Mission Critical: Military Veterans Represent Valuable Under-Tapped Resource for Companies Facing Talent Shortages

MILWAUKEE, Nov. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 250,000 military members are discharged every year in the United States and with almost half (46%) of employers experiencing talent shortages, veterans represent a highly-skilled yet under-tapped resource. Many provide the in-demand skills companies need, along with teamwork, discipline, perseverance, leadership and the ability to perform under pressure.

ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN) has been proud to partner with defense forces across the world for more than a decade – including providing resettlement services for 180,000 individuals in the U.K., delivering the largest and most complex Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) in the world for the Australian Defence Force, and developing a veteran task force in the United States – led by a military spouse – to address the challenges of transitioning into civilian work.

"Veterans possess many of the skills that are highly valued by employers, but service women and service men can find it difficult to demonstrate the relevance of those skills to be able to transition into civilian jobs," said Mara Swan, Executive Vice President of Global Strategy and Talent at ManpowerGroup. "As employers, it is our role to help veterans adapt – and to attract the best talent into our organizations, we must think differently about our people practices. It is not just the right thing to do, it makes clear business sense. Organizations with inclusive cultures have higher customer satisfaction, greater productivity and better profitability."

ManpowerGroup Solutions recently released a new white paper, "Veterans: A Workforce To Be Reckoned With," which offers insights on the preferences of veteran job candidates and provides recommendations on how employers can improve veteran recruitment and retention within their organizations.

The recent survey of veteran job seekers by ManpowerGroup Solutions indicates the biggest career challenge they face is "cultural bias." In the white paper, ManpowerGroup Solutions outlines the steps employers should take to effectively recruit and retain veterans, including:

1. Customize messaging for veterans. Using military language in job descriptions and outreach demonstrates sensitivity to the issues and values that matter most to veterans.
2. Look within the organization. Encourage employees who served or have spouses who served to become brand ambassadors and/or mentors for veteran candidates.
3. Integrate corporate sustainability with military-related service projects. These types of activities can demonstrate a company's commitment to supporting veterans.

To learn more about ManpowerGroup's sustainability and commitment to inclusive and diverse workplaces, visit: www.manpowergroup.com/DoingWellByDoingGood

About ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN) is the world's workforce expert, creating innovative workforce solutions for nearly 70 years. As workforce experts, we connect more than 600,000 people to meaningful work across a wide range of skills and industries every day. Through our ManpowerGroup family of brands – Manpower®, Experis®, Right Management® and ManpowerGroup® Solutions – we help more than 400,000 clients in 80 countries and territories address their critical talent needs, providing comprehensive solutions to resource, manage and develop talent. In 2016, ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the sixth consecutive year and one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies, confirming our position as the most trusted and admired brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup makes powering the world of work humanly possible: www.manpowergroup.com

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110330/CG73938LOGO-a

SOURCE ManpowerGroup