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New Marching Orders:What Employers Need to Know About Veteran Candidate Preferences

3 New Marching Orders: What Employers Need to Know About Veteran Candidate Preferences

1 www.military.com, https://www.military.com/about-us/press-release/2018/transition-app-features-additional- information-military-spouses-disabilities.html (accessed August 2, 2018).

2 Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Economic Situation of Veterans Summary, March 22, 2018,” https://www.bls.gov/news.release/vet.nr0.htm (accessed August 2, 2018).

3 Edelman, 2018 Veterans Well-Being Survey, https://www.edelman.com/post/2018-edelman-veterans-well- being-survey (accessed August 1, 2018), 3.

Introduction With approximately 250,000 active-duty service members transitioning

to civilian life every year, veterans are a highly skilled and motivated

candidate pool that employers cannot afford to overlook in today’s tight

talent market.1 The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports there are more than

370,000 unemployed veterans.2

Although veteran unemployment is at its lowest point in the last two

decades, veterans also are hiding in plain sight as passive candidates.

A recent study found that 43 percent of employed former service

members believe that their employers do not take full advantage

of their skills and experiences.3

As the leading global workforce solutions company, ManpowerGroup

Solutions helps organizations close talent gaps and take practical steps

to make real progress in recruiting and retaining qualified candidates.


https://www.bls.gov/news.release/vet.nr0.htm

https://www.bls.gov/news.release/vet.nr0.htm

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We asked:

What we learned is that although many companies have made great strides with recruiting and welcoming veterans into their organizations, veterans’ motivations are changing rapidly, and their job-search behaviors are following suit.

This report explores what employers need to know about veterans and how they can position themselves to successfully recruit and retain veterans.

Employers have made strides on veterans and reducing cultural biasIn 2017, ManpowerGroup Solutions reported that veterans were 50 percent more likely than average U.S. candidates to identify cultural bias as a significant challenge when making career decisions. Common aspects of cultural bias included the inability to translate military skills and experience into a civilian hiring context, language barriers, military versus corporate culture, stigma associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a perceived lack of education.

The number of veterans reporting cultural bias as a career challenge has dropped from 18 percent to 12 percent in the last year. Veterans are now at parity with all U.S. candidates who report experiencing cultural bias of one kind or another (12 percent).

2,500candidates in the U.S.

Survey focused on U.S. military veteran candidates

Candidates shared what matters most to them in the job-search process

VETERAN CANDIDATE PREFERENCES SURVEY

We asked over

How and where do you look for jobs?

What motivates you in your career?

What causes you to switch jobs?

What turns you off about potential employers?

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We hear from employers that veterans are often highly trainable with an exceptional work ethic and dedication to their job. Typically, veterans are excellent leaders and role models for others within the company.

Angela Schwingle, Senior Training Specialist, ManpowerGroup Solutions

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Increased importance of brand, schedule flexibility and benefitsPriorities are shifting for veterans. Although compensation and type of work remain of top concern, company brand, schedule flexibility and benefits offered have significantly increased in importance during the last year. The most significant increase relates to the importance of schedule flexibility, which has doubled from 17 percent to 34 percent. The importance of a company’s brand/reputation has also increased from 15 percent to 21 percent.

Veterans are significantly more likely than average to want choice and flexibility in work shifts (20 percent) and the opportunity to work compressed shifts (15 percent). However, the No. 1 type of schedule flexibility preferred by veterans is full-time work from home or location independence (23 percent).

The importance of benefits has also increased for veterans. When asked what type of benefits were most desired, veterans agree with all candidates in desiring paid health insurance (56 percent) and financial education and savings plans (36 percent). Veterans are especially interested in support for continuing education (33 percent) and perks that help them maintain their physical fitness, such as gym passes and on-site exercise facilities (20 percent versus 14 percent among U.S. candidates generally).

Not all the stigma associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

and a perceived lack of education has been removed. Veterans are

twice as likely as candidates generally to say disability discrimination

is a personal career challenge (12 percent versus 6 percent). A recent

survey found that most employers still believe that veterans have

relatively low levels of personal health and well-being.4

Veterans Who Report Cultural Bias as a Career Challenge

2016-2017

2017-2018

18%

12%

2017-20182016-2017

22%

15% 17%

31%

42% 41%

58% 63%

16%21%

34% 34%37%

51% 52%55%

Top Three Career Decision Criteria for Veterans

Industry Schedule Flexibility

Geographic Location

Benefits Offered

Type of Work

CompensationOpportunity for Advancement

Brand/Reputation of Company

4 Edelman, 2018 Veterans Well-Being Survey, https://www.edelman.com/post/2018-edelman-veterans-well-being-survey (accessed August 1, 2018), 2.

