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Member Blog Post: 5 Tips For Planning Impactful and Memorable Employee-Centered Events

In Chamber Blog, Workforce by admin

In our post-pandemic world, where organizations are striving to create authentic connections for their employees, some of whom may be working remotely, novel and memorable experiences can provide an invaluable workforce opportunity. Now that As our business world is entering 2023’s 4th quarter, it’s time to think about creating those opportunities in the form of year-end events.  With today’s renewed …

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Teamwork is everything: veterans understand that we all find success by working together. A discussion with James Schenck

In Chamber Blog, Workforce by admin

“How can we ever do enough to thank and serve through our actions those who volunteer to go into harm’s way to fight our nation’s wars? I live with that question every day.”   That’s the mantra of the 2023 Distinguished Service Awards’ Lifetime Service Award Honoree James Schenck, President & CEO, PenFed Credit Union. We sat down with James …

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10 Common Mistakes with Form I-9 (and how to avoid them)

In Chamber Blog, Workforce by admin

The process of completing Form I-9—which confirms an employee’s eligibility to legally work in the United States—has gone through major changes in recent years. Many of these changes were driven by the pandemic, which made it difficult for employers to perform in-person document checks. Pandemic-era regulation is now winding down, and the Department of Homeland Security is taking this opportunity …

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Veterans Enhance the Workplace: A Conversation with the 2023 DSA Keynote Speaker, Dr. Linda Singh

In Chamber Blog by admin

“Veterans offer businesses an immediate level of professionalism and maturity. They enhance the workplace. They’ve seen and experienced things not found in the typical business environment and they evaluate challenges from a different perspective that can’t be taught.”  So says our 2023 Distinguished Service Awards Keynote speaker, Dr. Linda Singh, Major General (Retired). We recently spoke with Dr. Singh about her …

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6 Reasons Why Your Company Should Prioritize Volunteering Beyond it Being the Right Thing to Do

In Chamber Blog, DE&I, Workforce by admin

When we hear the word, “volunteer,” many of us instantly consider the recipient who will benefit from donated time and support rather than the advantages to the person giving away his or her time. After all, the long-held belief that volunteering is, “the right thing to do,” has been the backbone of the non-profit and support community. Yet numerous studies …

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Chamber Statement on Metro, July 5, 2023

In Chamber Blog, Government Advocacy by admin

The transit system survived the past three years using nearly $2.4 billion in federal aid, staving off severe cuts and recently returning to pre-pandemic service levels. But with aid running out by July 2024, Metro leaders have undertaken a desperate search for sustainable funding to fill a financial hole projected to grow annually to as much as $1.2 billion later …

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A Message from our 2023-2024 Board of Directors Chairman, Deb Gandy

In Chamber Blog by admin

Dear Chamber Members, I am extraordinarily humbled to serve as the 2023-2024 Chairman of the Board for the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is truly the voice of business in the Greater Washington Region. It provides a platform for businesses of all sizes and of diverse industries to be seen and heard. As I take this leadership post, …

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Bipartisanship: Working Together to Build a Better Virginia

In Chamber Blog, Government Advocacy by admin

The Chamber recently spoke with Larry Roberts, Director of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia, who offered the following thoughts on the benefits of bipartisanship to Virginia government and its business community. The Sorensen Institute and the Chamber have formed an Advancing Civics partnership to promote bipartisanship and civil discourse as means toward effective public leadership. …

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Creating a Culture of Support: Why We Need Employee Wellness Programs in the Workplace

In Chamber Blog, DE&I, Workforce by admin

The Chamber recently spoke with LeVar Johnson, a Community Activist working within the Pharmaceutical Industry, about employers’ roles in handling obesity within the workplace ahead of his participation in our Wellness in the Workforce Part 2 event on April 25th. Physical health is a personal mission for Johnson, who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 4. …

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Employee Health & Benefits trends for 2023

In Chamber Blog, Workforce by admin

In America’s professional landscape, there is a diverse workforce comprised of five different generations. While it is true that having a multigenerational workforce presents some challenges to employers, we encourage business leaders to view this as a benefit rather than a challenge. As the workplace evolves, talent acquisition and retention strategies will become increasingly more important and the evaluation of …

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A Message From Our Board Chairman: A New Year’s Resolution for our Business Community

In Chamber Blog, Government Advocacy by admin

Looking for a New Year’s resolution that goes beyond the usual? Sure, I’ll no doubt resolve to lose weight and exercise more in 2022. And, as I reflect on the past year – eulogies of Senator Bob Dole praising his life while lamenting the demise of the bipartisanship he represented… public officials fearing for their personal safety…stories about the “anger …

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A letter from Todd Gilbert, Speaker-Designee of the Virginia House of Delegates

In Chamber Blog, Government Advocacy by admin

Dear Members of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce: The 2022 General Assembly Session is a little over one month away, and our House Republican Caucus is eager to return to Richmond and begin the task of governing set before us by the people of Virginia. As Speaker-Designee, I am excited about the opportunity to work in a bi-partisan fashion …

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Working for our Members toward a better Virginia

