Three Ways Employers Can Support Veterans
Ways Employers Can Support Veterans
Happy Memorial Day from Guide to HR. Memorial Day is when we honor the women and men who died while serving in the United States military. Far too often, veterans are overlooked for their service. When they enlist in the military, they put their lives on the line as they fight to protect this country. We want to acknowledge the sacrifices those have made and continue to make while serving and keeping us safe. To make a tribute to those who have gone on and those still fighting, we wanted to share three ways employers can support veterans. But first, here is a little history about Memorial Day.
A Brief Lesson About Memorial Day
Memorial Day was initially known as Decoration Day. It originated years following the Civil War. The Civil War was brutal, as many lives were taken. More lives were lost during the war than in any other conflict in United States history. As a result, the country’s first national cemeteries were established. Americans across many towns and communities began to hold memorial services to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers. They gathered to pray and decorate Graves with flowers.
It is unknown where memorial services first originated, but the earliest Memorial Day service was organized by a former group of enslaved people in Charleston, South Carolina, after the Confederacy surrendered in 1865.
In May 1868, General John A. Logan, the commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, declared a proclamation calling for Decoration Day to be observed annually and nationwide. In 1873, Decoration Day became an official state holiday in New York. President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Waterloo, New York, as the official birthplace of the Memorial Day holiday because it held an annual event calling for businesses to close and residents to decorate soldiers’ graves with flowers and flags.
Memorial Day Today
Memorial Day today is held on the last Monday of May each year. It was once held on May 30th, but Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1968, which permanently moved Washington’s Birthday and Memorial Day to a Monday to give federal employees a three-day weekend.
Ways Employers Can Support Veterans
Three Ways Employers Can Support Veterans
Now that you know a brief lesson about Memorial Day, here are three ways employers can support veterans:
1. For Hire
You can support veterans by hiring them. Companies such as Beast Code, HigherEchelon, Inc., and EM Key Solutions, Inc. prioritize giving back to veterans who have given to us by employing them. This helps decrease the unemployment rate. Just this year, it has reduced by 0.8% from last year.
2. Veteran Training
It can be challenging for some vets to transition from active duties to civilian roles. Military.com suggests offering training that:
- Covers military-related issues
- Goes over the similarities and differences between their prior military culture and that of your corporate culture
- Helps veterans better understand the differences between leadership and professional development in the civilian workplace and that of the military
3. Management Training
Consider providing training for non-veteran employees. Sometimes we hold biases or lack understanding regarding those who have served in the military. Taking lessons and using resources such as the Veterans Employment Toolkit, Military.com, and the US Department of Veterans Affairs will help your employees work towards a healthy workplace environment.
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Ways Employers Can Support Veterans
Ways Employers Can Support Veterans
Ways Employers Can Support Veterans