.

Unique employer in St. Lucie County because 70% of the employees are seasonal with an average age of 22.

Their benefits include professional training in child development, safety, and in soft skills such as teamwork, time management, and problem-solving. All valuable skills that will help them in their future careers.

Manpower

20 employees

5% Turnover Rate (Survey Average: 19.7%)
95% of the employees attended training in 2019
80% participate in Voluntary Retirement Program
95% participate in Individual Bonus Program
All new employees are assigned a mentor who provides guidance, sounding board, and a knowledge repository.
Referrals are still the best recruiting source.

St. Lucie County Property Appraiser

64 employees

15.6% Turnover Rate (Survey Average: 19.7%)
Average $1,122 per employees for Training and Development (Survey Average: $1,283)
38 Paid Days Off after one year of employment
HRIS platform NeoGov, which will post open positions through GovernmentJobs.com. It has also proved beneficial to post more specific positions through international, state and local trade organizations websites.
Professionals are encouraged to be involved and integrate into the community which has resulted in our professionals contributing a total of 189 volunteer hours through various local organizations

Treasure Coast Food Bank

47 employees

14.9% Turnover Rate (Survey Average: 19.7%)
17% Growth Rate (Survey Average: 3.2%)
Averaged $1,031 per employee on Training and Development
26 Paid Days Off after one year of employment
Halloween Costume Party, Ice Cream Socials each quarter, International – pot luck, hot dog and hamburger cookout 4th of July and Labor Day, Corned Beef and Cabbage for St Patty’s Day Party.
Post job opportunities on our website, social media and use recruiting agencies.

Mid-Size Employers

100 – 200 employees

ABC Home Medial Supply, Inc.

146 employees

34.6% Growth Rate in 2018 (Survey Average: 3.2%)
100% of the employees received training in 2019
Averaged 86 hours of training per employee (Survey Average: 50 hours)
73% of the employees participate in Health Insurance Program
Engagement program distributed quarterly which provides our employees with opportunities for anonymous, confidential, and real time feedback to our leadership team

Southern Eagle Distributing

153 Employees

19.6% Turnover Rate
19.9% Promotion Rate (Survey Average: 7.9%)
Averaged $1,238 per employee spent on Training and Development (Survey Average: $1,198)
In-house CDL Driver Training program through IRSC
College scholarships for children and spouses of employees through Indian River State College.
Medical Tourism program that provides surgeries for employees and family members with no deductibles or co-payments. Surgical procedures are free to employees.

St. Lucie County Clerk of the Circuit Court

151 employees

13.9% Turnover Rate (Survey Average: %)
$2,307 per employee spent on Training and Development (Survey Average:)
Averaged 112 hours of training per employee in 2019
95% of the employees participate in Health Insurance Program
Many employees serve on boards of local and national non-profit organizations.
Launched in-house employee C.P.R. certifications, and each department has staff trained on “Stop the Bleed”.
During the first month of employment, employees attend an informal one-on-one breakfast meeting with Clerk Joseph E. Smith.

St. Lucie County Tax Collector

120 employees

16.2%Promotion Rate (Survey Average: 7.5%)
97% of the employees received training in 2019
100% of the employees participate in Voluntary Contribution Retirement Program
36 Paid Days Off after one year of employment
Quarterly roundtable discussions allow employees to openly discuss ideas and provide suggestions to improve processes.
Reward healthy behaviors with cash deposited into a Health Reimbursement Account. Through this voluntary program, employees can earn up to $2,500 annually by being active, making healthy food choices, getting preventative exams and participating in nutrition and weight management programs.

Large Employers

Over 200 employees

City of Port St. Lucie

1,073 employee

Averaged $1,949 per employee on Training and Development (Survey Average:)
89.1% of the employees enrolled in Health Insurance Program
100% of the employees enrolled in Voluntary Contribution Retirement Program
41 Paid Days Off after one year of employment
The Employee Health Clinic is free to city employees and dependents who participate in the City’s health insurance plan. Services provided range from routine wellness/office visits, medical/emergency care, x-rays, and medication the clinic carries. There are 3 locations to choose from two of which are open 7 days a week.
Geo-fencing marketing is used to advertise to college recruits about our company as they complete their degrees. Digital analytics show where our brand is well-received.

Fort Pierce Utilities Authority

272 employees

9.9% Employee Turnover Rate (Survey Average:
Averaged $957 per employee spent on Training and Development (Survey Average: $1,198)
96% of the employees are enrolled in Health Insurance plan (Survey Average: 79%)
35 Paid Days Off after one year of employment
Free Health Care at Urgent Care clinics
Wellness program with on-site health screenings, immunizations, quarterly wellness challenges with gift awards and the opportunity to gain up to sixteen hours of wellness leave for participation in specific wellness related activities.
Utilize software that facilitates widespread on-line posting of our jobs and, as a result, many of our positions are filled by individuals looking to relocate to Florida.

St. Lucie County BOCC

806 Employees

100% enrolled in a Voluntary Contribution Retirement Program
80% of the employees enrolled in Health Insurance Program
Recruitment success is benefited through community partners and agencies.
Implemented an online learning management system, NEOGOV Learn, that will allow employees to be paid while attending virtual training on various topics
IGNITE Leadership program builds exceptional leadership skills through advanced training.
SPARK Mentoring program offers our emerging leaders an opportunity to gain organizational knowledge from seasoned mentors in governmental leadership.

St. Lucie Public Schools

5,607 employe

16.9% Promotion Rate (Survey Average: 7.5%)
Averaged $1,463 per employee spent on Training and Development (Survey Average: $1,198)
Averaged 71 hours of training per employee in 2019 (Survey Average: 71.4%)
100% of the employees participate in Fully-Funded Retirement program
Additional safety, social and behavioral support employees to enhance safety and well-being in the workplace.
“A Promise is a Promise” program to high school seniors: SLPS graduates who complete a degree in education are guaranteed a teaching job with us.