Acknowledgements:
Thank you to Elias, Victor and Michele for opening this important event.
And thank you, to the entire Office of Human Resource Solutions team. With actions, you all have demonstrated your dedication and commitment to our incredible mission-focused workforce.
Your support throughout COVID-19 has been so crucial to helping us achieve our work – the agency’s scale and breadth has been immense, and our people have been critical. So, your work at OHRS has made our agency stronger.
I also want to thank AFGE Local 228 President Johnnie Green, and the rest of union leadership for their collaboration and support.
Today’s event was produced by the Action Planning Committee – and I’d like to take a moment to recognize the Engagement Summit Co-Chairs, Cody Neville and Ellyn Herbert, as well as APC co-chairs Virginia Smith, Erikka Robinson and Mary Frias, APC Secretary Sonia Smith, and Executive Champions, Victor Parker and Michele Schimpp.
I want to thank the whole APC team for your thoughtfulness in putting together this event and for all the ways you drive change throughout our agency – including the telework survey that’s provided key input on our future of work discussions, the Public Service Recognition Week celebration, the first virtual Toys for Tots campaign, Ike Awards, and the Kudos to You program.
Your energy and ideas reflect that passion and commitment that I see in all our staff here at the SBA. All of you make the SBA a better place to work for all of us.
And, to our SBA family, thank you for everything you do for America’s 30 million small businesses and innovative startups. Now that I’ve been traveling, I can tell you how truly appreciated you all are – so many recognize the hard work.
From the radio talk show host who said kudos to all the SBAers for providing a constant flow of information … or from the shuttered venue who recognized the painstaking detail it took to craft the application and saw how clearly the industry’s voice and insights were reflected.
PPP helped them get through the early months of the pandemic.
Our resource partners and field offices have been life savers with information to guide them through.
RRF and SVOG have created certainty for them – helping them reposition for success and feel assured that they can reopen.
EIDL has been appreciated and our small businesses who continue to need our assistance are elated to hear that we remain committed to building efficiencies to deliver more of these programs and new ones.
Businesses and community leaders are excited about the community navigator program, they are excited to learn about investments and innovation and government contracting.
All your work is appreciated and recognized.
I know the past year plus has been incredibly challenging. I worked alongside some of you in CA while I was the Director of the Office of the Small Business Advocate.
And I know that the work continues to be unrelenting.
So just know that your efforts do not go unnoticed. Your work is recognized at the highest level. YOU are making a difference. I hope you’re as proud as I am to serve in an agency that is providing crucial relief and support to the engine of our nation’s economy, our small businesses.
On behalf of the small businesses, their many employees and the communities support - Thank You.
Remarks:
Today, here at this Employee Engagement Summit, we’re turning our focus to you.
Our agency is only as strong as you, our people, and we want to take this time to hear from you about what we can do to better support you.
We want to hear your ideas. We want to connect with you. We want you to truly feel like you are part of the SBA family.
Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, and the incredible work you all have done to scale up and deliver crucial relief to our small businesses, we have made great progress in terms of employee engagement and satisfaction.
In the past four years, we’ve jumped 19 points in rankings for mid-sized agencies for best places to work [2016: 26 out of 27, 2021: 15 out of 25].
OHRS worked hard and focused on that ranking – that progress – that’s success. Elias, Julie and the entire team at OHRS worked around the clock to support the SBA and play their part in boosting that ranking. They heard the need for more training and development opportunities and reinvigorated that programming – providing new opportunities for certifications and other forms of growth.
They also improved the Performance Management process by aligning performance expectations with the strategic plan and by dedicating additional resources to support the agency’s work-life program.
But we can’t stop there. We’ve got to build on that progress until we become the best place to work in the federal government.
And I understand that work begins with leadership. That’s why I want you to hear me say today that I take my commitment to you very seriously. And I will do everything I can to support you – particularly as we navigate the uncharted waters ahead.
I know that the question that is at the top of everyone’s mind is what will return to work look like for me? This question is also on my mind. We all have responsibilities – many of you may remember working with me while DCOS, I’m a working mother. I understand what it’s like to juggle your professional and personal responsibilities.
Under my leadership, I hope that – together -- we can continue to build on your incredible work to help bring businesses back, create jobs and build an equitable economy that works for everyone.
My vision for the SBA is that we are recognized as the go-to-agency to provide the services, resources and programs our small businesses need - swiftly and efficiently - and with a personal customer-centric approach that assures America’s entrepreneurs that we get it, we understand what it takes to start, grow and sustain a small business. And, that we are committed to helping ALL of them with equity at top of mind.
I look forward to working with all of you to accomplish our mission.
I hope you will stick around to join the future of work listening sessions as well as Dr. Sutch’s powerful presentation on diversity and inclusion.
Thank you.