RESOURCES FOR PRIVATE EMPLOYERS
How can an organization become a WTC Preferred Employer?
- Identify a single point of contact
- Identify current job vacancies
- Attend a New Employer Education Briefing (may be over the phone)
- Identify mentors within the organization who can support the Veteran
- Be willing to expedite the hiring process
- Provide monthly updates on referrals WTC and AW2 makes to the organization
While a large percentage of wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers return to active duty, many separate from the military and look forward to contributing as productive members of society–and the civilian workforce. These highly trained professionals are qualified to contribute to many parts of the private sector. Employers can help them get there by considering their qualifications matched to the company's human capital needs.
What Steps Can Employers Take to Hire and Retain Wounded, Ill, and Injured Soldiers, Veterans, and Their Spouses?
There are many steps private employers can take to recruit and retain Veterans, wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers, and their spouses. As with any targeted population, a clear company vision is critical–and must be communicated from the top down and understood from the bottom up. Communicating a clear vision will help those responsible to create goals and report challenges and successes. Employers may accomplish this by following the following steps:
- Create a committee on Veteran hiring, including people from different parts of the organization and Veterans and/or Veteran spouses.
- Educate human resource managers and supervisors on the challenges facing today's wounded warriors, including common injury types , such as post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.
- Learn how to write effective position descriptions to make the transition from the military to the civilian workforce easier to understand and less complicated–for both the future employee and the current staff.
- Institute effective accommodation policies and practices, including the promotion of flexible workplace strategies. Be sure all employees are made aware of the organization's resources for discussing and accessing accommodations.
- Develop internship programs to help groom entry-level Veterans or those changing career fields and teach them how to perform in the industry.
- Create consistent and proactive onboarding procedures to help the organization to retain Veteran and wounded warrior employees—and help them to grow within the company.
- Recruit from reliable sources, such as Transition Coordinators at the Army's Warrior Transition Units (WTUs) or Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) Career Coordinators, and use these sources to support hiring and retention.
How Important is Mentoring to Retention?
Mentoring is key. Employers should connect the wounded warrior hires with senior leaders, other Veterans, and star performers throughout the organization. Strong mentoring programs help Veterans fully integrate into the workplace by:
- Teaching them the organization's culture
- Helping them understand expectations
- Increasing morale and diversity throughout the workplace
- Providing peer to peer support
Contact Us
The first step to increasing an organization's hiring of wounded, ill, and injured Veterans is to contact the Warrior Transition Command. Contact us—we're here to help make this process easier.
Phone: (703) 325-8999
Email: usarmy.pentagon.medcom-WTC.mbx.career-education-readiness-br@mail.mil