In Chamber Blog, Government Advocacy by admin

The Northern Virginia Chamber’s Policy Committee is wrapping up our annual Legislative Agenda drafting process next week. You will see many familiar principles included in the 2022 Agenda like urging leaders to focus on growing and improving Virginia’s workforce development ecosystem, expressing support for continued investment in major transportation projects like the American Legion Bridge replacement, and calling for a …

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Highlighting Business Wins at the 2021 VA General Assembly

In Chamber Blog, Government Advocacy by admin

The Virginia General Assembly formally ended its 2021 session on Monday and the Chamber was (virtually) front and center for the entire process that began on January 13th. Each year the General Assembly gathers in Richmond and makes decisions that impact how we do business in Virginia. The Northern Virginia Chamber is one of the most influential, pro-business voices engaged …

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From a tight labor market to telework: results from the 2022 NOVA Workforce Index

In Chamber Blog, Workforce by admin

Workforce issues continue to dominate our region’s business discussions this year as leaders face frustrating employee recruiting, retention, and remote work challenges. Working on behalf of our members, your Chamber has made sourcing solutions to these workforce issues a priority. As part of this effort, we’ve developed a broad range of member tools that include the Northern Virginia Workforce Index, …

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A New Year Message From Our CEO: The Chamber in 2023… And Beyond

In Chamber Blog, DE&I, Government Advocacy, Workforce by admin

By Julie Coons, CAE, Northern Virginia Chamber President and CEO Happy New Year! 2023 is a year of exciting activity and opportunity for our region. This year, the Chamber’s 98th year, we see more businesses coming together to advocate for regional growth, to invest and grow a business-directed skilled workforce, and to advance policies and practices that accelerate a business …

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MEMBER VOICES: We asked member CEOs, “What are the greatest challenges CEOs face heading into the new year?”

In Chamber Blog, Workforce by admin

Member Voices is a monthly feature where we ask C-Suite leaders from within our Chamber membership to share their insights on key business topics. If you would like to participate in Member Voices, please contact Carmen Sevilla at csevilla@novachamber.org. Shyam Salona, CEO, REI Systems, Inc. “This year we experienced a significant shift in the way we work. The hybrid work …

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Supporting Our Veterans: A Q&A With Our DSA Service Finalists

In Chamber Blog, Workforce by admin

If there’s a truism that flows through both business and life, it’s that, at some stage, we will all need support and guidance from others to help us achieve our goals. While we all face obstacles in our daily lives, our nation’s veterans often find themselves overcoming significant challenges as they transition from the military to the civilian world. We …

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Hire a Vet. You Can’t Go Wrong. Advice on Helping Veterans Find Success Within the Business World

In Chamber Blog, Workforce by admin

“Veterans are special people. Duty, honor, integrity and loyalty are their hallmarks and they bring to each role a sense of leadership and responsibility. Within the business world they exemplify the best of what we want in employees. I tell everyone that when they give veterans a chance, they can’t go wrong.” So says W. Glenn Yarborough, Jr, a Colonel …

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Member Blog Post: Let’s Talk Leadership: Tackling a Challenging Workplace Statistic

In Chamber Blog, Workforce by admin

According to recent Gallup research on employee engagement, only 36% of U.S. employees are engaged in their work and workplace.  Gallup tracks employee engagement trends by surveying the working population about issues that affect organizational outcomes, including profitability, productivity, customer service, retention, safety and overall wellbeing. Research reflects that disengaged employees tend to be poorly managed. It is incumbent on organizational …

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On the Heels of the Pandemic: Inflation-Induced Hunger

In Chamber Blog, Workforce by admin

After two years of struggling through pandemic-related woes, our workforce now finds itself battling with a new daily challenge in inflation. And while the side effect of rising prices and the Fed’s defensive response to raise interest rates are presented in the news as threats to our housing market and daily coffee purchases, those living closer to the bone within …

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Navigating pandemic-era resume gaps: asking the right questions to build the best team

In Chamber Blog, Workforce by admin

For more than 50 years, a year-long resume gap was a clear red mark against a job applicant. Except for stay-at-home parents or applicants who went back to school, there really wasn’t much sympathy from an employer, even in recessions. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed all that. One or two years out of work is the temporary new normal as …

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Poll Results: Is Northern Virginia ready for a 4-day workweek?

In Chamber Blog, Workforce by admin

Last week we shared information about two pending Bills, one Federal and one State, seeking to reduce the workweek to 32 hours and asked you to answer our poll, “is Virginia is ready for a 4-day workweek?” The results are in with 63.73% answering Yes, 30.39% answering No, and 5.88% answering Maybe. In addition, many people wrote comments, both for …

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Workforce Innovation Highlighted in Key Regional Programs

In Chamber Blog, Workforce by admin

Expanding Northern Virginia’s workforce and the continual pursuit of a stronger, inclusive regional work environment, are key components of the Chamber’s strategic plan and initiatives. We actively seek out opportunities to support our region’s employers and engage them with new and exciting workforce development options. We know that a stronger workforce ecosystem not only benefits employees but also employers and …

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