When employment is more than just a job: A phenomenological exploration of military Veteran employment

Abstract:“To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan” (President Abraham Lincoln, 1865). President Lincoln endorsed a philosophy of social responsibility and governmental obligation for our nation to take care of our veterans as they return to civilian life. As military veterans transition from active service, many embark on a new journey to secure employment within the civilian sector. Although many organizations have increasingly embraced the concept of hiring military veterans, only a select few have gone above and beyond to show significant effort and have proven that they not only talk the talk but walk the walk. Even fewer organizationsqualify to earn national recognition for their efforts with a HIRE Vets Medallion Award signifying their exceptional work to recruit, hire, and retain military veteran employees.Historically, Gulf War-Era II military veterans have experienced higher unemployment rates as compared to their civilian counterparts. Despite legislative endorsement and federal incentive programs, the overall veteran unemployment rate in the United States has plateaued with no significant decrease in unemployment. The main goal of this qualitative study is to better understand, highlight, and disseminate the best practices and strategies that eventually all organizations can implement and utilize to decrease veteran unemployment rates. This study draws on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Social Identity Theory (SIT) to explain the importance of reducing the veteran unemployment rate and propose sustainable practices for continual improvement with veteran employment retention rates. To better understand what HIRE Vets Medallion Award recipient organizations do well, this study collects data through semi-structured questionnaire interviews with current veteran employees. The research findings from the qualitative data shed light on the strategies that work well to recruit, hire, and retain veteran employees. Additionally, the data identifies gaps in service and opportunities for improvement in the recruiting, hiring, and retaining of veteran employees. This study provides groundwork for future research topics, including the relationship and significance of meaningful employment as a protective factor to help reduce veteran suicide rates