Our shared experiences as Americans have taught us that many different attitudes towards the military exist. Part of these narratives may include stereotypes of the average Veteran portrayed in the media as tightly coiled and violent or suffering from PTSD. These stereotypes could not be further from the truth.
There are several attributes that hiring managers should know about our military-
trained men and women and what they can bring to an organization. In fact, many companies promote initiatives around hiring Veterans because of the important workforce skills that they bring.
THEY WILL DIVERSIFY YOUR WORKPLACE
Hiring veterans has been considered an honorable way to thank them for their service, but now more than ever, we understand that their values and experiences bring a new dynamic to an organization. Including veterans’ unique perspective and contribution is a rewarding opportunity to diversify our workplaces with high performing talent who bring value to the workforce and make a difference in business outcomes and results.
THEY GAINED LEADERSHIP SKILLS EARLIER THAN MOST
Only 0.4% of Americans currently serve in the military, so bringing on men and women who have gone through rigorous teamwork efficiency training offers your team a rare combination of reliability and proven soft skills.
Additionally, vets have often had leadership experience early, between the ages of 18-24, where they developed deep organizational and team-building skills.
“As a veteran, we are used to change, transitions, obstacles, and bumps in the road. We pick up and move our families around the world at the drop of a hat and have become adaptive and resilient during the process.” Miles says.
THEY THRIVE IN CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS
Thanks to their experiences in the armed service, many veterans enter the US job market with a strong and varied skill set that is inherently designed to be malleable. They had primary and secondary jobs in the military, so someone who fixed tanks for their occupational specialty may have also sidelined as an inspector, recruiter, or instructor, to gain a well-rounded skillset.
Chris Miles, an ADP Veteran Employment Program Manager, and US Army Veteran explains, “Most veterans will change positions in the military every 18 to 36 months, so we are very adept at taking on new roles and have numerous stretch assignments during our careers. We pick up and move our families around the world at the drop of a hat and have become adaptive and resilient during the process.”
THEY HAVE UNPARALLELED MISSION-DRIVEN VALUES
“The military gives you a true sense of purpose and builds you into who you are, so when you come out you have these very strong values that you bring to the corporate world,” said Harris Morris, Senior Director for the Veteran’s Initiative at ADP. “When you get out of the military, that true sense of purpose you had is lost, and you desperately are looking for a way to fill that void.”
“Veterans are very mission-focused,” explains Morris. “And if you give them the mission and give them some broad parameters to operate within, they will always over-deliver.”
THEY ARE MORE THAN THEIR STEREOTYPES
Veterans face a life-altering transition as they phase out of military life and find their place in a corporate environment. These challenges are often not the ones that are portrayed in film and television.
In reality, the struggles are a combined set of unique, subtle paradigm shifts from the highly structured parameters of a military career to the more freestyle and individualized elements of corporate work. ADP has set a national standard for nurturing veteran talent during this fundamental transition.
“In one of my roles prior to ADP, I had multiple managers say they wouldn’t hire former military because they wouldn’t be a good ‘culture fit,’” said ADP Senior Talent Activation Specialist – and military spouse – Jen Stipp. “When I asked them to explain why, they would typically refer to veterans as ‘too rigid,’ not flexible,’ or ‘too harsh.’ It’s unfortunate, but that bias may still exist.”
THEY ARE WILLING TO GO THE EXTRA MILE
Kristofer Campbell, an ADP Sales Executive and former-enlisted Marine recalls his general impression of civilian lifestyle during his five years of service: “At that time in my life, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter were still in their early stages. I didn’t actually know anyone that worked in this specific profession. A corporate atmosphere was only something you heard about from family, friends, or movies.”
During his or her military service, a veteran learns to be part of a well-oiled machine designed to protect and serve their country. That means that, to a very real extent, in the service, a member of the military is always on duty and always on call. There aren’t truly any “days off” for anyone in the service or their families.
Morris remembers how one of his earliest job experiences out of the military delineated the stark differences between the world he had left and the world he was now entering. After a major hurricane knocked out electricity in much of New York and New Jersey, Morris called his manager to apologize for not being able to make it via train to the downtown office due to downed trees and offered to walk to a branch office about a mile away from his home to get some work done. However, his manager told him that workers were not expected to come in and such dedication wasn’t expected in the corporate environment.
“I realized at that point the difference between corporate America and the military – my experience from the military says the mission must get done, and that’s still how I was thinking about things,” Morris says.
TEAMWORK IS BUILT INTO THEIR DNA
While not every veteran was in the front lines of the infantry, they all decided to join the military and potentially endanger their lives so they could serve something more important than themselves. Which makes the transition to mainstream American working life, which has a strong element of individual success and drive built into its DNA, something of a culture shock. But that experience of a former life in the military – no matter how strongly the veteran identifies with it – also means that, with a little human understanding, a veteran can be a nearly ideal employee in nearly any position at a company with a strong culture.
