This is a guest blog post by Sara Bennett, HR Director, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®.

I am responsible for developing the human resources strategies for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® system.

In recent years, the return of military personnel from Iraq, Afghanistan, and other parts of the world, has resulted in a high number of skilled veterans looking for employment. And while finding a job in today’s economy is tough for everyone, with the unemployment rate hovering around 8 percent, veterans face an even tougher challenge of 12 percent unemployment.

Over the past year, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® has been working to reduce the unemployment rate for veterans by actively recruiting them as both franchise owners and staffers. We see it as a win-win situation. We can reward the men and women who put their lives on the line for our country with gainful employment, and we wind up with a hardworking, skilled workforce.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® so values the contribution veterans make to our company that we currently offer a 10 percent discount on franchise fees to those interested in owning one of our franchises. We also offer a flexible work environment that often allows active military personnel the opportunity to build a career in parallel with their military education.

So, what exactly is it that makes veterans such good employees and franchisees?

• Veterans have leadership skills – the hierarchical nature of the military trains people to lead by example. Veterans know that they are directly responsible for managing and motivating those working under them. Not to mention the fact that many veterans have honed their leadership skills in combat situations, which is well beyond the leadership needed in a typical civilian office setting.

• Veterans are team players – the phrase “a team is only as strong as its weakest player” is never truer than when you are in a combat situation. Veterans know how to work with those around them for the good of everyone. They’ve learned responsibility to others, and how to get along with a diverse group of people.

• Veterans understand diversity in the workplace – because the military does not discriminate by race, gender, origin, ethnicity, sexuality or religion, veterans learn to work with anyone and everyone. They’ve learned to see beyond personal differences to ensure that the job in front of them gets done.

• Veterans have a strong work ethic – the challenges in a work day for an active duty soldier far outpace those of the typical civilian job. Veterans have learned to work long hours, in non-traditional environments, under incredibly stressful conditions. They’ve learned to perform under pressure, to work with limited resources, and to stick with a job until it is finished.

• Veterans have a respect for procedures and policies – through the hierarchy of the military, veterans have learned a healthy respect for authority. They understand that they are just one part of a larger organization, and that following the rules is necessary to succeed.

• Veterans are conscious of the health/work connection – The physical demands of the military not only leave most veterans in excellent physical shape, it also teaches them to respect their bodies and minds. They learn that in order to thrive in a work environment, you have to keep yourself healthy because sick days in active combat situations just don’t happen.

If these sound like the qualities and capabilities you’d like to see in your employees, then I strongly encourage you join TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® in recruiting veterans to the workforce.

It’s your move.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the largest franchised moving company in North America. It includes 230 locations and more than 1,400 trucks on the road. Each location is independently owned and operated and sells boxes and packing supplies. For more information, visit www.twomenandatruck.com.

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