Almost half of the veterans in the workforce leave their first post-military jobs within their first year. Learning how to retain veteran employees isn’t just an act of service towards their well-being, but a beneficial strategy to deploy for the organization as a whole.
Veterans make up solid blocks of our society, serving in the forces with great strength until it’s time to return home. Reacclimatizing to civilian life can be a challenge for many, for some due to their injuries, both mental and physical, and for others, due to the abrupt change of pace and purpose. These struggles are a natural part of their transition to daily living, but due to a lack of support systems to help them through, many find this change to be more complex than it needs to be. Improving veteran retention can be great for immersing a business more deeply in the community while also benefiting from the talent, discipline, and knowledge they bring with them.
Data shows that it can be difficult to retain veteran employees in their first post-military role, but the task is worth the additional effort. (Image: Pexels)
What Are the Problems Faced In Retaining Veteran Employees and How Can Employers Improve Their On-the-Job Experience?
According to the Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program, about half of the veterans who join the workforce after completing their service quit their jobs within the first year. This is far from ideal. Not only do they need the income to make a living, but many military spouses also struggle with maintaining their careers with all the displacement that occurs during their partner’s enlistment. This puts considerable financial pressure on the pair, while they are also actively working to adjust to their new lives.
Many veterans have the opportunity to return to their jobs from before their service, but this often isn’t enough for them to jump straight back into their careers. Part of the issue is the lack of transitional services and support tools for them to step back into civilian life. While there are some support groups and government-funded programs for them to rely on, these resources prove to be limited in application.
Why Do Vets Quit Early?
There are many reasons why veterans leave their first jobs at such a quick pace. Often, there are unsettled emotional issues faced during their deployment that leave them unable to recommit to anything in the months that follow. Healing from those issues takes time and active dedication, both of which are often unavailable to them. Veterans are also occasionally left with disabilities they need to come to terms with, making the immediate switch to employment doubly hard on them.
In many cases, they also lose their sense of purpose after the termination of active duty, leaving them unsure of the next step. A 9-to-5, already grueling for those who have been in the system consistently, is particularly full of uncertainties for them. Many also have a desire for a higher purpose or long-term goal, and they find that work they find immediately post-military doesn’t satisfy their needs.
Why Hire Veterans? Understanding Their Role in the Workforce
Recent advancements away from DEI may suggest that hiring a diverse workforce is bad for business, but understanding the strengths of each community and creating space for them in the workplace is a good business practice. Many veterans often have skills and qualifications from before their military days that make them knowledgeable in their area of interest.
Most military personnel also do not spend their years in service exclusively shooting guns. They gain technological experience and skills in management, negotiation, leadership, conflict resolution, resource conservation, and other abilities that allow them to develop key skills that can be translated to the corporate workplace as well. The mere task of being in the military often teaches them the importance of rules, timelines, and living structured lives, which are aspects that come in handy at work as well.
Beyond the value addition to the workplace, another good reason for hiring veterans is to support them in transitioning back to a regular life and building up the community. Assisting them in their post-military life is a cause that many businesses should get behind. There are also tax credits for hiring veterans, but careful research is required to explore them further. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) was only authorized until December 31, 2025, which means that further action from Congress will be necessary to see this benefit set back in place.
Tips on Veteran Recruitment: How to Hire and Retain Veteran Employees
Improving veteran retention is a future step that starts with hiring right. Not all veterans are going to be equally thrilled about the same open role at your organization, just like any other employee. Hiring from their ranks exclusively to fill a specific position makes it more likely that these veterans will soon leave the job and look for something that better aligns with them.
Rather than force them into a box, it is better to invest in placement programs and other support systems that help them understand where they want to be and what it will take for them to get there. Devising veteran support programs can help ensure that not only are veterans hired and retained with more regularity, but that they also receive the support they need to keep their new roles.
Veteran retention solutions can look like:
- Creating fellowship programs that help veterans slowly transition back to civilian life
- Partner with veteran support organizations to help veterans find ideal roles rather than just the ones immediately available to them
- Setting up recruitment drives to gain access to these veterans and understand what they are looking for
- Finding jobs for veterans based on their skills and not exclusively to fill a specific role generally created for anyone in their position
- Providing additional onboarding and training support to help them adapt to the modern workforce
- Making support tools available to them that provide mental health resources for those who need them
- Building up the company culture to create a healthy workplace where they are heard and understood
- Helping veterans access a community of others in a similar situation so they can grow together
- Work with them to develop specific goals for themselves that can help them retain their sense of purpose at work
- Connect them with other mentors at your organization so they can rely on these mentors for support
- Creating opportunities for veteran spouses to help them support their newly returned partners
- Offering empathy and some degree of flexibility to help manage their situation better
Improving Veteran Retention Can Bring Positive Tidings for Your Business
With unique skill sets and a top-tier work ethic to match, veterans make great employees, and it’s worth the effort to retain them. From their own experience collaborating with big groups and diverse teams, they can work towards company goals with unmatched dedication, even if they might take a little longer to adjust to the corporate setup. These tips on veteran recruitment may give you the insight you need to acquire and retain veteran employees, but the best way to understand their needs is to talk to them directly.
USAA is one organization that’s actively working to help vets get back on their feet, and developing similar programs or collaborating with existing ones is the best way forward. The Salesforce Military Alliance or the Fidelity Investments Veterans Program are both examples of projects to model veteran support programs after, as they provide essential support for service members. Building up a business takes work, but building up a community while you’re at it allows you to reach a whole new level of rewarding experiences.
How does your business work on retaining veterans? Share them with us. Subscribe to The HR Digest for more insights on workplace trends, layoffs, and what to expect with the advent of AI.
