Business Resource Network

Oakland County Michigan Works! has partnered with the Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency (OLHSA) to launch the Business Resource Network employee retention assistance program to help county businesses keep their workers, a challenge given today’s record-low unemployment and competitive job market across the region.

The strategies and resources provided by the success coaches in similar programs can increase employee retention to 90 percent or higher, according to the Employee Resource Network - USA. This saves employers about $3,500 or more in training costs per employee, based on data from a sample of state businesses.

“We want to help companies keep their employees happy and, on the job,” said Jennifer Llewellyn, director of the Oakland County Michigan Works! agency. “The Business Resource Network not only connects employees to company, public and nonprofit resources, but also provides financial literacy lessons and other essential training.”

How it Works

The program is patterned after similar ones in Michigan and other parts of the country, giving employers access to an OLHSA “success coach” who will connect employees with resources to help them address a broad range of issues outside of work.

The BRN model matches 5-10 businesses with a dedicated success coach who commits several hours each week to visit each employer. The success coach meets with employees individually on a confidential basis. The BRN meets as a group monthly to receive an aggregate report from the success coach, as well as troubleshoot work barriers on a higher level, developing solutions to common problems across the network’s workforce.

Issues Addressed by BRN

​The strategies and resources provided by the success coaches in similar programs can increase employee retention to 90 percent or higher,* saving employers $3,500 or more** in training costs per replacement employee.

*ERN-USA 2019
**Six months of training at average wage