Berkshire Bank at 175 Years is Still Driven by Purpose in the Community

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When you think about banks, many people don’t realize the connections banks like Berkshire have to their local communities. Established 175 years ago in Pittsfield, MA, Berkshire has maintained its presence as a community bank for people of all backgrounds. While communities may have changed over the years, the purpose-driven mission of Berkshire has grown stronger.

“At Berkshire, we want everyone to have access to a bank, including those who have been traditionally underserved and underbanked,” said Paul Kelly, Regional President of Berkshire Bank. “Community banks, like Berkshire, have important roles in addressing disparities in the community and fueling economic activity.”

“Consumers and businesses from underrepresented and under-resourced communities have been hit particularly hard by the COVID 19 health crisis and because many lack a primary banking relationship, they frequently must resort to expensive payday lenders and check cashing services for assistance,” stated Kelly.

That’s where a bank like Berkshire has been able to step in and assist the community. Recently, Berkshire Bank launched a product called My Freedom Checking. This product, according to a press release, has no charges for overdrafts or monthly maintenance fees. In addition, it offers free Mobile Banking with Mobile Deposit and access to Berkshire Bank’s Greenpath Financial Wellness programs along with several other benefits that make banking easier and more accessible. The account recently received national certification from the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund through its BankOn program recognizing the account for its transparency, accessibility and affordability.

While demographics vary across communities, underbanked individuals face many barriers to a traditional banking relationship. Many feel they don’t have enough money to keep an account with a traditional financial institution, while some don’t trust banks. Others find it inconvenient to use a bank because of their location or hours.

“Because of these barriers, many underbanked individuals and small businesses turn to money order, check cashing, and payday loan companies – expensive options that aren’t an ideal substitute for real banking services,” said Kelly.

Berkshire’s MyFreedom checking account is just one of the products offered to residents in the North Central Chamber community. They also have a new socially responsible check cashing service to help customers, non-customers, and the underbanked, called MyCheck. This service offers anyone the ability to cash checks for a fraction of local check-cashing costs at any one of its branches or at a Berkshire Bank MyTeller location, an ATM with person-to-person interaction.

Berkshire Bank’s My Banker is another unique service for greater Worcester residents that can offer personalized banking services without maintaining a high balance at the bank. In addition, local My Bankers like Erin Thomason and Linda Petrarca can provide free financial counseling services to help customers navigate their financial lives. Recently the bank collaborated with the Worcester Public Library to develop and offer a financial literacy program to community residents who may not have access to this type of resource.

“With services like these and our MyBanker staff, we are working to bring more equitable banking services to all communities in the Worcester region, close the wealth gap, and get individuals into mainstream banking,” said Kelly.

Berkshire Bank plans to continue to support the local North Central Chamber community and the Greater Worcester communities through various means, including the above-enhanced banking solutions and financial literacy programs. For more on the services in this story or to learn about Berkshire Bank’s philanthropic programs, visit berkshirebank.com.

North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce Selected as Finalist for National Chamber of the Year Honor

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The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce was named a finalist for the prestigious 2021 Chamber of the Year award, presented by the Alexandria, VA -based Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE).

The North Central Massachusetts Chamber is one of four finalists in its category – along with chambers in Cumming, GA; Leesburg, VA; and Tuscaloosa, AL.

The award is the most prestigious and competitive recognition presented annually by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). ACCE is an association of more than 9,000 professionals from 1,600 chambers of commerce.

The Chamber of the Year award recognizes the leadership role chambers have in their communities. Those honored with the Chamber of the Year designation have demonstrated organizational strength and made an impact on key community priorities, such as education, transportation, economic development and quality of life.

“This year’s finalists are among the most impactful organizations within the industry,” said ACCE President & CEO Sheree Anne Kelly. “Following a tumultuous year, these chambers emerged as community champions, providing catalytic leadership to address their region’s greatest challenges and opportunities for prosperity.”

Chamber of the Year winners will be announced by ACCE on Tuesday, July 20, 2021.