Veterans value working out and physical fitness. It is an important part of their routine during their service. Having that similar structure can be comforting and a good source of stress relief as they transition into civilian life and private-sector employment.

Ryan Stultz, Program Delivery Manager, Experis

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Vets use niche and mainstream sites to search for jobsVeterans use a wide range of websites in their job search. In the past year, Indeed.com has risen from a ranking of fifth place among veterans to No. 1; usage has risen significantly from 19 percent to 33 percent. LinkedIn and Monster.com remain strong among vets, and the Monster.com targeted veteran website, Military.com, is the most utilized of the specialty job search sites for former service members.

U.S. Average Veterans

5 ManpowerGroup, “Solving the Talent Shortage: 2018 Shortage Survey,” 7.

Job Search Websites Visited by Veterans Over the Past Two Weeks

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Benefits Preferred by Veterans

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35%

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21%17%

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2%

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2%6%

1%

NOWHIRING


The Academy of Advanced Manufacturing According to the ManpowerGroup 2018 Talent Shortage Survey, manufacturing technicians are the seventh hardest to fill role in the United States.5 It is estimated that employers spend between $65,000 and $145,000 to recruit and hire technicians, and the positions often go unfilled for years.

To close this talent gap, ManpowerGroup partnered with Rockwell Automation, Inc., in August 2017 to form the Academy of Advanced Manufacturing (AAM) — a training program aimed at placing veterans in high-skill technical jobs. Based on the needs of employers and veterans, the program customizes and condenses Rockwell’s six-month Engineer and Training program into an intensive 12-week course, which includes industrial automation principles, troubleshooting, network architecture and instrumentation.

The program draws on what veterans learned in the military and their aptitude for similar training and augments it with professional skills training for the business world. It also works closely with veterans’ service organizations to support the transition to civilian life.

During training, participating employers are invited to present their companies and job opportunities to the students and begin building relationships with them. At the program’s conclusion, successful students are placed with industry-leading manufacturing employers.

By the end of 2018, AAM will have trained approximately 100 individuals with a 95 percent graduation rate. Eighty-five percent of graduates are placed at companies in automation.

CASE STUDY

6 ManpowerGroup,”Add to Cart: Candidates Are Consumers, Too,” 3. https://www.manpowergroupsolutions.com/candidatepreferences/consumers-as-candidates.html

… employers spend between $65,000 and

$145,000 to recruit and hire technicians,

and the positions often go unfilled for years.

By the end of 2018, the American Academy of

Manufacturing will have trained approximately

100 individuals with a 95 percent graduation rate.

Eighty-five percent of graduates are

placed at companies in the automation industry.

Manufacturing technicians are the

seventh hardest to fill role

in the United States.

Veterans understand that choosing manufacturing as a career can be viewed as an extension of their military service. America needs a strong manufacturing industry. Sustaining it relies on a pipeline of talent, and veterans can be that talent.

Annie Gramann, AAM Program Manager, ManpowerGroup

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Veterans are more than candidates, they are consumersCandidate experience and employer brand have an impact beyond the halls of the HR department.6 They directly affect product brand, marketing and sales. Specifically, negative candidate experience makes individuals less likely to purchase an organization’s products or services. And they tell others about it, creating a ripple effect that can damage an employer’s reputation.

Veteran candidates are significantly more sensitive to negative experiences, such as the following:

• Seventy-one percent of veterans say that an application goes unacknowledged makes them less likely to buy a company’s product or service versus just 55 percent of all candidates.

• Sending an automated reply is simply not good enough; 53 percent of veterans count a robo-reply as a negative experience that impacts their purchase behavior versus just 43 percent of all candidates.

No response to submitted application

Robo-reply to a submitted job application

Negative Candidate Experiences for Veterans

71%

53%

55%

43% U.S. Average

Veterans


Strengthen veterans’ messages in your employer brand Many companies have been overtly appealing to veterans in their messaging – and veterans are listening. Veterans who are able to see themsleves, spouses or families in a potential employer respond positively. Messaging alone is not enough, however, and employers must look at the best practices available for hiring and supporting veterans in the workplace.

Employers also should reexamine their policies, company culture and support networks regarding people with disabilities and work toward an inclusive culture. A lack of inclusivity and support sends an unspoken message to all veteran candidates — many of whom will know former fellow servicemen and women who face continuing physical or emotional challenges. And candidates who suspect or experience disability discrimination will be quick to share their perceptions within the veteran community.

