The Aspen Medical team trains Australian soldiers in battle casualty first aid in the Middle East in 2013. Photo: Aspen Medical.
With insolvency on the rise and soaring running costs, business owners need driven, results-oriented staff members in their corner now more than ever – and Nicole Longley AM has an idea where they might be found.
According to the general manager of service delivery at Aspen Medical, businesses in a variety of industries should be looking at veterans as an under-tapped pool of talent that’s adept at solving problems.
As we approach the most popular time of year for job changes and a surge of talent enters the market, Ms Longley, an Australian Defence Force (ADF) veteran, says the cohort has the very traits employers need to navigate challenging environments.
“At Aspen Medical we’ve always had veterans on board. We find they are generally highly committed and solutions focussed,” she says. “They also have an ingrained service mindset that resonates deeply with our values and commitment to looking after the community and helping people.
“Veterans get things done and know how to do so under pressure.”
Veterans have been in Aspen Medical teams that have responded to some of the toughest situations the company has seen in its 20-plus years.
They were there when the company deployed staff to the Solomon Islands in the face of violent unrest to help re-establish the machinery of government in Sierra Leone in response to an Ebola outbreak and more locally, in Australia at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
From privates to ex-brigadiers and every rank in between, about 50 per cent of Aspen Medical’s senior management team members are veterans.
But in light of the inadequate transition arrangements highlighted in the recent Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, employers should be mindful of a veteran’s needs when transitioning to civilian life.
Aspen Medical’s Nicole Longley says veterans are generally highly committed, solutions focussed and have an ingrained service mindset. Photo: Aspen Medical.
Ms Longley says there are great rewards waiting for employers who can get the most out of veterans, and recognising individual needs is a good starting point.
“I was in military for over 30 years. I was excited for the transition, and even then it was emotional,” she says. “As a member of the ADF you commit yourself – it’s not just a job. I had committed to serve our nation and invested a lot of my life into that.
“It takes time to adjust. Every veteran is different. Some will really struggle with it. Some wish to remain closely linked with their military service and others want to immerse fully in the commercial world.
“You have to respect their needs and do what you can to help make the transition smoother.”
Aspen Medical is in the process of developing onboarding and recruitment processes specific to veterans. It has established a veteran community within the organisation that offers mentoring to veterans.
For those after a new career, there are professional development opportunities to help build business acumen and address other skills or knowledge gaps.
“I’d urge potential employers to put aside any stereotypes they have in mind about veterans, to be open minded and understand that like any group in society, each veteran is unique,” Ms Longley says.
“If you can figure out a way to help veterans lean into their strengths, you’ll have some of the most disciplined and motivated employees you could ask for.”
Contact Aspen Medical for more information.
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