“We are tremendously honored to be named a finalist for this national award. This is a collective achievement and a tribute to the innovation and passion of our members and the many business leaders that support our mission and  work so hard to build a stronger economy and quality of life in the communities that we call home here in North Central Massachusetts,” said Roy M. Nascimento, President & CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “I want to thank our staff, board leaders and all of our members for their support and commitment to the important work we do collaboratively to advance North Central Massachusetts.”

Chambers of commerce interested in competing for the award first must qualify by participating in a vigorous multi-stage process. Organizations entering the Chamber of the Year competition must meet minimum thresholds around membership performance and financial management.

Chambers compete based on meeting key performance criteria on the ACCE Annual Operations Survey. Qualifying chambers enter the competition with a written application addressing all aspects of organizational operation and programmatic work. Applications are scored by peer chamber executives to determine finalists. Winners are selected from  finalists based on an interview before a panel of experienced chamber professionals. To ensure the fairest competition, applicants are grouped into four categories based on annual revenue, membership, area population and other factors.

Reconnect with Your Clients By Email

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Is your email inbox flooded with messages from big brands, with every message starting off with “In these uncertain times” and ending with “We’re all in this together”? You’re not alone. It seems like every brand wants to reach out to its customers in these (sorry) uncertain times.

But there’s no need to fall into the trap of being predictable and sounding like all the corporate robots filling your inbox. We believe it’s possible to connect to your clients and customers in a meaningful way that’s relational and personal. Take a look at some of our tips for reconnecting with your clients via email, even if you temporarily can’t communicate face to face.

  1. Be Transparent and Helpful

You probably don’t have all the answers to clients’ questions right now. But the more transparent you are, the more likely your customers are to stay connected with your brand. Let them know how your business is affected by the current situation, for starters. But many clients want to know more.

Reach out to tell your customers what you’re doing to protect them, whether it’s by sanitizing your physical location or adding extra online security to protect their data when your employees are working from home. Many customers want to know how you’re supporting your staff during this time, and others want to know what your plans are going forward. If you’ve changed the hours of your customer service center or you’ve opened new web pages to help customers out, let them know. When you’re transparent and clear via email, your clients will know you’re still there for them.

  1. Focus on Your Current and Recent Clients

Too many companies are digging too deep into their databases to connect with customers they haven’t had any contact within years. This isn’t the time for that deep dive, which is likely to alienate people and make them think you’re just trying to exploit them. Instead, connect with the customers and clients you have active relationships with, focusing on how you can help meet their current and future needs. Those are the clients who will be most receptive and appreciative to your updates.

  1. Strike the Right Tone

You undoubtedly have already established a clear voice when you reach out to customers. Now is the time to take a careful second look at that voice, especially if you tend to add a flash of sarcasm or flippancy to your communications with customers. If your emails make customers feel as if you aren’t taking their concerns and worries seriously, your efforts to reach out could have the opposite effect than the one you’re hoping for.

It’s also not the time to push people to buy things in an overt way, especially when many of your clients or customers may be taking second looks at their own budgets. If you send the inadvertent message that you’re taking advantage of the current situation, you won’t win friends. As you strive to strike a tone that’s supportive without being jarring, you should also avoid making political statements or promises you don’t know if you can keep (such as opening dates).

During a crisis, you have an opportunity to define who you are through your communications with your clients and customers. Honest, transparent communication via email can help you maintain the relationships that will be crucial again in the near future.

Mass VaxMillions Registration Details Announced Registration Begins July 1

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The Baker-Polito Administration and the Massachusetts State Lottery announced registration details for the Massachusetts VaxMillions Giveaway, which will begin on July 1.

Massachusetts residents ages 12 and up and who are fully vaccinated prior to each drawing are eligible to enter the giveaway.  Residents ages 18 and older who are fully vaccinated prior to each drawing will have the opportunity to enter to win one of five, $1 million cash prizes. Residents between 12-17 years of age who are fully vaccinated prior to each drawing may enter for the chance to win one of five $300,000 scholarship grants.

