Posted in Employee Retention, Human Resources, Retention, Veterans

Beyond the Hire: How to Build a Veteran Onboarding & Retention Strategy That Lasts

Onboarding and retaining veterans can be harder than hiring them. Many leave within the first 45 to 90 days because they do not understand their role, feel connected to the team, or see a career path within the organization.

Building a veteran onboarding and retention strategy helps define the role and expectations, connect veterans with colleagues, and reach productivity within a reasonable time. These factors increase the likelihood that the veteran new hire remains long-term.

Challenges with Veteran Onboarding
Veterans spend years developing discipline, accountability, and the ability to perform under pressure. As a result, they often struggle to adjust to the civilian operating format.

Typical veteran issues include:

Skills-translation gaps: Because military roles use unique classification and vocabulary, many veterans lack the civilian language to convey their experience relevant to a job opportunity.
Loss of structure: Whereas the military operates on defined roles, explicit expectations, and clear reporting lines, this lack of order at work can feel disorienting.
Lack of community: Many veterans miss the cohesion of a unit while at work, especially when transition assistance is lacking.
Communication style mismatch: Direct, mission-first communication can seem blunt in a civilian setting, and vice versa.

90-Day Plan for Onboarding Veterans
Because veterans spent years operating with clear expectations and measurable objectives, veteran onboarding should include 30-, 60-, and 90-day milestones. Clearly defined roles, expectations, and key performance indicators (KPIs) help veteran new hires understand where they fit in and how success is measured, helping them settle in and encouraging longevity.

The following guide outlines a successful veteran onboarding process:

Preboarding: Preboarding extends from the job offer to Day 1. The process includes new hire paperwork, equipment, a welcome note, and a Day 1 agenda, and shows the veteran where to go and whom to find upon arrival.
Days 1-30: For the first 30 days, provide role clarity, access to systems, introductions, and a mentor. Clarify where the veteran fits on the org chart, their objectives, and success metrics.
Days 31-60: During the second 30 days, provide the veteran with skills translation coaching and the first feedback loop to encourage ownership of work. Provide constructive feedback a second time and log early wins.
Days 61-90: Throughout the next 30 days, encourage connection with an employee resource group (ERG), hold a career path conversation, and support full integration within the organization. Recognize the veteran new hire’s independent contributions and support professional development.

Veteran Buddies and Mentors
Assign each veteran new hire a peer buddy and a senior mentor. Buddies and mentors help veterans feel connected to their team and become productive faster.

The buddy should spend the first 90 days answering general questions, such as whom to ask for what, what the email norms are, and how meetings run. The mentor, ideally a veteran, should focus on skills translation and career trajectory.

Veteran Employee Resource Groups
Veteran ERGs help provide a sense of community many veterans miss when they enter the civilian workforce:

Many veteran ERGs extend membership to military spouses and supportive coworkers.
Members can engage in skills-translation and advancement workshops.
These groups create a built-in network for veterans and help leadership understand what works and what needs improvement.
Veteran ERGs show that the company understands and values military experience, encouraging long-term veteran career growth.

Need Help Building Your Veteran Onboarding and Retention Strategy?
Common challenges in veteran onboarding include skills-translation gaps, loss of structure, a lack of community, and communication style mismatch. A 90-day onboarding process with milestones helps increase veteran retention. Providing veterans with buddies, mentors, and ERGs encourages long-term tenure.

Contact your local PrideStaff office today for help building an effective veteran onboarding and retention strategy.

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