For hiring managers looking to tap into this vast reservoir of veteran talent, there are hurdles to be met as with any potential hire. Interviewing a veteran, especially one fresh from the military, will be a little different from most interviews. Because of their experiences in the military, veterans are not used to talking about themselves as individuals, and are more comfortable talking about a greater “we.” So expect less of a hard sell, but remember the upside is that “we” is exactly the kind of mindset that leads to healthy work cultures. For the military veteran, feedback is always welcome, even thirsted for.
THEY ARE MORE LOYAL THAN MOST
Approximately 50% of veterans leave their initial civilian jobs before the first year, a sure sign that they are being placed in the wrong positions. With that said, veterans also stay in their first jobs 8.3% longer than non-veterans according to a recent LinkedIn Veteran Opportunity Report. Much of this has to do with veterans’ anxiety about taking the first acceptable job that comes their way, bad fit or not. After all, they have been conditioned to make the best of whatever situation they are in.
Many poor retention factors have to do with misunderstandings between hiring personnel, managers, and veterans. A little mutually beneficial understanding during those initial interviews can go a long way towards unpacking a veteran’s potential to enhance a given company’s workforce.
Diali E. Coll-Mercado served in the US Army for 18 years before rededicating her career with ADP. “After several tough interviews, and negotiation with my commander, the US Army was willing to allow me to end my deployment a few months early to start my employment with ADP and the GSO,” says Coll-Mercado, who now works as a Global Security Organization (GSO) Public Safety Manager. “GSO was very understanding of the process I had to go through to demobilize, get back home, transition back into my home life, retire early from my other employer and start working at ADP.”
THEY EXCEL IN COMPANIES WITH VETERANS INITIATIVES
ADP and their Veterans Initiatives team have worked diligently to create resources to facilitate a smoother transition for their veteran hires. Learning from the experiences of employees like Morris, ADP has committed to recruiting, training, and onboarding Veterans. From their mentorship program to a robust Military Business Resource Group, veterans and military spouses at ADP have found unparalleled solace in these communities and the values that drive them.
“At first, it was a bit overwhelming thinking of pursuing a career outside of what I was used to,” Campbell recalls. “ADP has a very friendly environment which made it a lot easier to transition. Over time I was able to make the change from being a lone wolf and attempting to do, learn, and try everything myself to partnering with others and being open to new ways of succeeding.”
“I knew that at some point, my husband was going to get orders to relocate, and it was highly likely he’d be stationed in an area where there wasn’t an ADP location,” says Stipp. “I reached out to the Director of Veterans Initiatives at ADP to ask for guidance. I was ecstatic when I was told that my request to be home shored was approved.! “I know how fortunate I was to be able to relocate and keep my job.”
“Leading our Veterans BRG makes my work at ADP even better,” Campbell says. “I’m excelling at my core position and I have something else very special inside ADP – a group that I can go to with a meaningful shared purpose. Through community events, we are able to help other Veterans who are not yet transitioned or maybe having a hard time. Giving back in this way is important for me.”
“The corporate environment at my OneADP Orlando office although primarily focused on mission completion, allows associates to destress or break off from the work,” says Coll-Mercado. “There are yoga days, massages, you can work out in the gym facilities on your break, and you can join a BRG (Business Resource Group) and get involved in their activities. There are also days when the entire building is supporting a particular cause. It really gives you purpose.”
BRGs, in particular, are especially important for transitioning military veterans, and in helping them gain traction in focusing on finding their new “big picture.”
Little picture details get addressed, too. “What are subtle nuances in a corporate setting that veterans may not be aware of?” Harris ponders. “When military members move from duty station to duty station, they are provided a detailed checklist to tell them all the ‘onboarding’ items they must do and they have a buddy assigned who helps them through the process. When veterans arrive at a new job, they are definitely looking for this type of checklist experience, but onboarding processes vary drastically in corporate settings, and it is definitely different from the military. A great for instance would be that veterans don’t know to go order business cards because they’ve never carried one.” The accrual of little details like this quickly compounds during a time of extreme transition.
“The ADP Team is embedded with the military community so the outreach and support felt very natural and gave me a comfort level immediately,” says Miles. “The NANO program was amazing and helped break down the structure, culture, and climate of the organization.”
“Once I joined ADP in early 2016, I was thrilled to become a member of the El Paso Military Strong & Allies BRG,” Stipp adds. “I finally found a place that not only valued my professional background but also supported me from a personal perspective as a military spouse. I felt like I belonged.”
“I love ADP. The company has treated me so well, not only personally but professionally, all the way around,” Campbell adds. “We’re encouraged to grow, to fly. We can be ourselves. And, if we need help, there is always someone here to help you. We’re a family.”
As for ADP, Morris says, “We are a human capital management company, and that’s what I’ve done my whole life. It’s about taking care of people. It’s about making sure they have the things they need to succeed. Veterans have the skills needed to be successful in the workplace: teamwork, leadership, ability to learn new things, and resilience – who would not want people with these skills on their team?”
SOURCES:
“15 Things Veterans Want You to Know,” Author Unknown, PsychArmor