Flex your work model muscle Many employers are already following best practices and offering flexible work models. After years of military service where veterans had little control over their work environments, it is not hard to understand why they have increased interest in taking advantage of the flexible scheduling opportunities that technology affords workers today. Other reasons veterans desire flexibility includes the ability to care for families, attend doctor appointments or fill-in for a deployed military spouse. Employers that already have flexible workplace options in place should heavily promote them to veteran candidates.

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Employers can often enhance their veteran recruitment efforts by using veteran-friendly language that resonates with candidates. Words such as ‘teamwork’ and ‘collaboration’ can mean different things to military and civilian candidates.

Angela Schwingle, Senior Training Specialist, ManpowerGroup Solutions

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Five Practical Suggestions for Fine-Tuning Veterans InitiativesThe data shows that even employers with the most sophisticated veterans hiring initiatives should be responsive to the changing needs of veterans. And it is not too late for employers who have not yet made veterans a targeted part of their recruitment or retention strategy to do so. Here are five ways to build and strengthen veterans hiring programs:

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Tailor benefits for veterans Companies may or may not have the resources to offer generous benefit packages. However, the benefits that veterans desire are often low-cost or easier to implement than employers think they are. They range from on-site exercise facilities and gym passes to continuing education. Employers that can offer continuing education benefits will help close real or perceived gaps in skills or credentials that sometimes plague veterans. Veteran candidates are more likely than average candidates to feel they are responsible for their ongoing educations, so employers who provide previous continuing education benefits will also likely earn the loyalty of these employees.

Dive deep on in-service trainingMany veterans receive extensive technical training as part of their service. Employers who favor a technical degree over military training may be overlooking qualified candidates. Often, veterans have a hard time communicating their training effectively, so it is important for hiring managers to ask specific questions about the level of instruction candidates have received to understand how those skills translate.

Dental coverage is generally not part of any ongoing post-service benefits, unless you had a dental-related injury or issue tied to your service. Therefore, dental coverage can be a high priority for veterans and their families.

Ryan Stultz, Program Delivery Manager, Experis

Working with nonprofit veterans organizations can be a great way to create awareness of the opportunities, hiring initiatives and show veterans how their skills translate to civilian jobs.

Reymund Domingo, Senior Engineering and Technical Recruiter, ManpowerGroup Solutions

Cross-pollinate with marketingSavvy employers see the opportunity to work across departments with marketing and sales to court veterans as customers as well as potential employees. Knowing that veterans are more likely to work for a company whose products or services they already use, some employers have developed product discounts for veterans where customer information builds a de facto talent pool of former service men and women. This holistic approach to consumer and employer branding strengthens the relationship between the company and the veterans’ community, building trust and leveraging peer-to-peer networking opportunities. It also enhances the chance that candidates will have a better understanding of corporate culture than those that do not interact with the brand.

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ConclusionThe veteran candidate population is complex as it

crosses gender, age and ethnic lines. Knowing more

about where and how veteran candidates look for

jobs, what motivates them in their search and how

HR and talent acquisition professionals can refine

their veteran recruitment and retention strategies can

help employers more effectively tap this diverse and

important talent pipeline.


1212

Overall, the job seekers surveyed were between 18 and 70 years old and currently in the workforce (not retired or homemakers). A total of 2,500 candidates were surveyed in the U.S. For this report, there were 1,271 U.S. respondents. Among the main sample, the geographic representation included the South (38 percent), Midwest/Great Lakes (25 percent), Northeast (19 percent) and West (18 percent). They represented a cross-section of age, income, employment status (i.e., full-time, part-time and contract), career level and industry. With respect to career level, experienced non-managers accounted for the largest group at 30 percent, followed by managers (21 percent), entry-level employees (20 percent), students (19 percent) and executives (7 percent).

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ABOUT MANPOWERGROUP SOLUTIONSManpowerGroup Solutions provides clients with outsourcing services related to human resources functions, primarily in the areas of large-scale recruiting and workforce-intensive initiatives that are outcome-based, thereby sharing in the risk and reward with our clients. Our solutions offerings include TAPFIN-Managed Service Provider, Strategic Workforce Consulting, Borderless Talent Solutions, Talent Based Outsourcing and Recruitment Process Outsourcing, where we are one of the largest providers of permanent recruitment and contingent management in the world. ManpowerGroup Solutions is part of the ManpowerGroup family of companies, which also includes Manpower, Experis and Right Management.

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new marching orders - manpowergroup · 7 new marching orders: what employers need to know about...

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