Beginning Thursday, July 1, eligible residents will be able to enter the giveaway at VaxMillionsGiveaway.com.  For residents who do not have access to the internet or require assistance, a call center will be available to assist with registration beginning July 1. The call center can be reached by calling 2-1-1 during the below hours:

  • Monday-Thursday: 8:30 AM-6:00 PM
  • Friday: 8:30 AM-5:00 PM
  • Saturday-Sunday: 9:00 AM-2:00 PM

Live call center workers will be available in English and Spanish, and 100 additional languages will be available through translators.

VaxMillions Giveaway Drawings will be held once a week for five weeks beginning Monday, July 26 and continuing every Monday through August 23. The first drawing for the giveaway will occur on Monday, July 26, with registration for that week’s drawing closing on Thursday, July 22. Winners will be announced later in the week following each drawing.

Residents are reminded that they have time to get fully vaccinated in order to enter the drawings. An entry before one of the weekly entry deadlines makes you eligible for all of the weekly drawings that take place after you register. 

The full schedule of drawing and announcement dates is below. Residents are reminded that some COVID-19 vaccines require two doses, and they must receive all doses before entering the drawing. 

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Residents must be fully vaccinated before registering, but if they are not vaccinated by the registration date for a certain drawing, they will still have the opportunity to complete vaccination and register for subsequent drawings. Residents will only have to enter once to qualify for all drawings occurring after the date of their registration.

Massachusetts residents 18 years of age and older who have received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, will have a chance to win one of five, $1 million cash prizes. 

Massachusetts residents between 12 and 17 years of age who have received two doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will have a chance to win one of five $300,000 scholarship grants via a 529 College Savings Plan managed by the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA). Funds in a 529 plan can be applied to cover tuition, room and board, and related expenses at any college, university, or technical or trade school or other post-secondary educational institution eligible to participate in a student aid program administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Winners with a qualifying disability may elect instead to receive an equivalent financial contribution to a special needs trust or federally qualified ABLE account to cover qualified expenses.

The Commonwealth launched the Massachusetts VaxMillions giveaway as one of many strategies to increase awareness of the availability and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines and encourage residents to get vaccinated to keep themselves, their families and their communities safe.

Only lawful, permanent residents of Massachusetts who are fully vaccinated can enter the drawings. Residents must have received their vaccine doses within Massachusetts. Residents must be fully vaccinated prior to submitting their entry. 

There are over 900 vaccination locations across the Commonwealth, with appointments and walk ins widely available. Residents seeking a vaccine can visit mass.gov/COVIDVaccine to find a vaccine location that is convenient for them.

For more information on the Mass VaxMillions Giveaway, visit VaxMillionsGiveaway.com.

Residents can email  to report any instances of fraud or suspicious activity associated with the VaxMillions Giveaway Promotion.

Baker-Polito Administration Files Plan to Invest $2.9 Billion in Federal COVID-19 Funding to Support Economic Recovery, Communities Hit Hardest by Pandemic

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 The Baker-Polito Administration today will re-file its plan to immediately put to use part of Commonwealth’s direct federal aid from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support key priorities including housing and homeownership, economic development and local downtowns, job training and workforce development, health care, and infrastructure. The Administration called on the Legislature to act quickly on the $2.9 billion plan to jump-start the Commonwealth’s economic recovery and support residents hardest-hit by COVID-19, such as lower-wage workers and communities of color. 

Governor Charlie Baker today is re-filing the proposal after signing “An Act Relative to Transferring Federal Funds to the Federal COVID-19 Response Fund,” which was on the Governor’s desk.

“We are eager to work with the Legislature to put these funds to work and our $2.9 billion proposal will immediately aid those hardest hit by COVID-19 like communities of color and lower-wage workers,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “This plan addresses homeownership gaps in communities of color, connects workers with in demand job-training, boosts addiction treatment services and invests in local infrastructure. It’s crucial that the Legislature act quickly and not hold up these important investments. Communities of color, the hardest hit areas of the Commonwealth, should not have to wait to have their tax dollars be put to work.”

“Massachusetts’ economic recovery is off to a good start but it’s crucial that we address the disproportionate impacts of the pandemic by taking action to invest these federal relief dollars in priorities like housing, economic development, job training, and addiction treatment,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We look forward to working with our colleagues in the Legislature to move quickly in putting these relief dollars to work on behalf of our communities.”

