Chamber Updates

Aligning Childcare with the Needs of the Workforce and Economy One third of the U.S. workforce, or an estimated 50 million workers, has a child under the age of 14 in their household. In 2021, Harvard Business Review conducted a national survey of 2,500 working parents and the results were quite telling. Nearly 20% of…

The Gig Economy The United States is well on its way to establishing a gig economy. Estimates show as much as one third of the working population is already operating in some level of gig capacity. A gig economy is a free market system in which temporary positions are common and organizations hire independent contractors…

Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant On February 16, Senators gave first round approval to Senate Bill 672. Senate Bill 672 would expand and extend the Missouri’s innovative Fast Track program. The Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant is a financial aid program for adults. The grant addresses workforce needs by helping adults pursue a certificate, degree,…

Century Casino Receives Approval for Hotel Downtown Cape Girardeau is home to more than 300 businesses and organizations, 4,500 residents and soon, a riverfront hotel. On Monday, February 7th, the City of Cape Girardeau held a public hearing and approved an amendment to the development plan of Century Casino Planned Development District. Century Casino’s proposed…

Weather and the Economy While there are some who enjoy in the calm of a storm, there are others who rush for shelter. Regardless of your personal views, there is no doubt that extreme weather can have significant effects on the economy. On Wednesday, February 2, a winter storm swept the Midwest blocking roadways, closing…

OSHA Withdraws Workplace Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard On November 5, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a vaccination and testing emergency temporary standard, or ETS, to protect unvaccinated employees of large employers from workplace exposure to the coronavirus. As of January 26, 2022, this emergency temporary standard is withdrawn. The Supreme…

Quality of Life Quality of life – it’s a difficult thing to define but a critical component of a vibrant community. Quality of life is a phrase used in the marketing materials of nearly every community. But exactly what is quality of life and how do you measure it? Several indicators are widely recognized in…

The Great Resignation The last several months have seen a tidal wave of resignations, in the U.S. and around the world. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4 million Americans quit their jobs in July 2021. Resignations peaked in April and have remained abnormally high for the last several months, with a record-breaking…

Creative Compensation Compensation is typically among the first things potential employees consider when looking for employment. When it comes to employee compensation, most business owners are busy asking: “What do I have to pay?” A better question might be: “What do I want my compensation package to say?” Hobby Lobby took the world by surprise…

Networking Tips You Need To Know Sticking on a nametag and making small talk about the weather can be, well let’s face it, a little cringe-worthy. But, here’s the thing, it does not have to be like this! Networking in business is one of the best resources for career development. If you hope to grow…