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In nearly a decade as President and CEO of FCCI Insurance Group, Craig Johnson has often met with employees, in groups big and small, under the banner Coffee with Craig.
The Lakewood Ranch-based company, one of the Sarasota-Bradenton region’s largest employers, recently shifted the title and size of those gatherings. Now those meetings are called Corona with Craig.
Not for beers, of course, and the cheeky name belies the seriousness of the meetings — company wide video-based virtual meetings designed to keep employees engaged and informed. “Our employees are our lifeblood,” Johnson tells Coffee Talk. “It’s important they know we have their back, that we are there for them.”
A large part of FCCI’s business is done in-person, and Johnson isn’t a hide-in-the-corner-office kind of CEO, often connecting with employees and senior leaders. So when FCCI board member and Chief Administration Officer Lisa Krouse suggested biweekly calls with Johnson at the helm, he embraced the idea.
One of the key messages of the video chats, so far, is to let employees — who can then let vendors, business partners and family members — know FCCI is in good shape. “We have the ability to digest a black swan event like this,” says Johnson of FCCI, which does $837 million in annual revenue and operates in 19 states, with a large network of agency partners. “We will do everything we can to make sure no one at FCCI loses their job because of coronavirus.”
The video meetings are held Tuesdays and Fridays, with some 845 employees logging in. In addition the state of the company, Johnson answers up to 50 questions and shares stories of employees, both those in need and those doing something extra to support customers.
Johnson usually seeks to avoid talking about himself, but employees ask how he’s doing, too. His answer: like many others, he’s navigating the complicated time with family, going on walks and doing yoga with his wife. “It’s important for leaders to be visible,” in times of crisis says Johnson. “And we want to let everyone know we are still open for business.”
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