This upcoming Friday is Veterans Day. What is your organization doing to help your veteran employees and affiliates? We are constantly confronted by news stories about job bills for veterans being blocked in Congress. It is often easy to forget that there are everyday things that our organizations can do that will help make our veterans feel appreciated in their workplace.

Many programs are being developed to help our returning veterans such as the Veterans Gold Card, My Next Move for Veterans, and the Veterans Job Bank. All these programs are great initiatives for veterans, but it is easy to still feel discouraged by the current job market. These veterans return from spending 10 years defending our country only to be confronted by a 12% veteran unemployment rate in the United States.

This Veterans Day is the perfect opportunity for your organization to begin initiatives to end low hopes for veterans in the work force. How can you begin increasing morale and initiative to better your workplace for veteran employees? The following are a few ideas to get you started.

• Allow returning veterans flexibility in their work schedule to reconnect with family
• Provide resume writing and interview skill workshops or webinars
• Give them time to relearn their job if returning from war
• Spread the word about Veterans Day in the office place by marking calendars, sending e-reminders, and displaying Veteran Day posters
• Ask veteran employees to share their story and military picture so that it may be displayed in the office on Veterans Day. Some employees have no idea they are working alongside war veterans.
• Raise awareness by sending out a company wide email featuring stories about your veteran employees
• Send a personal letter to your veteran employees thanking them for the great work they are doing
• Suggest that your company have a moment of silence for those who lost their lives while serving the country
• Propose a company Veteran Affinity Group that can provide different resources to veteran employees

It is very important that we acknowledge those who have served our country this Veterans Day because we have so many men and women returning from service this year. Many return with emotional and physical damage due to not only war but the current state of the economy. It is important that companies honor these men and women when they return to work.

Is your organization doing something special to help your veterans this holiday season? We would love to hear about it! Share your insights in the comment section of our page.