The proposal filed today is the same proposal filed by Governor Baker earlier this month with the Legislature, with an additional $100 million for marine port development to support economic growth.

The Administration’s plan to invest $2.9 billion in federal dollars in these disproportionately impacted communities complements a proposal filed last week for the Commonwealth’s surplus state tax revenue. With May revenues approximately $4 billion over benchmark, the Administration’s proposal for a 2-month Sales Tax Holiday would provide relief for small businesses and residents, especially lower-wage workers who are most impacted by the sales tax.

The $2.915 billion is part of a total of approximately $5.3 billion in direct aid to the Commonwealth from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. These discretionary funds are intended to support urgent COVID-19 response efforts, replace lost revenue, support immediate economic stabilization for households and businesses, and address unequal public health and economic challenges in Massachusetts cities and towns throughout the pandemic. ARPA is also providing a total of $3.4 billion in direct aid for municipalities throughout Massachusetts, as well as substantial funding for key priorities including a total of $1.1 billion for transit. With a focus on increasing capacity for child care and supporting parents as they return to work, the Administration is also proposing to distribute approximately $760 million in additional federal funding to child care providers in Massachusetts over the coming years, and looks forward to working with key stakeholders on the usages of these funds.

The remaining $2 billion in direct federal aid would stay in the Federal COVID-19 Response Fund, and the Administration looks forward to working closely with the Legislature to allocate these resources in a fiscally responsible and compliant manner.  

In addition to this discretionary funding, an additional $35.2 billion in other ARPA funding has been directed to the Commonwealth to support additional areas of recovery including direct aid to municipalities, transportation, and child care. This includes approximately $3.4 billion in direct aid to cities, towns, and counties throughout Massachusetts. The plan therefore includes language allowing a local match for numerous programs to better leverage municipal support, optimize the usage of all available revenue, and maximize the impact of this one-time federal funding. 

Highlights of the plan include:

Housing

  • $300 million to support expanded homeownership opportunities, focused on first-time homebuyers who are residents of disproportionately impacted municipalities;
  • $200 million to support housing production through MassHousing’s CommonWealth Builder Program and similar efforts, which aim to help communities of color build wealth by promoting home ownership among residents of disproportionately impacted municipalities;
  • $200 million to fund rental housing production and provide increased housing options to workers and residents of disproportionately impacted municipalities;
  • $300 million to finance the statewide production of senior and veteran housing. These new housing options would contain a supportive services component, and would be combined with other resources including Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, rental payments, and, in the case of veteran housing, VA health care. 

Economic Development

  • $100 million for Downtown Development to concentrate economic growth activities, resources, and investments within local neighborhood areas in municipalities disproportionally impacted by COVID;
  • $250 million to support investments and regional collaboration aimed at invigorating downtowns throughout Massachusetts. These resources would provide grant funds to municipalities and other eligible public entities for a range of projects;
  • $100 million to support cultural facilities and tourism assets throughout Massachusetts;

Workforce Development

  • $240 million to fund a suite of job training programs and address skills gaps, to better position residents who want to be hired into jobs that businesses need filled. Areas of investment include:
    • $150 million for workforce credentials for entry and mid-level wages;
    • $35 million to fund English for Speakers of Other Languages programs and Adult Basic Education;
    • $25 million for work readiness and essential skills programs.

Health Care

  • $50 million for fiscally stressed hospitals in disproportionately impacted municipalities as these hospitals have supported their communities significantly during the pandemic despite interruptions to their revenue streams;
  • $175 million for addiction treatment and related behavioral health services.

Infrastructure Investment

  • $400 million to fund grants for water and sewer infrastructure;
  • $300 million to improve culverts, dams, and other environmental infrastructure;
  • $100 million to enhance and modernize state park facilities;
  • $100 million to close the digital divide and increase broadband internet access, helping to promote workforce development and economic growth.
  • $100 million for marine port development.

4 Reasons to Care About Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

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Diversity is a growing topic inside businesses big and small, especially those with a human resources department. But what about the small local businesses that make up the majority of our Chamber membership?

