🧭 Employer Resource Navigator

Workforce Retention & Recruitment Program

Indiana statute (IC 36-1-29.5) authorizes local governments to establish workforce retention and recruitment programs. Hamilton County has not yet enacted this program — listed here for awareness.

DLGF State Official page →

Indiana SBDC (Small Business Development Center)

Free confidential business advising, training workshops, and up to $15,000 in professional services through the INTAP program. 10 regional offices across Indiana.

How to start: Contact your regional SBDC center at isbdc.org or call for an appointment.

SBA/IEDC Federal Official page →

Alex Business Services

IHC’s consulting platform providing market intelligence, competitive landscape analysis, strategic growth guidance, and B2B lead matching for Hamilton County businesses.

How to start: Contact Invest Hamilton County or OneZone Chamber

IHC Local Official page →

Hercules Culture & Performance Toolkit

Research-grounded culture diagnostic + performance operating system: 4-shift framework, decision rights, meeting architecture, team agreements, quarterly facilitated deep-dives. Grounded in Edmondson, Brown, Grant, Scott, Buckingham, Lencioni. For employers wrestling with morale, retention, supervisor capability, or training that didn't stick.

What you get: Tiered pricing — diagnostic engagements $5K, full transformation $15-20K. (Free for partner cities under City BRE add-on.)

How to start: Email IHC Business Services for an intake call: info@investhamiltoncounty.com

IHC Private Official page →

OneZone Chamber Programming — Hamilton County Networking

OneZone Chamber serves Carmel + Fishers + Northern HC (1,200+ members). Networking events, leadership programs (Manager Accelerator), advocacy on local business issues, professional development. Best general-purpose chamber for HC small/mid businesses needing peer networks + visibility.

What you get: Member benefits scale with tier. Most-cited value: peer connections + Manager Accelerator.

How to start: Visit onezonecommerce.com → Membership.

OneZone Private Official page →

FSSA HCBS Direct Service Workforce Investment Grant

Indiana FSSA dedicated $130M to direct-service workforce grants for HCBS Medicaid providers, requiring 95% of awarded funds pass through directly to direct-service workers as compensation, retention bonuses, or wraparound benefits. The first round (January 2023) awarded 826 HCBS providers; FSSA continues the Direct Service Workforce strategy under the broader HCBS spending plan, with future rounds tied to the HCBS Provider Readiness Grant program.

How to start: Monitor secure.in.gov/fssa/home-and-community-based-services-spending-plan/ for current funding rounds. Email hcbs.spendplan@fssa.in.gov for

Indiana FSSA Federal Official page →

7shifts — Restaurant Scheduling, Time Clock & Tip-Pool Software

Restaurant-specific workforce management platform (scheduling, time clock, team chat, tip pooling, labor budgeting, hiring) used by 50,000+ restaurants. Free 'Comp' tier supports unlimited shifts at one location for up to 15 employees with scheduling, availability, time-off requests, and one-way announcements — fits the median HC independent restaurant. Paid tiers ($39.99 / $79.99 / $134.99 per location/month) add time clock, tip pooling, labor compliance alerts, payroll integration, and engagement scoring. Built for the restaurant tip-credit edge cases DIY scheduling tools miss.

How to start: Sign up at 7shifts.com — no credit card required for the Comp tier or the 14-day Pro trial. Self-serve setup takes about an hour; full POS i

7shifts Inc. Private Official page →

Toast Restaurant Resources Hub — Free Operator Guides & Templates

Free library of restaurant operator guides, templates, benchmarks, and on-demand webinars from Toast, available without being a Toast POS customer. Topics include hiring (interview questions, job descriptions for FOH/BOH), staff retention, tip-pooling models, labor cost benchmarks, food cost calculators, employee handbook templates, opening checklists, and the annual Restaurant Industry Report. Built for operators who can't afford a consultant but need the playbook.

How to start: Browse pos.toasttab.com/resources. Most guides download with an email address; webinars register free. No purchase obligation.

Toast, Inc. Private Official page →