Despite employers’ laser focus on improving the employee experience in today’s competitive labor market, there is still underemployed talent who are missing out on adequate outreach and support. One group that is particularly underrepresented in these efforts is military veterans.
LinkedIn’s Veteran Opportunity Report found that veterans are 15.6% more likely to be underemployed than non-veterans, even though they remain with their company 8% longer than non-veterans and are 39% more likely to be promoted earlier. So while veterans tend to perform well in civilian jobs, they aren’t always getting the opportunity to prove it.
That’s why
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“My voice serves current service members and those making the transition from service to civilian life,” says Amstutz. “So it’s important to me that we have the right benefits and take care of our community.”
This ERG includes over 2,000 members, with active military members, veterans and families covered — with plans to expand. Valor works with Hiring Our Heroes, a government-funded initiative that connects service members with job opportunities. In turn, Liberty Mutual offers a paid, 12-week-long fellowship to chosen candidates on the Department of Defense’s dime. Liberty Mutual will then place candidates in permanent positions or place them in their veteran development program, so the company can continue to find a role for them.
“Liberty Mutual not only places them but gets them into a culture where we can put our arms around them and help them,” says Amstutz. “It’s not just about employment, but giving them that connectedness they crave and miss from when they were in service.”
For Amstutz, community is essential to a Valor member’s success. He recalls that on day one of the military, everyone is assigned a battle buddy for training periods, and generally how tight-knit military communities can be. Many may still need that support outside of service.
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“In the military, we create that camaraderie and bond necessary for survival sometimes,” Amstutz says. “In the insurance world, we may not be in a combat environment, but that doesn’t mean we can’t provide that same kind of support upon entry.”
That’s why Valor’s mentorship program guarantees members the chance to connect with other service members and allies within the organization. There are now over 110 pairings, spread across 14 local chapters, as well as the national chapter. Beyond bonding, the mentorship program provides networking opportunities and career guidance, which can be especially valuable to those accustomed to navigating a more linear career path.
“In the military, there is a specific path based on time and rank. You get promoted and know what comes next,” says Amstutz. “It can be hard to navigate the career waters in the civilian sector because it often comes down to networking and knowing what to apply for.”
Community-building does not end with mentorship. Amstutz also hosts a connect call every two months, where over 500 people from Valor and senior executives at Liberty Mutual discuss relevant topics in a military community. For example, members had the chance to voice their feelings regarding the Afghanistan withdrawal last September. In response, Liberty Mutual gave $200,000 to Hope For The Warriors, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting combat wounded service members, their families and families of those killed in action. In addition, Liberty Mutual gave $50,000 to No One Left Behind, which assists wartime allies, such as interpreters, from Afghanistan and Iraq to resettle in the U.S.
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Given that Valor includes active service members, Amstutz ensures their ERG keeps overseas soldiers in mind throughout the year by working with organizations like Operation Gratitude, which delivers care packages to troops and establishing Letters To Troops, where Liberty Mutual employees have already sent over 3,300 handwritten letters during the holidays.
“You can feel left behind by people back home when you go overseas,” says Amstutz. “So these letters are a tremendous way for service members to feel valued and heard.”
Amstutz and Valor have worked to ensure these values are reflected in Liberty Mutual’s benefits as well. For example, the company increased its PTO from 10 days to 30 days, meaning current service members are mostly covered during their annual training periods and other military duties. In addition, Liberty Mutual offers free counseling and access to an online stress management program, which has doubled in usage in the last year.
Amstutz plans to push for more benefits that would support Valor members and continue to emphasize community within the ERG, noting that real help takes a village.
“Particularly in a virtual environment, you can just feel alone and isolated from a bigger movement,” he says. “You need these employee resource groups to really support every dimension of diversity your employees live with.”
