Why armed forces veterans should be integral to talent acquisition
by Ashwini Kadam and Pinky Nepomuceno

Data indicates that approximately 70,000 personnel in the age group of 35 to 45 retire from the armed forces every year in India. These veterans have acquired various skills such as leadership, project management and risk management -- among others -- that would add value to professional spaces. And yet, finding suitable career opportunities continues to be a challenge for them. Adding to this lack of availability of opportunity for veterans, certain other barriers exist: translating veterans’ skillsets to corporate job roles, manager sensitization and limited availability of a central database of veteran talent pool continue to get in the way of maximizing their potential. 

“Veterans are an integral part of our inclusion strategy and our priority is to foster an environment that maximizes their potential. They bring unique skills such as VUCA: Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity, that is critical for business impact in a dynamic environment,” said Tanay Kediyal, Chair, Veterans Pillar, India & Philippines Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council (I&P DEI Council).

It is this commitment to hiring veterans earned that won Wells Fargo an award from Community Business India called the 2020 D&I Pioneering Initiative in India Award, in December. The award was given to Wells Fargo on the strength of our veteran inclusion program, which focuses on providing second career opportunities to veterans across the spectrum of skills and experience, supporting veterans during their transition to corporate life, and creating awareness about veteran inclusion.

 “We veterans were shaped into leaders ready to take on challenges in extreme and adverse conditions,” said Parthajit Panda, Indian Navy veteran and Co-Lead, Veterans Pillar, I&P DEI Council. “The transition to corporate life is not always easy for a veteran who has served many years in the armed forces. In particular, our buddy program has been a great support to the new joiners in helping them adjust to their second careers.”

Beginning early 2019, the veterans pillar developed a three-pronged strategy that focuses on advocacy, expansion, and culture.

Advocacy:

• • Internal: leadership buy-in, sharing and celebrating success stories
  • External: pioneering facilitation of NASSCOM and army partnership, industry networking and connect sessions.

Expansion:

• • Increase representation of veterans through intentional hiring strategy across campus and lateral hiring
  • Establish connections with placement wings of armed forces and leading education institutes offering veteran resettlement courses
  • Ensure sensitization of hiring managers
  • Create a buddy program for smooth transition of veteran new hires
    
    

Culture:

• • Create awareness and sensitization of employees about the veteran community through events and activities
  • Launch a veterans’ team member network in India to promote allyship, share success stories and induct employees as D&I ambassadors

Allies are a critical part of the Veterans TMN. “It’s important that veterans are welcomed and supported not just by fellow veterans who share similar experiences, but also by civilians who work alongside them in day to day life. Having veterans and veteran allies at the same table brings about a healthy discussion with different perspectives,” stated Lina Nair, Co-Lead, Veterans Pillar, I&P DEI Council.

The India chapter is the first international chapter for the Veterans Team Member Network. In August, the Veterans TMN India chapter featured veterans who had benefited from our veteran inclusion efforts:

Rajeev Bhadola: “I was very excited to join Wells Fargo when I learned that they consider military experience a tremendous asset to their work environment and already have a cohort of veterans working with them. I had always wanted to join a firm where I could convert my military experience into a great career.”

Saurabh Nautiyal: “I chose Wells Fargo because its reputation precedes its name across India and also within the Veteran community. I believe there are two reasons for the goodwill: inclusion and culture. In many ways, these also resonate with my service life.”

Mallikarjun Hangargi: The Veterans TMN “connects back to our roots and gives us a feeling of camaraderie and service ethos.”

Ashwini Kadam: “The experienced veterans in Wells Fargo… provided me constant support and mentoring and helped me understand the organizational culture. In my opinion, the concept of having a veteran buddy holding you through the initial phase of transition goes long way in providing reassurance and comfort.”   

Aside from our market-leading efforts to create an ecosystem for veteran inclusion, Wells Fargo also facilitated an industry partnership between NASSCOM and the Indian Army to launch a NASSCOM Veteran Cell that would act as a platform for veterans seeking to enter the corporate world and for corporates interested in beginning their veteran inclusion journey.

Read more about our Diversity and Inclusion initiative at Wells Fargo India and Philippines and Sign up on our Talent Community to receive latest job alerts.