Workforce Connector: July 2020 Edition

Workforce Initiatives

The Workforce Connector is a monthly publication made possible by HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Mayo Clinic Health System, Prevea Health, and Xcel Energy.

The Eau Claire Area Chamber has many initiatives to help employers retain, recruit and develop employees. Many of these programs, committees, and events have been around for years; At the 2019 Annual meeting our CEO/President David Minor announced the intention of focusing on Workforce Challenges and Solutions in the Chippewa Valley. This publication and the initiatives highlighted on our website are the beginning, use the button below to "learn more".

The chamber's workforce initiatives are led by the Workforce Development Committee Chair, Monica Obrycki of Eau Claire Energy Cooperative and Kaylynn Stahlbusch, Workforce and Program Director of Eau Claire Area Chamber.

Learn More

Available Now!

Committed to Safety" Business Decal Application Launches

About this initiative:The Chippewa Valley Economic Recovery Task Force (“Task Force”) is working to help local businesses recover from and mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Once submitted, applications will be processed. Pending approval, decals will be mailed directly to businesses applying. If a business has multiple locations, an application must be submitted for each.

APPLY FOR THE DECAL HERE!

About this Task Force:
The formation of the Chippewa Valley COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force is an effort to pull together resources, organizations and talent from across the Chippewa Valley to help us emerge from this crisis in an orderly, successful, safe and stronger position to support our local economy. We are in strong partnership with the Eau Claire City-County Health Department.

While many people are returning to work, precautions must be taken to ensure safety. Local company, Applied Data Consultants, developed a Jobsite COVID-19 Screening App that contains a series of questions regarding employees' recent health and activities - all in the convenience of an app!

This app is now available to any business that is interested. Learn more about the app and how you can implement it at your workplace here: Download the screening app informational PDF.  

Also released last week for employers was the 6 Step Guide for Employers with COVID-19 Positive Case downloadable resource.

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Annual Marketing & Social Media Conference

Save the Date!
​Wednesday, September 30 
9:00 AM - 3:15 PM

Presenters Needed! - Proposal Deadline is Friday, July 31 by end of business day.
The Chamber is seeking proposals from individuals willing to volunteer to present a 45 minute session for our Annual Marketing & Social Media Conference. Do you have experience that you would be willing to share? We are looking for topics for our Marketing & Social Media professionals on a variety of subjects for small, medium and large size businesses. 

An exciting change for this year's conference... it will be all virtual! As a result we are asking for video submissions as part of the RFP process, please plan for this addition. 

Benefits of Speaking
While this is a volunteer opportunity, speakers receive recognition in all marketing materials. All speakers are invited to attend the entire event as our guest. And best yet, you are able to promote you and your business to hundreds of Chamber members.

Access the Request for Proposal Submission Form here.
For questions please contact stahlbusch@eauclairechamber.org.

The Perspective

"The Perspective" is a monthly publication of the Chamber's Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Task Force, comprised of approximately 30 representatives with a passion for sharing information and learning best practices about diversity, inclusion and minority business development to improve our workforce.

Goal Statement from the Chamber Business Plan:

• Leverage members’ combined experience and knowledge to advance diversity and inclusion programs and practices throughout professions.
• Provide business members with access to information, individuals and ideas that will help them build more economically and socially inclusive organizations.
• Become a forum to discuss new diversity and inclusion ideas and initiatives.

Task Force Chair: Wesley Escondo, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Wisconsin
Staff Liaison: Kaylynn Stahlbusch, Workforce and Program Director

Read The Perspective

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Workforce Retention

ACT Workforce Solutions

[Webinar Series] Building Resiliency in Your Workforce

Whether you are working to build a resilient workforce ecosystem or grow resilient talent pipelines, we are here to support the unique challenges in workforce development today.

Watch Webinars

Federal Reserve announces Main Street Program, Ruder Ware

The Federal Reserve's (Fed) $600 billion Main Street Lending Program recently launched the latest of several market interventions aimed at cushioning some of the economic damage wrought by the coronavirus. The program aims to provide loans to businesses that were doing well prior to the pandemic but are now struggling to fund operations and retain employees. Under the program, participating banks make loans to struggling businesses and the Fed buys 95% of those loans from the banks.
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Who qualifies?
Businesses established before March 13, 2020, with up to 15,000 employees or up to $5 billion in 2019 revenue are eligible for the program.

Read More Here

Employee Burnout: The Biggest Myth By Ben Wigert

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• 76% of employees experience burnout at least sometimes
• It's a common myth that simply reducing hours will solve employee burnout
• Learn the real causes of burnout and what your company can do

Do you know what really causes burnout? It's not just overtime.
According to Gallup's recent report, Employee Burnout: Causes and Cures, 76% of employees experience burnout on the job at least sometimes, and 28% say they are burned out "very often" or "always" at work.

