Supporting Veterans and their Families in Your Workplace

Veterans and military families often rely on their employers to help them adjust to their “new normal.” Your organization may have team members who have started a new phase of service, recently returned from service, or still feel the impact of service daily.

Balancing this adjustment with the day-to-day demands of their job can be a heavy weight to bear. That’s why creating a supportive environment can make a difference in helping our veterans and their family members thrive—both personally and professionally.

Recognizing Military Service in the Workplace

We asked Shayla Davis, United States Army veteran and AssuredPartners employee, about the personal impact of military recognition in the workplace. Here’s what she had to say.

“As veterans, the experiences we’ve faced in the military have shaped how we tackle problems, how we collaborate with our colleagues, and how we value our team’s mission. To have our service recognized in the workplace validates those experiences and shows that our company acknowledges the unique and diverse perspectives we bring to the table.”

Military veterans and their families bring a wealth of experience, leadership, and unique skillsets to your organization, yet transitioning from military to corporate life can be challenging. As an employer, you can create a culture that respects their contributions and actively supports their continued success.

• Recognizing Service. Building a company culture that brings forward veteran recognition throughout the year, not just on Veterans Day, is key. Highlighting service with internal communications, events, or spotlight stories can demonstrate the value your organization places on military service.
• Creating Community. Developing a Veteran Resource Group, or VRG, can foster a safe and understanding community where veterans, or their loved ones, can come together for mentorship, support, and advocacy. These groups can be highly valuable to those who wish to share their experiences with others who understand what they’ve gone through.
• Enhancing Education. It’s normal for many team members to not fully understand military culture or all the challenges veterans and military families face when returning from service. Educating team members about some of these challenges through workshops or team events can create a more understanding and inclusive work environment – and can be a way to celebrate the sacrifices and service your veteran employees have given.

Providing Support to Military Families

Lucy Hamrick, a proud military family member and AssuredPartners employee, had this to say about the importance of supporting active and retired military family members.

“Supporting military families means standing for a cause bigger than yourself. When my brother-in-law was deployed this past year, my dad put it best; ‘When one of us is deployed, we are all deployed’.

Our family has understood after 3 deployments, it is not just about the one serving overseas; the deployment extends to everyone who loves them. We took on whatever tasks were necessary to ensure that my sister and her children never felt alone, not even for a second. No single person should ever carry the weight of service on their shoulders.

While our loved ones fight for our freedom, we as a society are entrusted with the honorable duty of uplifting, encouraging, and providing comfort to those at home. Beyond the actual deployment, supporting military families on an everyday basis means being a steady presence, an extra shoulder to cry on, and a cheerleader on the sidelines, because ‘love has no limits, and it has no fear’ (Thee Sacred Souls, 2022).”

As an employer, you serve as an extension of the support system that military members and their families count on. While support may look different in every circumstance, here are some ways that your organization can provide support.

Design Flexible Leave Policies.

While there are federal regulations that apply to military leave scenarios, creating a workplace culture that includes military specific leave policies can provide increased flexibility for military members and their families to adjust to new relocations or deployments.

Communicate resources.

Provide information about your organization’s EAP program for those that would like personalized assistance with the adjustments their making.

Hiring and Retaining with Purpose.

The Wounded Warriors Project reported that many warriors don't know how to leverage their military experience, finding that 37% of unemployed warriors had difficulty translating military skills to the civilian workforce.

There are a few ways your organization can make veterans feel more empowered when applying to your organization.

• Review job descriptions to ensure they’re inclusive of military experience.
• Partner with organizations that specialize in helping veterans and their families with finding a career following relocation or the end of their service.
• Train your recruiters, onboarding teams, and professional development staff to recognize and understand common military structure and terminology.

In addition, the Department of Labor has also produced an updated edition of the Employer Guide for Hiring Veterans, a guide designed to help employers understand how to best hire veterans for their organizations.

Enhancing Service Recognition for Your Organization

Veterans and their families can provide your organization with unique perspectives and skillsets that can help you grow. Supporting and retaining is not only an investment in skillsets and leadership, but it also strengthens your company culture to help move your organization forward.