24May

Military Veterans Could be the Solution for the Labor Shortage

This upcoming Monday is Memorial Day and as we reflect on those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, it’s a good reminder of how we can better serve those in the military, too.

The industry has been facing a labor shortage for years, and Construction Dive recently wrote a great piece about how these military veterans could be the solution, not only due to their training, but also the work values instilled in them.

An average of 250,000 people leave the military service each year, and they are already equipped with key skills for the industry. In their conversations with business owners within the construction industry, Construction Drive found that some of the most valuable characteristics of military veterans included:

  • Problem-Solving: These men and women are trained in more ways than one to think of creative and strategic solutions for a problem with limited resources. They also aren’t going to waste any time doing it, they’ll come up with a solution and execute it.
  • Onsite Decision-Making: This attribute goes hand in hand with problem solving. They’re the perfect individual to have if a quick decision needs to be made while analyzing all the other available options. You can count on them to make a firm decision and stick to it.
  • Safety: The rigorous training they’ve received in the military always takes into account the safety of their team members, even when they’ve had a dangerous job. You know that the safety of themselves, but more so their coworkers, will be at the forefront of their mind.
  • Teamwork: Out of anyone, these men and women understand more than most that the unit is better as a whole than individual parts. It was a key factor in their military experience and without the participation of the entire team, they know the task won’t reach its full potential or success.
  • Respect for Leadership: This is an obvious one. They respect their leaders and the decisions their leaders make. They’ll also follow the instructions of their leaders carefully and with the utmost attention to detail.
  • Loyalty: This may be the most important characteristic in the current state of the industry. Military veterans are loyal to their work and take pride in it as well. They are employees you can count on.

In the article, former Navy Diver and current President of Puente Technology LLC, Dave Guerra, summed up what hiring a military veteran offers businesses. He said, “When you add someone like that to your arsenal and figure out what they get excited about, watch them run. They’ll be outstanding.”

We’re thinking of all past and present military members and their families this Memorial Day!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelsey Fritz
Kelsey is the Marketing Coordinator at Commercial Web Services where she monitors the latest marketing advancements to better educate dealers on marketing trends that can further their business goals.

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