The Chamber is always searching for new ways to boost inclusiveness in the workforce. We’ve researched 4 reasons that your small business should also care about diversity, equity and inclusion. And we even have some conversation starters you can swipe.

If you’re looking to promote greater equity, inclusion and diversity in your own workplace, consider our 4 key reasons for making these principles a top priority.

Promoting diversity help business leaders achieve a greater sense of empathy towards their employees and clients, but it can also allow organizations to gain a significant advantage over their competitors.

  1. Expanding Your Workforce

When employers keep an open mind during the recruitment process, they’re far more likely to attract more qualified employees to their business. Talent spans across all genders, races and ethnicities, and only employers who make an effort to seek out underrepresented groups will have the opportunity to strengthen their existing workforce. Your current employees are also likely to feed off of the innovative ideas that their diverse coworkers offer, which can help boost creativity throughout your organization as a whole.

  1. Improving Your Reputation

According to research, about 67 percent of job candidates factor diversity into their career decisions. If you establish yourself as an organization that cares about diversity, equity and inclusion, job seekers will notice. This positive association that others attach to your company helps improve your business’s reputation as a whole. Likewise, organizations are more likely to retain existing employees if they make a point of promoting diversity. This is because employees tend to identify more strongly with a company if it reflects their personal beliefs.

  1. Build Trust Among Customers

Your customers see your employees before they ever see the owner, and employees are often the first people your clients interact with. If your workforce lacks diversity, your clients may be wary of putting their trust in your business, especially if they belong to an underserved population. When your employees represent the widest array of races, ethnicities and sexual orientations, the widest array of clients will also feel included. By incorporating diversity into your workforce, you’ll also be better able to understand and cater to the needs of your client base.

  1. Boost Productivity

Diversity, equity and inclusion isn’t just about improving the way others perceive your business. These tenants also play a critical role in your company’s output. Studies have shown that diverse groups tend to perform better as a whole than homogeneous groups. This is because members of diverse groups bring a wide variety of talents, skills, opinions and perspectives to the table. When these abilities are combined, employees have the opportunity to come up with innovative solutions to problems and work through these issues at a faster rate.

Help Your Small Business Grow by Promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace

Your small business can benefit in a multitude of ways by embracing diversity, equity and inclusion. From improving your overall reputation to expanding your workforce, you can strengthen nearly every aspect of your business by incorporating these principles into your company’s mission. At the end of the day, you’ll have happier employees and clients when you make inclusion a priority in your workplace.

Legislature Passes Bill to Fund Government Through July

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Article Source: State House News Service

Author: Matt Murphy

 

Now guaranteed to miss the deadline to have a annual budget in place by July 1, the Legislature passed a temporary budget on Monday that would keep government programs funded through July while negotiations on an annual spending plan continue. The new fiscal year starts on Thursday, but budget talks between the House and Senate over competing $47.7 billion annual budgets (H 4001 / S 2465) remain behind closed doors and ongoing. Even if a deal were to be struck before the start of fiscal 2022, the Senate adjourned Monday with plans not to meet again until Thursday. The House and Senate both enacted a $5.41 billion interim budget filed by Gov. Charlie Baker last week to keep government funded through July. Baker had asked that the Legislature approve the interim budget, which would be voided upon passage of a general appropriations bill, no later than June 29 to ensure that the state can meet its financial obligations. Sen. Cindy Friedman, the vice chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, called passage of the interim budget “standard procedure” while the six-member conference committee works to “finalize” a fiscal 2022 budget. “The interim budget will provide $5.41 billion to cover the bills and services estimated for the first month of the year, and will allow us to finish our thoughtful and collaborative work with our House colleagues on the final full-year budget,” Friedman said. The filing and passage of one or more interim budgets is not unusual on Beacon Hill, where legislative negotiators frequently take their private talks over the state’s annual budget beyond the July start of the new fiscal year. After a pandemic-interrupted year that saw the Legislature wait until the winter to tackle an annual appropriations bill, this year’s budget is back on its more traditional cycle. House and Senate negotiating teams, led by Rep. Aaron Michlewitz and Sen. Michael Rodrigues, were named on June 7 and met for the first time a day later to begin hashing out a compromise budget. If and when they do strike a deal and the full House and Senate pass a final fiscal year 2022 budget, Baker would still be afforded 10 days to review the bill. With tax collections soaring to close out fiscal 2021 and debate over how to spend an expected surplus, Democratic leaders have suggested they may also take a fresh look at projected tax collections for next year. The conference committee is also negotiating multiple policy proposals baked into the spending bill, including the looming expiration of and proposed reforms to the state’s film tax credit program and Senate-backed fee increases on rides booked through transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft.

