If you’re hoping to benefit from the incredible skills veterans bring to the workplace, it’s important to make sure you have the workplace to support them. Here are some tips to help you get started.
Promote a Culture of Awareness
Are you leaders equipped to manage veterans? If they’re struggling, it might be time to start raising awareness for the unique challenges ex-military personnel face. Even if they’re not struggling, awareness-raising initiatives can foster a greater sense of belonging in the workplace, and they’re simple enough to do.
Hosting internal talks and panel discussions can be a great way to educate your people and give your veterans a platform to share their experiences (if they want to).
Revamp Your Policies
Veteran-friendly company policies are crucial, and having them can unlock more opportunities for your business. For example, in the UK, offering 10 days of paid leave for reservists is a requirement for the government’s gold award on the employer recognition scheme.
Likewise, access to the Veteran Employer Partnership Program (VEEP) in the US requires employers to have development initiatives in place to support their workforce. You can find out more about the opportunities on offer here: Department of Veteran Affairs.
Policies like training leave, guaranteed interviews for veterans, dedicated mental health coverage, and post-deployment support are all great examples of what a company can introduce to improve its forces-friendly infrastructure.
Veteran-friendly policies not only contribute to a more inclusive company culture but they can also be used to attract talent to the business in the first place.
Employee Engagement Groups (EEGs)
Employee-led engagement groups, when they’re given the freedom to thrive, can be a fantastic way to build a stronger sense of community in the workplace. EEGs serve as platforms for veterans to share their experiences, learn, grow, and offer their mentorship.
That said, an EEG is whatever your employees decide to make it – it’s employee-led after all. Typically, you can find EEGs organising regular meetups, hosting internal events, raising awareness, fundraising, mentoring the wider business, and even developing scholarship programs (like they do at the Bank of America).
It’s worth noting that EEGs tend to work best when:
· They’re optional
· They don’t increase someone’s workload
· They get buy-in from senior leadership (ideally, this includes budget allocation)
Partner with Veteran-Friendly Vendors
From sponsoring events to joint fundraising ventures, partnering with veteran-friendly employees can build out your network and help you connect with like-minded employers. If you want to be veteran-friendly, it’s worth networking with partners who share your commitment.
Now more than ever, top candidates are searching for opportunities that align with their value systems – it’s a large driving force behind the rise of the B Corp movement (a movement that Ex-Military Careers are proud to be a part of).
Your veteran-friendly status can’t just show up in your marketing, it needs to show up in every decision you make, including your partnerships.
Bespoke Onboarding Opportunities
This point is especially prevalent if hiring veterans who are moving into a civilian role for the first time – the onboarding process must be a smooth one. According to one study, 64% of new employees leave a job within a year due to a bad onboarding process.
For veterans (who often face added pressure due to the complexities of transitioning out of the military), this part of the recruitment process cannot be overlooked.
It’s worth tailoring your onboarding to suit the specific needs of your veteran hires. For example, you might want to use this opportunity to direct your new employee to helpful resources inside the company (such as EEGs and policies). If you’re able, having a veteran assist you with this can make all the difference.
Avoid Micromanagement
Veterans are natural leaders. Micromanagement (or worse, helicopter management) is a fast-track method of destroying trust. If you can set clear expectations and objectives and provide the means necessary for your team to work and grow, you should be able to grant veterans the autonomy they need to thrive.
Hoping to retain your top veteran talent? We know that it can be tough to get right. Ex-Military Careers is here to support you. Contact us today for more advice on how to create a veteran-friendly workplace that works for all of your employees.
