Committed to Empowering HR Professionals

to Attract, Hire and Retain Veterans

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The Business Case for Hiring Veterans and Military Spouses

Veterans, as well as their family members and caregivers, are valuable members of our workforce. They have in-demand skills that are strengthened by their experiences with military service. Yet a large portion of veterans and military spouses are unemployed or underemployed and represent untapped talent for workplaces.

They have the “hard” skills employers need:

80%

of HR professionals say veterans have the educational backgrounds they need

78%

of HR professionals say veterans have the necessary technical expertise

Military spouses are highly educated

Roughly 10% of military spouses have a master’s degree, MBA, or professional degree

They have the “soft” skills that are even more important today:

96%

of HR professionals say veterans are uniquely trained to work through chaotic times

85%

of HR professionals, managers and senior-level leaders reported positive experiences working with military spouses

63%

of HR professionals say veterans are more resilient remote/virtual workers compared to civilians

Barriers Veterans and Their Families Face

Members of the military community face significant barriers to finding meaningful, long-term employment.

The emergence of COVID-19 has contributed to those barriers greatly—with veteran unemployment rising to 11.8% in April 2020*.

Despite the unique skills and value they bring to employers, the vast majority of veterans report they have faced obstacles in attaining employment.**

* COVID-19 Military Support Initiative (CMSI) Pain Points Poll
**Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University. (2016). Veteran Job Retention Survey

Why Hire Veterans

of HR professionals say that the talent pool of veterans is embedded with diversity of gender, race, and age.*

of HR professionals say that veterans are uniquely trained to work through chaotic times.*

of HR professionals say that, compared to civilians, veterans are more resilient remote/virtual workers.*

of HR professionals, managers and senior-level leaders reported positive experiences working with military spouses.**

Learn More About the Benefits of Military Hiring

Through the Veterans at Work initiative, SHRM Foundation works directly with HR professionals, people managers, and business leaders to break down barriers from within the hiring process and improve supports for veterans, military families, and caregivers throughout the employment lifecycle.

Veterans at Work Initiative Builds Business Case for an Untapped Talent Pool

Judith Tavano, a seasoned human resources (HR) professional, knows that employers struggle to find qualified talent… Read More

Veterans: A Force Worth Keeping in Your Workforce

Veterans and members of the military community bring many strengths to the private sector workforce….Read More

Discover Our New Guidebook

Ensure your organization’s talent strategy includes highly skilled and motivated military-connected talent with SHRM Foundation’s new guidebook, Mission-Ready: Strategies and Best Practices for Recruiting, Retaining and Advancing Military-Connected Talent…Read More

Programs and Resources

SHRM Foundation, in conjunction with our partners and contributors, has developed the Veterans at Work program to provide HR professionals, people managers, and business leaders with proven educational content and resources, at no cost, to learn effective ways to reduce barriers and stigmas affecting the employment of veterans and their families.

Together, we provide free resources that help HR professionals implement better employment practices for military families in their workplace.

Veterans Ambassador Program

Become a volunteer with our Veteran’s Ambassador program to provide education and training in your community to support the hiring of members of the military community.

Veterans at Work Certificate

A free program that teaches best practices to attract, hire, and retain veterans. 10 PDCs on completion.

Employing Veterans: Digital Toolkit

High-quality resources focused on veteran hiring for HR professionals in small- to mid-sized companies.

Wendi Safstrom

Executive Director, SHRM Foundation

“The SHRM Foundation knows veterans are valuable members of our workforce, and our Veterans at Work initiative will help HR professionals attract, hire and retain members of the military community.”

Harriet Dominique

Chief Diversity, Inclusion and Corporate Responsibility Officer & President, USAA Foundation, Inc.

“Members of the military community bring unique skill sets, diverse backgrounds and leadership to our workplaces. SHRM and SHRM Foundation are doing important work to help recruit, hire and retain these individuals into meaningful and impactful roles by equipping hiring companies with the tools and resources needed to establish and grow military hiring programs within their organizations. USAA and the USAA Foundation, Inc. are committed to improving lives in the military wherever they are in their journeys.”

Thank You to our Corporate Investors and Partners

Transformation Partners:

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Champion Partner:

SHRM Foundation is proud to be part of Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP). We have joined more than 500 organizations to support this important partnership and renew our dedication to recruiting, hiring, promoting and retaining military spouses.