Nina Giovannelli Guest Blog: Veterans at Work – Helping on the Home Front

Friday, 11. 9. 2007  –  Category: All Blog Posts, Employee Retention

The Kronos Marketing Department recently packed and shipped 175 care packages to Company H in Baghdad where one of our family members is serving in the infantry.

As we honor the veterans of wars past and present this weekend, we offer you a new article entitled Supporting Our Troops and Our Employees that highlights organizations’ legal obligations for their employees who are on active duty, as well as insights about organizations considered the best in the country for these employees.

Many companies proactively seek out men and women who have served in the military due to their willingness to relocate frequently (domestically and internationally), their ability to perform in physically demanding environments, and their familiarity with highly complex equipment, machinery or technology. They display qualities that any organization can leverage to great advantage, for example:

• Sense of urgency: These men and women are comfortable with a fast pace and the need to make rapid decisions even without perfect information.   They’ve developed the focus to stay on task until completion.  They are trained to think on their feet and be responsive to changing conditions.

• Leadership: They are trained to lead by example as well as through direction and motivation.  Especially as they move up the ladder, they are trained to be leaders and to manage for results.  While they are comfortable in leadership roles, they also understand the importance of being accountable up and down the chain of command.   

• Attitude: They typically have a positive, “can-do” attitude.  They are trained to solve problems and remain calm in stressful situations.   They have a strong work ethic and commitment to the team.  They execute orders well, communicate results, and understand the importance of being reliable.

Where to find employees with military experience

Because of privacy concerns, there isn’t a central database of veterans that the military makes available to private employers. To hire veterans, go to GIJobs.net, the local ESGR committee, and your local reserve center.  Other resources include job banks and services such as HireVetsFirst.gov, RecruitArmy.com, VetJobs.com, and Vets4Hire.com.   

Author Nina Giovannelli is a senior marketing professional at Kronos, Inc. and a member of the Workforce Institute.

Tags: military, userra