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, …
A New Year Message From Our CEO: The Chamber in 2023… And Beyond
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 …
MEMBER VOICES: We asked member CEOs, “What are the greatest challenges CEOs face heading into the new year?”
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 …
Supporting Our Veterans: A Q&A With Our DSA Service Finalists
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 …
Hire a Vet. You Can’t Go Wrong. Advice on Helping Veterans Find Success Within the Business World
“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 …
Member Blog Post: Let’s Talk Leadership: Tackling a Challenging Workplace Statistic
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 …
On the Heels of the Pandemic: Inflation-Induced Hunger
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 …
Navigating pandemic-era resume gaps: asking the right questions to build the best team
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 …
Poll Results: Is Northern Virginia ready for a 4-day workweek?
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 …
Workforce Innovation Highlighted in Key Regional Programs
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 …
