Even during challenging economic times, VA has added to its workforce and is poised to continue growing, according to Jessica Bonjorni, chief officer of human capital management at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
Bonjorni recently joined Mike Owens, VHA marketing specialist, for “Talk About It Tuesday,” a weekly broadcast on LinkedIn.
VHA’s workforce grew by 4% over last year, during a time when the COVID-19 pandemic caused layoffs, furloughs and salary reductions in private sector health care.
“If you think about the size of our workforce, just to grow by 4%, we have to hire tens of thousands of people annually just to keep pace,” Bonjorni said. “Veterans are continuing to rely on VA more and more for their care, so we’re going to keep growing.”
The pandemic has also forced employers to adjust how and where work gets done. VA has risen to the challenge, expanding telework and providing more support for working parents, Bonjorni said. She predicts a larger portion of the VA workforce will continue working remotely in the future.
“It’s going to expand our ability to think more broadly about how our workforce is structured geographically. COVID has really forced us to push the boundaries on what kind of work can be done remotely,” she said.
Bonjorni also discussed:
- Types of positions that are in high demand.
- Skills that VA is seeking.
- Diversity of the VA workforce.
- Expanded commitment to telehealth.
In her current role, Bonjorni has a wide set of responsibilities that involve all aspects of human resources, including hiring, workforce management, leadership development, training and organizational development.
“[I’m] really making sure that we’re managing our workforce and bringing in the next generation of the workforce that we need in order to serve Veterans at VA,” Bonjorni said.
The mission of serving Veterans, while being personally challenged in a leadership role, is what brought Bonjorni to VA almost five years ago.
“No day is the same as the day before. We really get to challenge ourselves in a new way every day,” she added.
You can catch the next “Talk About It Tuesday” broadcast on VA’s LinkedIn page every Tuesday at 12pm ET. Subjects range from career advice and resume tips to insights on VA culture. Feel free to leave a comment on the live feed and join the conversation!
Work at VA
If you’re looking for a clinical or non-clinical health career, consider VA. Positions are open across the nation in all capacities in more than 1,200 facilities.
- WATCH the Q&A with Jessica Bonjorni.
- SEARCH for a job opening.
- FOLLOW VA Careers on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Glassdoor.
- CHOOSE VA at www.VAcareers.va.gov.
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