with the Navy’s values of honor, courage, and commitment. Seeing that they valued some of those same things—like integrity and wellness—made me think I could nd a home here.” Wagner also serves as president of the company’s veteran employee resource group (VERG), which aims to support veteran employees’ mental, social, physical, and nancial wellness and help with transition to civilian work through career support and mentorship. Started earlier in 2023, the group is up to about 60 members who communicate regularly and meet for social events. “The military is close knit, so we wanted to create that sense of connection for our veterans across the company,” Wagner says. WHAT WORKS ArcBest also pays close attention to challenges military veterans face when adjusting to life in civilian jobs. Even seemingly mundane things like getting used to 9-5 schedules and guring out nancial obligations can be stressful for former service members. Not surprisingly, job retention is tough among new veterans, which is why companies like ArcBest have tailored programs and initiatives aimed at keeping veterans in the workforce. “First-year turnover of transitioning service members is a real concern and so we train them on resilience and keeping up with social and mental health,” explains Turner. “We also focus on nancial wellness, getting them used to their new nancial responsibilities.” The vigilance pays off for ArcBest. Once veterans make it through that crucial rst year of employment, they generally stick around—often for good. “One leading cause of turnover after that rst year is retirement,” Turner says. “When they nd their way, and we get them through that awkwardness of the rst year, we have a neat story of retention.” Turner credits the company’s culture and mission as the force of the staying power. “It’s so enjoyable to be able to celebrate so many veterans building their careers with us.” n
High turnover rates coupled with ongoing driver shortages have been a persistent headache for the transportation industry. It’s easy to see why trucking companies are so eager to tap into a dependable workforce. Making that military-to-transportation industry link more e°ective is the goal of a new public-private partnership known as Task Force Movement (TFM). Launched in 2022 in support of President Biden’s Trucking Action Plan, TFM has brought together transportation industry stakeholders to help enact strategies to broaden hiring e°orts. These include transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses. The group has also identified four key areas of improvement that can help to attract military service members into the trucking profession. “We are working to rebrand the industry and change the narrative around what it means to be a truck driver,” notes Elizabeth Murray-Belcaster, TFM’s senior advisor of communications and public relations. “There are a lot of misconceptions about the industry. Driving is actually a well-paying job that provides a sustainable living for families.” TFM is also enacting programs to increase access to quality training and employment for veterans who wish to obtain their Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), and improving the transferability of military skills. The goal is for veterans who served as truck drivers in the military to have their credentials translate for civilian trucking jobs. In addition, to help with job retention once veterans are placed in driving positions, TFM is focusing on the link between “whole person care” and veteran workforce success. “The healthcare portion of all of this has been overlooked,” says Elizabeth Murray-Belcaster, who explains that many veterans come back from service with issues like post-traumatic stress and other traumas. Added to that, the trucking industry has high rates of occupational hazards including obesity and diabetes—which can add up to an unhealthy combination. “We realize that the retention piece for the industry is going to be hard to combat until we start correcting some of the lifecycle health and wellness pieces of the puzzle,” she explains. VETS COMBAT DRIVER SHORTAGES
128 Inbound Logistics • July 2023
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