Read More

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Workforce Attraction

Eau Claire Named One of Most Livable Small Cities in the U.S., Rebecca Mennecke, Volume One

We all know Eau Claire is one of the best places in the U.S. to live, but we’ve now been placed on a list to prove it.
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Financial news website SmartAsset.com just ranked Eau Claire third on a list of the most liveable small cities in the nation. Eau Claire was outranked only by first-place Cheektowaga, New York, and second-place Livonia, Michigan.

Read More Here

Let’s face it, the world of work has changed overnight.

All of the events of 2020 thus far have underscored why our workplace’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments matter now, more than ever before.

It also leaves many of us struggling with the following questions:

• How can we build a sense of safety, trust, and belonging at work (both virtually and in-person)?
• What are ways we can serve as inclusive leaders in uncertain times?
• How can we keep DEI commitments on track during a crisis?
• How do we radically include and give our most vulnerable stakeholders what they need?
• What are ways our organizations can disrupt white supremacy culture in our workplaces and communities?

 
If you find yourself grappling with these big questions, and want to connect with other DEI leaders, visionaries, and change makers, join me at the free 2020 Belonging Summit from July 13 - 17.

Together, we will grow the #BelongingMovement, and you will gain a community, new skills, and the confidence to build a greater sense of belonging at work.

Register Now

Remote Work - Where are Organizations Now, MRA - The Management Association

The future of remote work is here. While this work option existed well before the challenges of the pandemic, MRA probed the extent to which remote work has become a component, or an even stronger component, of organizations’ workforce planning strategies. What are employers doing? What have they learned? Will organizations broaden their remote work options, rethink their future business model, reimagine their top talent strategies, and become even more flexible? How does remote work align for your organization?

Access the Survey Here

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Workforce Recruitment

The pandemic has changed recruiting, but the workforce system is still here to help you find the talent that you need! We’re hosting a Drive-thru Job Fair on July 15 as part of a statewide, unified approach to let job seekers know that there is still opportunity available in their local area!

How will the fair work and how can you participate?

• Let us know that you plan to participate by completing this short registration link: https://form.jotform.com/201759287549167
• If you have available positions, you will need to provide 300 one-page recruitment flyers for your company. Your one-page document can be printed on both sides at 8.5x11” or a smaller size; however, only one page per company?

What should you include? Here are some suggestions:

• Company name, location, logo, etc.
• Available position(s)
• How to apply
• Details about company benefits and/or wages
• What makes your company special, what is the service or product you provide?
• Include your Equal Opportunity statement
• Contact information if a job seeker would like to reach out to your company (email, phone or both)

If you have questions about this event or would like to learn more about other locations, contact: David Paulson (715) 235-8393 x103 or dpaulson@wdbwcw.org

The deadline for dropping off your information is: Thursday July 9th, 2020 from 11AM-3PM
The location for dropping off information is: Eau Claire Job Center @ 221 W. Madison St. Suite 140-A.

Please have flyers in a bag to put into tote located outside front door of the Job Center. For earlier drop-offs contact Michaela Stendahl @ (877) 711-9390 ext. 1412 or by email stendahlm@workforceresource.org

• Your one page document will be inserted into a bag
• Staff collating bags will be wearing gloves and masks
• Each car attending the drive-thru fair will be given one bag

Learn More Here

Event Flyer
File Size:	1927 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

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How to Nail a Job Interview - Remotely, Amy Gallo

"If you’re facing a job search right now, you’re not alone. There are record numbers of people filing for unemployment benefits in the U.S. and half of the global workforce is at risk of losing their livelihoods. Whether you were recently laid off, were unemployed before the global pandemic hit, or are choosing to make a change, looking for a job now — amidst hiring freezes and layoffs — will be different than it was a few months ago. But how different? How has the crisis affected how you approach a job search — from finding open positions to writing a cover letter and resume to (ideally) interviewing? Does the usual advice still apply?

To answer these questions, I spoke with Art Markman, a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and author of Bring Your Brain to Work: Using Cognitive Science to Get a Job, Do it Well, and Advance Your Career and Claudio Fernández-Aráoz, an executive fellow at Harvard Business School and the author of It’s Not the How or the What but the Who. Here’s their advice for facing what feels like a daunting challenge at this time."
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• Tap your network
• Brush up your resume and cover letter
• Prepare for remote, technology

Read More Here

To get connected, get involved or learn more please contact Kaylynn Stahlbusch, Workforce and Program Director at the Eau Claire Area Chamber.