As the corporate world increasingly recognizes the unique value of Veteran hiring, the need for HR departments to understand this rich talent pool intensifies. Veterans bring a wealth of experience and skills from their military service that benefit civilian corporate roles.
We'll uncover the hard and soft skills these dedicated employees honed in high-pressure environments and their challenges in today’s workplace environment.
The unique value of hiring Veterans
Veterans possess many strong attributes, like discipline, leadership, problem-solving skills, and adaptability, that support positive team dynamics and enhance corporate culture. The self-control, direction aptitudes, problem-tackling capacities, and flexibility of Veterans are valuable resources for any field. How do these skills transition to the corporate world?
Recognizing the skillset Veterans bring to civilian jobs
Studies published by the RAND Corporation attribute widespread Veteran competencies, such as resilience, strategic planning, and teamwork, to their military training. These qualities are highly sought after in the corporate world but are often overlooked by hiring teams who cannot bridge the gap between Veteran experience and corporate roles.
Paul A. Dillon, a certified management consultant at Dillon Consulting Services LLC and adjunct professor at Sanford School of Public Policy, teaches Veteran and public policy issues courses. According to Dillon, the ability to pivot quickly when plans aren’t working is a commonly overlooked Veteran skill set.
“Most people think about military service as the rigidity of following orders. What’s missing is how the military teaches you to think and act flexibly. If your battle plan isn't working, you pivot immediately to a plan that does. You must be quick and think on your feet—or you risk defeat. Flexibility and immediate action are key.”
Beyond success in their individual roles, Veteran team members uplift other members and improve the overall team dynamic.
Enhancing team dynamics with Veteran hires
The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs reports that Veterans' diverse perspectives and experiences foster an environment conducive to growth and innovation within the team dynamic.
Sarah Watson, Chief Operating Officer at BPTLAB, sees Veterans lead by example in their unmatched resilience, dedication, and discipline. “These attributes motivate others on the team and foster a competitive yet harmonious work environment,” Watson says.
For Dillon, leading and functioning as a team stands out. “The Armed Forces are built on the ‘buddy system.’ Nobody accomplishes the mission alone. You work with all races, creeds, genders, backgrounds, and persuasions and weld all of these disparate interests into a fighting force to defeat the enemy. Service in the military makes you understand the concept of ‘teamwork’ perfectly,” says Dillon.
“And as an officer, you learn how to lead a team to accomplish the mission. If you can't forge your troops into an effective fighting force, you're mustered out of the service quickly. There's no margin for error.”
Recognizing the value of Veterans
Veterans possess a wide range of capabilities, including leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving proficiency, that can benefit businesses. Companies can benefit from these skills by actively recruiting and hiring Veterans. By understanding the challenges Veterans face and providing support, companies can help Veterans successfully transition into the civilian workforce and thrive in their new careers.
Incentives for hiring Veterans
Want to recruit top talent for your company? Consider hiring Veterans. Not only can Veterans provide a unique set of abilities and knowledge, but fiscal benefits are also available.
Financial benefits for hiring Veterans
The federal government offers a Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to employers who hire Veterans. Employers may be eligible for tax relief through the WOTC program when they hire Veterans, which could help cover some of the expenses associated with onboarding and training. Some states also offer additional financial incentives for hiring Veterans.
Additional Resources
Resources for hiring Veterans
Want to hire Veterans? You're in luck. Plenty of resources are available to help you find and retain top Veteran talent.
Organizations dedicated to supporting Veteran employment
Check out the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) or Hiring Our Heroes for comprehensive support in recruiting and retaining Veteran employees.
Government programs for hiring Veterans
At Maximus, we are a tax credit vendor that helps companies maximize their tax credits from government programs designed to encourage hiring from targeted populations. The U.S. government’s Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is just one example of a Veteran tax benefit available for employers—there are many more.
Find Veteran candidates
Our MAXOutreach program helps companies reach a diverse pool of tax credit-eligible employment candidates. Our technology and services help companies target job openings to diverse candidate pools and geographical locations, track outreach and job distribution activity, and access community organization networks.
Veteran hiring brings unique value to companies by recognizing the skillset Veterans bring and the enhanced team dynamics among diverse Veteran teams.
To ensure the best outcomes for all, employers must understand common transition challenges Veterans face and create supportive environments for smooth transitions. Incentives like tax credits and grants can be used to recruit Veterans, along with training programs designed specifically for Veteran recruits.
Success stories of Veteran employment initiatives showcase positive impacts on businesses and employees. At the same time, resources such as organizations dedicated to assisting vet employment and government schemes promoting vet recruitment can also support these efforts. Maximus helps you support Veterans by connecting you with federally funded Veteran hiring incentives with WOTC. Download our infographic to learn the hidden financial benefits of hiring Veterans.
