The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission is a state agency that serves all who are employed in Virginia, helping navigate claims and resolve disputes under the commonwealth’s Workers’ Compensation Act. Among the people the agency assists are injured workers, victims of crimes and employers. For the fifth year in a row, the Richmond-based agency has been named a Top Workplace, an honor that VWCC Executive Director Evelyn McGill attributes to her employees’ dedication, talent and continual efforts at improvement.
Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission
Evelyn McGill, Executive Director
How do you feel your workplace culture contributes to your company being named a Top Workplace?
Over the years we’ve spent a lot of time promoting our core values. We want to have a respectful workforce, exhibit strong integrity, be accountable for our work, treat each other in an impartial manner, and be effective in what we do each and every day.
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How do you ensure employees feel heard, valued and supported in their roles while fostering open communication at all levels of the organization?
We have town halls every quarter with our entire team. You can ask any question, make any suggestion and express any concern that the leaders need to hear. In addition to that, we have a suggestion box open all the time on our intranet. We get suggestions frequently, and probably 85 to 90% of them have been implemented. There is always an opportunity to provide information, ask a question or tell us how we can do better.
Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission
Philanthropic support is important to your organization. Why is supporting organizations important for businesses like yours, and how does corporate social responsibility influence your employees?
We set ourselves up to reach out to our community and share some of the blessings that we have been fortunate to have in the commission. Our major clientele needs help, so we have a soft spot for our community. Our employees have a gigantic heart. Both internally and externally, we’re committed to serving the community and those in need.
Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission
Why is it important for your organization to have a workforce that reflects a variety of perspectives and backgrounds?
Most of our success is because we have a very diverse work culture. Some people look at DEI as Black and white. Our definition has never been just that. It’s been men-women, rural-urban, young-old. When you have different perspectives at a table, it enriches the thought process and ensures that decision-making addresses the needs of the entire organization.
