Unite is committed to cultivating a thriving workforce and wholeheartedly recognises the immense value brought by armed forces personnel. The skills, leadership abilities, problem-solving prowess, and unwavering commitment to excellence displayed by veterans and reservists make them indispensable contributors to our organisation.
As a proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant in the UK, Unite acknowledges and embraces the unique talents and experiences of veterans and reservists. In doing so, we extend our support to those who have served, are serving, or have family members serving in the armed forces.
John, Unite consultant, and an ex-service person, accurately expresses, "When recruiting for any job at any level, hiring managers should take an extra look at ex-Army, Navy and Air Force personnel. Some traits there have been forged in experiences that civilian life cannot replicate. Calmness under pressure, loyalty, perseverance, sense of humour, teamwork, improvisation, target and goal orientation, and hard work. These are not exclusive to forces personnel by any means, but they are second nature to those who have served."
Signing the Armed Forces Covenant demonstrates Unite’s commitment to equal opportunity and support for armed forces personnel during their recruitment and employment at Unite. We review our pledge regularly and actively engage with the Armed Forces Covenant and Reserve Forces and Cadet Association to ensure we offer the best support possible to those within our organisation and the Armed Forces Community.
As part of its commitment to the UK covenant, Unite pledges to:
Support reservists and adult volunteers by offering them 7 paid and 7 days unpaid additional leave to fulfil their duties and training requirements.
Offer work placements, insight days, and mentoring schemes to veterans and older cadets.
Support employing service personnel, reservists, veterans, spouses, partners and dependants.
Offer short notice leave to reservists and those whose partners are sent on deployment or working with the tri-service.
Offer insight days to older cadets looking for apprenticeships and further education.
Facilitate remote working for employees of the Armed Forces, including but not exclusive to reservists, veterans, cadets, partners and spouses.
At Unite, we take immense pride in including armed forces personnel within our ranks. For instance, our colleague Franziska Hagen, a trainer in the Organisation, Learning and Culture department, was an active officer in the German Airforce Officer’s Academy's educational department before joining the Unite headquarters in Leipzig.
"I am passionate about developmental subjects and creativity. In the forces, change is slow. Unite provides me with the perfect platform to explore my ideas. The company is growing, and the more diverse the crowd, the greater the need for well-defined roles and structure to ensure effective collaboration," she explained.
Hiring veterans and reservists also yields numerous other benefits, including a strong sense of loyalty and belonging, which fosters a positive work culture and improves the overall performance of an organisation.
Carl Douglas, consultant at Unite, aptly sums it up, “I know from my own experience, that those that have served in his majesty's armed forces bring a unique mindset and commitment to action like no other. In a world of unpredictability, their qualities would add real value to any organisation.”
You love what we do at Unite and want to be a part of it? We’re always looking for committed people to join our team. Find out more on our Careers page.