Leadership Doesn’t Come Naturally To Everybody

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The phrase “natural leader” can be a little intimidating for people who question their ability to direct a team. As a business owner, you’ve probably thought about leadership often, including ways to help your team achieve more and how to mentor employees with potential into becoming managers that others look up to, emulate, and respect.

Fortunately, leadership isn’t a born-in trait that’s exclusive to only a charismatic few. Leaders set the tone for a business no matter how large or small, and the best ones understand how to implement these tips with their own leadership style.

Lead Through Listening

As a leader, you’re the person that others turn to when they have a question, a concern about the business, or a problem with a customer or product. You can’t solve problems effectively unless you fully understand them, so attentive listening is the best first step. Ask open-ended questions, and re-state what the other person is saying to ensure that you fully understand.

To practice active listening, remember to wait before speaking, and resist the urge to finish someone else’s sentences. This communicates to the other person that what they’re saying has value and that you care about their input.

Communicate Clearly

Imagine the directions to assembling a piece of IKEA furniture. The company certainly isn’t known for clear communication! Likewise, if the directions that you give your team aren’t clear and specific, you’ll either have a lot of questions and confusion or end up with a result that’s far away from what you needed.

When communicating, be specific, and show, not just tell, what you mean. Include an example of what a finished product should be, or communicate with your team what the desired outcome is. For example, if you want to raise customer satisfaction survey scores, directions can include:

  • Smile and greet every customer
  • Offer to demonstrate a product
  • Thank them by name, by reading their credit card or loyalty card information
  • Asking how their experience was
  • Inviting them to fill out a customer survey, if the customer gave a compliment

All of these are things that workers can do specifically, that contribute to the desired result.

Delegate Specifics

As a business owner, you need to be working on your business, not in your business. You hired your team because of their skills and abilities, so step back and allow them to shine in their own way, whether it’s developing their own relationships with regular clients or taking the initiative to improve the overall appearance of your goods in stock. Smart delegation creates a feeling of pride and ownership in their job for many employees.

Set a Respectful Example

You earn respect by treating others with respect. While it may be tempting to say “because I’m the boss, that’s why,” or dismiss what you perceive as an insignificant problem out of hand, when you brush off your employees, or worse, treat them poorly, with a raised voice or snappy words, you’re creating an atmosphere of fear and distrust, neither of which inspire people to follow you as a leader.

Takeaway

These tips are good ones not just for developing your leadership skills, but also for life. Active listening, clear communication of expectations, and treating others with respect don’t just make you a great leader, it can also improve your relationships outside of work, including those within your local business community and your fellow Chamber members.

Should I hire or outsource?

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Deciding between hiring in-house talent or outsourcing the job can be a tough call to make, and both options have their benefits and drawbacks. Here are some things to consider when choosing between the two recruitment options.

Why Independent Contractors Make Sense

It’s easy to understand the draw that outsourcing certain tasks has for business owners.

First of all, while you should work closely with an independent contractor, there are no employee-related expenses; no training costs, health care, vacation time, or sick leave.

Additionally, in many cases, you will be working with and benefiting from the experience and insight of a team of specialists, rather than a single worker.

Outsourcing may also spare you business expenses. For example, perhaps you are interested in making some promotional and informational videos for your website. You could invest in expensive equipment, along with hiring someone with the proper know-how, or you could outsource the job to a video production company that already has the knowledge, experience, and the equipment.

Finally, outsourcing certain tasks can free you and your workers up to focus on the core areas of your business without pouring time and effort into peripheral tasks.

