Military service has specific timeframes. After returning to civilian life, former service members are often interested in finding employment. For modern hiring managers, veterans are unique candidates with valuable life experience and a set of valuable skills to perform various professional tasks mentioned in job postings. However, only some companies understand how helpful these applicants can be. In this article, we will delve into the benefits of hiring veterans, the challenges these individuals face in civilian life, and how veteran hiring can impact the quality of work for other employees.
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Veterans are individuals who have left military branches after their service. Modern military personnel is a diverse group of professionals with many professional skills. According to statistics, 20% of the military personnel are African Americans, 9% are Latino Americans, and 15% are women. The Department of Veterans Affairs states that approximately 200,000 U.S. servicemembers leave the service and return home to start civilian life each year. Former military members actively begin looking for employment in various fields of work.
Despite the diverse benefits of hiring veterans, not all companies are eager to provide these applicants with a workplace and a comprehensive benefits package. In particular, not all employers understand how valuable these candidates can be, assuming they may be unable to adapt to the civilian workforce or adjust to civilian life. In reality, these companies are missing out on genuine veteran talent in the form of diverse perspectives and a unique set of skills.
Hiring veterans offers numerous advantages. In particular, a civilian job gains a whole set of valuable skills from a new employee, and the company can also expect unique benefits from the government.
Veterans understand how difficult it can be to find a suitable position, so they enhance their competitive edge by highlighting their most vital attributes. The following are the key advantages of why hiring veterans is one of the best decisions.
Frequently, veterans serve as leaders from an early age – often leading squads as early as 20 years old. It is something their peers in corporate civilian positions cannot boast about. They have years of hands-on experience in managing and training subordinates. Veterans know what it means to take responsibility, they know how to delegate authority, and they know how to make sure the team functions effectively.
Their analytical thinking ensures the efficient work of veterans. To accomplish assigned tasks, servicemen are trained to act as highly analytical individuals: they must first analyze information within tight deadlines before making judgments.
Servicemembers undergo basic training in problem-solving. These employees have teamwork skills and help guide the collective toward the intended goal. Research shows that veterans are skilled at guiding certain groups of employees through the entire process, from gathering information about the problem to choosing the right solution.
Veterans serve in challenging conditions and must maintain composure in any situation. Service members often possess healthy survival mechanisms such as meditation, physical exercises for concentration, and setting small goals to follow tasks. Veterans can make strategic decisions in highly stressful conditions, such as limited time, rapidly changing situations, etc.
The work ethic of ethic veterans is based on core values that are important for any company. These values include courage, bravery, responsibility, honor, honesty, initiative, respect for colleagues and superiors, and giving their all to their work. It is precisely why hiring veterans holds significant value for a company. They ensure excellent teamwork because they work diligently, show respect, and can be genuinely trusted.
Veterans are focused on personal growth. The benefits of hiring this category of employees lie in their accustomedness to undergoing strict training programs regularly. They can learn quickly, easily adapt to conditions, and follow instructions precisely. Veterans can easily and seamlessly acquire new skills and willingly take on new projects.
Service members most often work in teams. Future employees in the form of veterans are excellent team players because they understand that almost nothing can be achieved alone. The sense of loyalty and camaraderie among teammates is unmatched anywhere else but in the military.
Hiring veterans is highly beneficial for the company as these candidates offer a range of advantages. Non-veterans are unable to provide the company with additional benefits and more. Employers choose this category of applicants based on the following positive attributes.
Organizations can take advantage of a special federal program created by the government to encourage employers to hire former military personnel actively. In particular, one of the beneficial programs is the Special Employer Incentives (SEI), available to all companies that employ specific veterans for certain positions. The company will receive monetary compensation for hiring the employee and providing training.
Companies can avail themselves of various incentives. One of the most popular government offerings is the tax credit (WOTC) for hiring veterans. Depending on the state and the veteran hired, the organization can receive certain tax benefits.
Veterans can participate in SkillBridge programs. Under this initiative, military personnel can intern at a specific corporate workplace during their last 180 days of service in the army. In this situation, future veterans undergo training and gain valuable experience while the government provides their salary and benefits. The organization can hire a veteran for a period ranging from 6 weeks to 6 months, with the payment of wages not falling on the company. The government takes care of all these aspects.
Hiring veterans is also beneficial for the company culture and work environment. By adding former military personnel to their team, significant improvements can be achieved within the workforce. The key advantages include:
If a company has a specific corporate culture and the team adheres to accepted behavioral models and values, it positively impacts the work atmosphere. Hiring veterans whose values align with the organization’s goals is an excellent way to strengthen the company’s culture. For example, it is worth hiring veterans if your company values responsibility, teamwork, stress resilience, problem-solving skills, dedication, respect, and analytical thinking. Most employees want to work in a modern company with an established culture and accepted values.
The quality of work largely depends on the employees’ morale; if a company has a solid and cohesive team, job satisfaction and productivity increase. The higher the employees’ morale, the more engaged they are in the process. Veterans are truly committed individuals, not only during their military service but also in civilian work. Other employees who have not served in the military can learn from the approach of veterans. If a former military personnel is appointed to a leadership position, there is an excellent chance that they can increase the engagement and morale of other employees.
By hiring veterans, a company can create a truly diverse team of employees, each with their unique life experiences. Military personnel are skilled at working with and leading diverse groups of people, regardless of their ethnic, racial, gender, or socioeconomic background. Managers can attract top talent by having a vast pool of potential employees. Veterans can make the company more inclusive.
The valuable assets of veterans, such as their personal qualities and skills acquired during their military service, combined with the benefits mentioned above, can improve the efficiency and quality of work, thus positively impacting business profitability. Combined with special government programs, businesses can achieve heights previously inaccessible when hiring regular employees.
After completing their military service, veterans become part of the civilian workforce as they cannot return to the military. However, they need something to occupy themselves in civilian life. Since 2012, hiring veterans has significantly intensified. Job fairs and experienced hiring managers have become active in seeking military members. It is not only because they are all heroes but also because the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) published a report in 2012 explaining why veteran hiring is economically justified. Since then, much information has emerged about the benefits of hiring former military personnel. As a result, veteran hiring programs have been established, and the number of employed heroes has significantly increased, which is a cause for celebration.
Many military service members face problems upon returning home, often related to their health. Many veterans who have returned from Afghanistan or Iraq have experienced traumatic brain injuries, with one in five service members having suffered a concussion. In addition, they may face other issues such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Serving in the military carries both mental and physical consequences.
Upon returning home, many veterans seek jobs to reintegrate into society after service. Offering a dignified workplace is the most minor modern companies can do. At the same time, the company can gain much more benefits from hiring qualified candidates whose military experience and personal qualities can elevate productivity to new levels.
