Maximising impact for veterans employmentKey Enablers for Success

Area for Action Activities Factors for Success

Managing Expectations

Transition and change is often an uncomfortable process, full of unknowns, uncertainty and anxiety. One of the biggest challenges cited by employers looking to recruit service personnel is the expectations that individuals can have about the transition process; these may not match the reality of the civilian job market. For example: how they engage with civilian employers; how will their military experience be recognised, levels of pay and promotion available, importance of commercial experience, qualifications.

Some employers have lost great talent by not addressing the challenge.

• Conduct and disseminate employment research and insight gathering on sector opportunities, growth industries, roles and salary levels.

• Provide up to date information on business requirements.

• Participate in research, support employees to take part in case studies to demonstrate transition success stories.

• Participate in networking and mentoring opportunities for Service personnel in transition.

• Provide opportunities for placements; work experience or insight events for Service leavers

• Acknowledge that this is a continuing process – one that starts before an individual enters an organisation and continues once inside.

• Ensure that those who are delivering the messages are appropriately trained and have the right support in place.

• Learn from existing programmes, there is no need to reinvent the wheel – how does your organisations graduate programme address these challenges, can these policies be adopted for service leavers?

• Be realistic, open and involve a cross sector of departments in the process – the more you share your activity, the more likely you are to gain visibility and traction for development.

• Accept that not all individuals and organisations are a good fit for each other – a positive experience for both employer & service leaver doesn't always result in direct employment but can have added benefits such as an improved reputation, referral to other service leavers or innovation of practices for the future.

Skills Translation & Building a Civilian Narrative and Recognising the Gaps

Employers recognise that military personnel bring unique skills and attributes which are valuable to their business but often it's difficult to translate these skills into a civilian context. Candidates may be overlooked because they haven't articulated their experience and relevance to an employer and therefore the investment from an individual in their career narrative and in particular their CV is paramount form a very early stage. This needs to be supported by professional guidance, personal research through networking and an understanding of professional development throughout their military career.

For the employer identifying the skills gaps for service leaver entering their organisation, sector or for specific roles and the training they need to bridge the gap requires investment but lead to greater reward.

• Develop tools, workshops and guidance for service personnel to understand and adapt their own narrative to match employers' expectations.

• Engage Military personnel both prior to and during their transition to ensure they maximise military career opportunities relevant to roles in civilian context.

• Provide support and guidance to HR and hiring managers within organisations to help them understand military experience and ensure candidates are provided with the best opportunity to be successful in their applications.

• Participate in the generation of tools and frameworks to translate military: employers' skills, knowledge, experience and behaviour requirements.

• Recognise the investment needed to make this activity a success.

• Can the experience or research of others in similar sectors be leveraged

• Ensure you identify all the tangible benefits and outcomes involved in this type of exercise – so a clear benefits realisation can be achieved.

• Set up the framework to record, track and monitor outcomes – the investment upfront will pay dividends in the long term and make sure the activity is sustainable for the future.

• There isn't a one size fits all model and it has to be balanced with competing priorities for training budgets & needs across an organisation.

EMPLOYERS NETWORK#militaryisgoodforbusiness

Area for Action Activities Factors for Success

Awareness Raising & Transparency

Navigating a complex and ever changing careers market, places a significant barrier for military personnel who are entering the civilian workplace often for the first time. There is a clear need for quality information, which is easily accessible and a transparent process for applications to ensure that service personnel are NOT disadvantaged. Employers recognise they have a responsibility to make sure they have an open and accessible pathway that company information and application processes are clearly signposted in order to create a level playing field to those entering the civilian workplace.

• Create easy to access and engaging information online, in print & in person that assists job seekers to identify target industries, sectors and roles.

• Provide advice and guidance in support of applications such as CV reviews; and interview practice.

• Marketing – deliver relevant and targeted marketing campaigns which reflect the needs of employers and the current market place personnel are entering.

• Openly provide information and ensure existing and new initiatives are marketed & signposted.

• Be recognised as an employer of choice for military using your own employees as advocates – utilise recognition schemes such as the corporate covenant.

• Consider providing additional support to Service leavers as part of the standard recruitment pipeline.

• Use those who have already made the transition as advocates, give them a platform and support to share their experience BUT don't overuse them, their time or goodwill, rotate activities and be realistic about what they can achieve as part of their busy day job. Can they use company volunteer days to participate in activity?

• Find a military champion in the business to help support activity

• Change of practices in any organisation large or small can be challenging and senior or leadership buy in can be key to get things moving – so it's important to make sure that activity is visible, you can demonstrate a tangible benefit to the organisation e.g. reduction in recruitment costs, increased PR opportunities.

Leadership Buy In & Recognition of Business Benefits

Employers recognise that programmes, initiatives and recruitment activities that support military personnel entering and succeeding in civilian organisations need support of senior personnel within their business, to ensure activity is sustainable and has a long term impact for both the business and service leavers.

In order for organisations to capitalise on the investment made in attracting and recruiting military personnel, organisations need to create & sustain the right environment achieved by developing mechanisms to record and celebrate the success and the impact their presence has made on the business.

• Develop and promote tools which help business record and recognise the impact employing former military personnel have on their business.

• Encourage businesses to integrate measurement of KPI's associated with military transition programmes, SROI/ROI of employing military personnel.

• Provide a platform for sharing best practice, detailed case studies, and info on how to practically implement programmes.

• Provide forums for knowledge exchange.• Articulate the business case for employing former military personnel.• Recognise and record the impact on your business.• Share knowledge and best practice to create an environment where

wider business community can learn and improve on, their own experience of military engagement.

• Learn from other organisations who have already developed programmes and who are happy to share their experiences

• Establish what resources are available, is there a budget, be realistic about approach and if necessary build incremental steps for success

• Celebrate and communicate the role former military personnel have on and inside the business to employees, customers, stakeholders.

• Understand what drives change in your business – is a competitor benefiting from a military programme, could you create shared value with your supply chain by increasing or sharing the activity you are doing in this space.

• Are you looking for change agents, innovation, a new mind set - can you link military recruitment to high performing teams?

Networks

There is a strong correlation between those who have left the services and been through the transition process and a willingness to support others as they go through the process.

This is supported by an active community of individuals and employers who have created military networks and one to one connections to support the service leaver as they leave the military.

There is an opportunity to capitalise on the appetite to support military personnel which in turn benefits the business as well.

• Develop a framework & programmes of activities which facilitates active networks to connect, share, form and maintain relationships which are mutually beneficial. In particular connect Service leavers in transition, former military personnel who are already established in civilian roles; and employers.

• Provide practical advice and guidance to Service leavers about the benefits, of networking and how to optimise their approach.

• Recognise the role employees and organisations play in supporting internal and external military networks.

• Encourage employees to actively create, participate, and integrate military networks into the workplace.

• Make these networks and the opportunity for engagement visible and have different levels of participation available.

• Military personnel can be great agents for change.

• Make sure that there are opportunities and activities for non military to engage and participate. A great military network should be inclusive and help to drive engagement across the business not reinforce silos.

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