Hiring Veterans: Maximizing the Potential of Veteran Talent

Hiring veterans of military service is more than a gesture of gratitude; it’s a strategic investment in proven skills and qualities that can drive success and innovation.

Veterans provide unique contributions to the workforce, making hiring a veteran a smart and strategic business move.

Strengths of Veterans

Veterans bring with them a unique set of skills, experiences, and values that not only enrich our workplaces but can also contribute significantly to the broader goals of diversity and inclusion.

• Leadership: Excelling under pressure and making critical decisions.
• Adaptability: Thriving in diverse environments and quickly adjusting to any environment.
• Discipline: Unwavering commitment, exceptional work ethic, and meticulous attention to detail.

Hiring veterans can elevate an organization’s performance, efficiency, and overall success.

Unique Attributes of Veterans

Beyond traditional strengths, veterans possess distinct qualities that enhance the workplace:

• Commitment: Veterans understand the value of hard work and perseverance. They are used to high-stress situations where the outcome often hinges on their commitment to the task. This work ethic translates seamlessly into their civilian careers, driving them to consistently deliver the best.
• Teamwork: Veterans are instilled with a collaborative spirit and commitment to the mission.
• Global Perspective: Veterans are exposed to diverse locations and cultures.

This unique set of attributes fosters a culture of precision, excellence, and adaptability in the workplace.

Business Benefits of Hiring a Veteran

Hiring veterans goes beyond goodwill. There are tangible benefits associated with veterans in the workplace.

Demographic and Gender Diversity:

Veterans often represent a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and experiences. Additionally, the growing population of female veterans brings with them a wealth of skills, leadership, and unique perspectives.

Female veterans have broken barriers, shattered stereotypes, and excelled in roles that were once considered exclusively male-dominated. They’ve shown resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to excellence, mirroring the very qualities that make veterans valuable assets in the workplace.

Improved Innovation:

Diverse teams generate a broader range of ideas. Hiring veterans enhances this innovation by offering new worldviews to your teams.

Customer Relations:

Veterans often excel in client-facing roles making them valuable assets to your workforce.

Enhanced Reputation:

A commitment to hiring veterans can positively impact your company’s image.

Better Retention:

Veterans tend to stay longer with employers.

Overall, this strategic approach to hiring contributes to innovation, client relationships, reputation, and employee retention.

Strategic Business Map to Unlock Veteran Talent and Full Potential

In the pursuit of building a thriving and inclusive workplace, recognizing the unique strengths and needs of veterans is a strategic initiative. Beyond acknowledging their service, fostering a supportive environment and implementing effective hiring practices can unlock the full potential of veteran talent.

Hiring veterans not only benefits the veterans but your organization as well. To get the most out of this talent pool, you will need to provide the support and resources that will help them thrive.

Establishing Support Networks

Encouraging the formation of veteran-specific Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) serves as a cornerstone in creating a supportive workplace. These networks can provide a platform for veterans to connect, share experiences, and offer mutual support.

By fostering a sense of community, ERGs contribute to the overall well-being and professional development of veterans, acknowledging their unique journey and expertise.

Best Practices for Seamless Integration

Ensuring the successful integration of veteran talent requires a proactive and tailored approach that includes:

• Outreach Programs: collaborating with veteran-focused organizations facilitates a streamlined recruitment process. This opens avenues for targeted outreach, making the transition from military to civilian roles smoother and more effective.
• Skills Translation: assisting veterans in translating their military skills to civilian job requirements is an essential step in ensuring their expertise is fully utilized. Recognizing the transferability of their skills and providing guidance on how to articulate these skills in a civilian context facilitates a smoother transition into your workplace.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Promoting awareness and understanding among coworkers fosters a workplace culture that values diversity. This sensitivity extends beyond acknowledging military experience; it involves understanding the broader perspectives and experiences that veterans bring to your organization.

Providing resources to integrate veterans into your organization enhances collaboration, provides unique opportunities to strengthen your talent pool, and creates a positive company culture.

Company Tactics

Institutionalizing supportive policies is crucial for creating an environment that maximizes the potential of veteran talent.

Recruiting Strategies

Collaborating with organizations like the Military Spouse Employment Partnership and leveraging resources like the National Labor Exchange and the Department of Labor’s American Job Centers can streamline the process of hiring veterans. These partnerships connect organizations with a pool of skilled veteran talent, facilitating a more effective hiring process.

Military Spouse Employment Partnership:

The Military Spouse Employment Partnership is a targeted recruitment and employment solution for spouses of veterans and companies that:

• Connects corporate and non-profit organizations with military spouses representing ALL military services.
• Provides human resource managers with additional recruitment solutions.
• Prepares military spouses to become competitive, “job-ready” applicants.
• Connects military spouses with employers seeking the essential workforce skills and attributes they possess.

National Labor Exchange:

The National Labor Exchange provides a one-stop shop to find employment that opens career opportunities for those who prefer to work virtually. NLx is the only non-profit online labor exchange system in the U.S. to provide a way to list unduplicated, quality, real job opportunities for free.

Additionally, NLx is a labor exchange network launched in 2007 that collects and distributes job opportunities from employers of all sizes, to improve labor market efficiency. This platform is updated daily, and every employer is verified to ensure their validity.

A business must have at least five jobs listed on the corporate site to be indexed. To request indexing, businesses can fill out a request form.

American Job Centers:

American Job Centers/ CareerOneStop is sponsored by the Department of Labor. This site centralizes free online tools, information, and resources related to career, training, and job search needs.

Comprehensive American Job Centers Training:

Comprehensive American Job Centers/ CareerOneStop training provides a full array of employment and training-related services for workers, youth, and businesses.

Other Recruiting Resources:

Other great recruiting resources for hiring veterans include:

• Employer Support of the Guard and Reserves
• Hire Heroes
• Recruit Military

Flexible Policies/Adaptability for Veterans

Embracing flexible policies showcases a workplace that understands and supports veterans. Recognizing the unique circumstances of veterans allows for a work environment that accommodates their individual needs and fosters a supportive atmosphere.

Veteran Mentoring Program

Encouraging one-on-one relationships for personal and professional growth is a testament to an organization’s commitment to the development of employees. A veteran mentorship program provides guidance, support, and a bridge between military and civilian work cultures.

Supportive Work Environment

Initiatives for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) awareness, mental health support, flexible work arrangements, and education assistance programs contribute to a holistic approach. These policies go beyond hiring veterans and integrate ongoing support for veterans, recognizing that their needs may evolve.

Veterans Add Value to the Workplace

By incorporating these best practices and integrating supportive policies, organizations will not only honor the service of veterans but also tap into a rich source of diverse talents and experiences. This approach benefits the individuals within the organization as well as contributes to the overall success and resilience of the company in a dynamic and ever-evolving business landscape.

Welcoming veterans into the workforce is an investment in proven skills and qualities that drive success and innovation. Attributes such as leadership, adaptability, and discipline are underscored for their role in elevating organizational performance, improving innovation, enhancing customer relations, and promoting better retention.

HR Service, Inc. has the tools and resources you need to manage employees or deal with other HR concerns. Contact us to discover how we can help you build an HR infrastructure designed for growth and create a thriving company culture.

Prepared by: Sara Jacobs, Human Resources Business Partner (and veteran)