September 27, 2021, by HR Search & Rescue Understand the many benefits that veterans can provide to your business. Hiring a veteran to work for your business can be a great moral and business decision that leads to improvements within the workforce and business as a whole. There is a great demand for workers in the US right now, and veterans are a great choice for employers to look for great new talent. The Benefits of Hiring Veterans Not only are these workers motivated and disciplined, but hiring vets is also a great way to give back to service men and women who did their part to give back to the country. Read on to learn more about some of the benefits your business will receive when hiring veterans: Strong Work Ethic One of the best reasons to hire a veteran is that you can be sure there is a good chance that they will be disciplined. Being in the armed services provides many people with valuable life and work skills that they use to easily transition into the workforce. There are many programs within the military that prepare people to enter the workforce and learn how to not miss a beat during this transition. Tax Breaks Another great reason to hire veterans is the tax breaks that your business can receive. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal hiring incentive that provides businesses with a tax credit worth up to $9,600 for veteran hires. The average veteran tax credit value to employers is $4,478 for veterans and $3,468 for civilians. While roughly 20% of civilians qualify, between 40–50% of veterans qualify for tax credits. In terms of dollars saved, this can make a big difference for any business’s bottom line. Team Players Being in the military requires a very team-oriented approach. Along with the discipline that veterans pick up along the way, learning how to work with a team is another critical skill that can help add value to your workforce. Additionally, veterans can function as leaders for a young workforce and help to provide structure and discipline to the rest of the employees. How To Better Recruit Veteran Employees In order to attract and find great veteran candidates to hire, it is crucial to understand their unique situation and the process they go through to find employment. It is essential for organizations to actively build a veteran recruiting program and to seek to understand the best practices within the industry. Develop A Plan A good place to start is to outline the goals of your veteran recruiting program. Try to outline the background and characteristics you are looking for and which avenues are best to find the right veterans for your organization. Establish goals that align with your overall business strategy and make sure that all of the upper-level management is onboard with the plan. Skills Translation Veterans understand that skills translation is a big part of the transition back into the workforce. Hiring managers often lack an understanding of a veteran’s unique job search situation and how this plays a role in the process. In order to have a successful veteran hiring program, skills translation is critical. Unless veterans are applying for defense contracting and construction jobs, they must translate their military skills into civilian terms. Be sure that your hiring managers understand how to translate skill sets to the job they are representing, and, if possible, assign someone from inside your company that has a military background as the leader of the program. Marketing Branding your recruiting efforts is not always a focus for many businesses. However, if you want to be competitive in attracting veterans, it is important to position your company as an attractive employer of choice for veterans. Think of the benefits you can offer and how you can make your company seem attractive to veterans. Try to offer fair, above-average perks and benefits to veterans who want to work for you. Speak With An Independent HR Consultant For More Information Companies looking to hire veterans consistently find that it goes beyond just filling positions with anyone they can find. The leadership, team-based mentality, and specialized skills that vets can offer your organization will be invaluable down the line. Making veterans a priority within your workforce can be a huge boost for any business in terms of both productivity as well as ROI. HR Search and Rescue is a full-service HR consulting company. Our independent HR consultants are dedicated to helping clients feel safe and solving difficult workplace challenges. Reach out to us online today for more information regarding hiring veterans in the workplace.