Making the Call

While outsourcing can be a good thing, it also has its drawbacks. Your project may not receive the focus it deserves, you lose a little bit of control over the timeframe, and you have less control over the quality of the finished product. Before deciding whether to outsource a task or operation, consider these questions.

Is it a Business-Critical Function?

Generally, anything that relates directly to the operation of your business should be handled in-house. For example, for some businesses, their social media marketing strategy is an essential part of their competitive advantage. In this case, a social media manager should likely be an in-house hire who shares your goals and vision for marketing campaigns.

However, duties like payroll, bookkeeping, and administrative tasks, though they don’t relate directly to the vision of your business, tend to take a significant toll on overall productivity. Outsourcing these tasks, rather than hiring in-house, makes sense for most businesses.

What Is Your Budget?

There may be a significant cost difference between a trained employee and an independent contractor. Oftentimes, if you’re shooting a single promotional video or you want to create an app, outsourcing the job may make the most sense because it will spare your business the expense of investing in expensive equipment and providing highly specialized training. On the other hand, independent contractors may charge a relatively high daily rate, making outsourcing less than ideal for long-term projects.

What Is Your Time Frame?

If you have a skills gap that needs to be filled quickly, then outsourcing makes sense. Rather than taking the time to go through the hiring and training process, you can hire an experienced professional who can hit the ground running.

In the end, whether or not you choose to outsource hinges on your timeframe for project completion, budgetary considerations, and how it will impact the efficiency and goals of your business. Using these as guidelines will help you choose the recruitment option that is right for your business.

Government Affairs Update

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As of this writing, President Biden is working to garner support for two major plans, a $2.3T infrastructure bill dubbed the American Jobs Plan announced in March and a $1.8T American Families Plan. The American Families Plan, if approved, would include: a national paid family and medical leave benefit similar to Massachusetts that would include a 12 year ramp up period; over $200B for two years of pre-K for every student; $109B for two years of community college, and grants to expand access for high-demand programs. The infrastructure plan would include: $479B for transportation infrastructure improvements to roads, bridges, public transit, Amtrak, electric vehicle production, and airports. The plan aims to spur job creation through projects designed to improve drinking water, update the electric grid, expand broadband access, and modernize buildings. It would also provide incentives for companies that manufacture products within the country, and calls for higher wages, with the President pitching a $15 minimum wage. Biden’s plans call for increasing the income tax rate for the top 1 percent of earners from 37 percent to 39.6 percent, along with higher tax rates on capital gains and dividends on individuals earning more than $1M, and eliminating other corporate tax provisions.

At the state level, Governor Baker set an end date of June 15, 2021 for the Commonwealth’s State of Emergency.  The Baker-Polito administration and state legislature each continue to work on a solution for the unemployment solvency issue facing the state and impacting small businesses across the Commonwealth.  On April 1, Governor Baker authorized $7B in borrowing in an effort to stabilize the state’s trust fund.  This law also limited the average rate hike to 18.5 percent; however, businesses are still seeing dramatic increases, even ones who kept full staff throughout the pandemic.  The state is set to receive billions from the federal government in recovery funds and the Chamber has joined with other business groups and most of the members of our legislative delegation in advocating that those funds be put into the UI trust fund to ease the burden on the business community. In other advocacy efforts, the Chamber was also part of a joint letter sent out in March to Energy Secretary Theoharides on the Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2030 and the need for a measured approach using available resources and we testified at a transportation hearing in support of Phase II of the Twin Cities Rail Trail project in the region.

While the State House continues to operate largely remotely, the state budget is operating on a normal timeline as opposed to the current fiscal year. The Governor released his $45.6B proposed budget in January. The House released their $47.716B proposed budget on April 14, while the Senate released their $47.6B proposed budget on May 11. Once the Senate debate wraps up, the budgets will head to conference committee where the two branches work out their differences on the budget. The Chamber has been working closely with members of the region’s delegation and several coalitions throughout the budget process to advocate for economic development priorities, support for the workforce development pipeline, and increases to funding that will aid in economic recovery for North Central Massachusetts and help the industries hit hardest by the pandemic.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Travis Condon, the Chamber’s public affairs manager, at (978) 353-7600, ext. 224; or via email at .