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CPP Summit Fosters Collaborative Solutions for Virginia State Agency Leaders
By Brittany Keegan & Tiffany Murray-Roberston
State agency leaders from across the commonwealth recently gathered for a summit hosted by the Wilder School’s Center for Public Policy (CPP). The event brought together senior officials for an afternoon of conversation and collaboration aimed at tackling some of the most pressing issues facing state agencies today.
Using the “World Café” discussion model, participants divided into small groups to engage in structured conversations facilitated by CPP staff. Agency leaders explored key questions such as, “What is a lingering challenge at your agency that you would love to change?” and “What conversations do we need to have to make change possible?” These sessions encouraged an honest and open exchange about shared challenges, breaking down silos, and identifying actionable steps for interagency collaboration.
By the end of the summit, participants identified three critical challenges within Virginia’s state agencies: employee recruitment, leadership transitions, and employee retention. The discussions produced several strategies to address these challenges:
- Employee Recruitment: Developing shared labor pools by partnering with local vendors, schools, and factories; redefining job roles and pay scales to make state employment more attractive; and revising outdated classifications to allow more flexible hiring.
- Leadership Transitions: Creating a mandatory strategic planning cycle that spans multiple administrations; ensuring that onboarding processes align with agency missions and long-term goals; and establishing interagency groups to review and adapt policies as needed.
- Employee Retention: Establishing cost-of-living salary increases beyond the two-year budget cycle; providing clear career growth pathways for state employees at all levels; and linking performance-based pay opportunities to employee growth and training programs.
Jason Burkett, Senior Consultant at the Center for Public Policy, noted that a key takeaway from the summit was how similar these challenges are across various state agencies. “The leaders who attended were candid and focused on finding practical, achievable solutions,” he said.
While the summit provided a strong foundation for future collaboration, CPP plans to continue the conversation at upcoming events. Future summits will delve deeper into these challenges and others, equipping state leaders with the tools and connections needed to build collaborative, effective solutions for all Virginians.