New research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the SHRM Foundation has shed light on the unique employment challenges faced by military spouses in the United States.
The report, titled “Insight to Action: Leveraging the Potential of Military Spouse Talent,” was funded by a grant from USAA and is part of the SHRM Foundation’s Untapped Talent Military Community at Work initiative.
Military spouses, who often possess higher-than-average educational qualifications, face significant barriers to employment. According to the report, 34% of military spouses hold a bachelor’s degree, and 15% have advanced degrees. Despite this, they experience high rates of unemployment and underemployment, impacting their families’ financial stability and overall well-being.
“This research demonstrates the essential role HR can play in addressing the military spouse employment crisis,” said Wendi Safstrom, President of the SHRM Foundation. “By increasing awareness and implementing targeted strategies, business and HR leaders will only enhance their own workforce with diverse and capable talent.”
Key findings from the report include:
- Nearly 80% of HR professionals find hiring military spouses appealing, yet only 13% believe their organizations are effective at doing so, indicating a gap between intent and action.
- 84% of organizations lack formal programs for recruiting and hiring military spouses. However, those with such programs are two to three times more effective in hiring military spouses.
- While 80% of HR professionals value military spouses in the workplace, less than half believe their organizations understand the unique challenges faced by this group.
- Nearly two-thirds of organizations that have employed military spouses do not have strategies specifically aimed at retaining them. Those that do implement at least one retention strategy are twice as likely to be effective in retaining these employees.
The report highlights several challenges in retaining military spouses, including the impact of relocations on job continuity, difficulties in providing or approving relocation accommodations, and childcare needs.
Marcus Ohlenforst, Talent Strategy and Programs Lead at USAA, emphasized the importance of tailored programs for military spouses. “The unique challenges of military life can have a profound impact on a military spouse’s career. At USAA, we actively work to recruit, hire, and retain military spouses by creating programs and policies that help them thrive,” he said.
The findings underscore the need for employers to recognize the strengths and challenges of military spouses and develop strategies to attract and retain this talent pool. SHRM and USAA remain committed to helping employers integrate military spouses into their workforce.
The “Insight to Action: Leveraging the Potential of Military Spouse Talent” report will be discussed during a panel at the SHRM Annual Conference & Expo on June 26. The panel will feature Elizabeth Kohm, SHRM Foundation Programs Manager; C. Eddy Mentzer, DoD Military Family Readiness Policy Associate Director; Marcus Ohlenforst, USAA HR Military Workforce Strategist; and Allison Chamberlayne, Director of Operations at Hiring Our Heroes.
This research was conducted by surveying 1,076 HR professionals across various industries in the United States between February 26 and March 4, 2024.