In honor of Veterans Day, we’re taking a moment to recognize and honor the sacrifices and contributions of those who have served in the military, as well as their families. At UKG, we are proud to support our veterans, military spouses, and military parents through our employee resource group (ERG), VETS. Read on to learn why Matt, Halie, and Tina stress the importance of being allies for military-affiliated employees in the workplace.
Matt S., Sr. Business Program Manager
Tell us about your military experience.
I served in the Florida Army National Guard for 13 years. I spent most of that time as an Infantry Officer, holding various positions including Company Commander, Operations Officer, and Liaison. I’ve deployed to several countries and had the privilege of working with a lot of foreign governments and militaries.
Why is it important to be an ally for veterans or military spouses in the workplace?
Veterans that have gone through the transition from full-time military to the private sector may need help adjusting to a vastly different work environment. Similarly, military spouses often bear a burden that makes some typical jobs difficult; like having to move when their spouse moves on government orders or living in a different area of the world for an extended period of time.
How does UKG support you in the workplace?
UKG supports veterans and active Guard/Reserve members by allowing them to transition in and out of duty with a full suite of support. We have programs that can help manage workloads, and systems to help keep those members connected when they need to be. UKG offers a great benefit policy for active members as well. My manager supported me when I had to take my first Hurricane duty after joining UKG. They allowed me to take the time off without hesitation, and had my work covered by other employees while I was out.
You are a co-chair of VETS. How has this group provided support or shaped your UKG experience?
Within VETS, we have started to gather information about all the different ways UKG resources could be used to cover work for active-duty military and made them available to the VETS members to use when they needed.
What makes you proud to work at UKG?
I am proud that we as a company are actively trying to recruit more military personnel to join our workforce. It pleases me that UKG recognizes the unmatched work ethic, determination, and values that active military and veterans bring with them into the work environment.
Halie S., Senior Product Support Representative
What is your spouse's rank/branch in the military? How long have they served?
My spouse is a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army with 13 years of service.
Tell us about your experience as a military spouse.
My experience has been nothing short of humbling chaos. I feel like this journey supporting my spouse throughout every deployment, temporary duty, field training, promotion board and other hurdles has built the foundation where I now stand. It's a compass for how I want to help other spouses in similar paths.
Being a military spouse while juggling a career, frequent relocations, and raising three children is a unique experience I never thought I'd add onto my resume of life. Building and maintaining a support system has been the most important thing in my journey as a military spouse. I found that community in not only physical in-person friendships but virtual friendships through my shared hobbies and work.
I believe my journey as a military spouse is to continue to educate those that do not understand the requirements to this lifestyle and just how much you sacrifice. I hope that companies can continue to educate themselves on how to incorporate individuals like us when creating a strong, diverse, humbled group of people into their workplace. Some of the best workers I've personally worked alongside have been military spouses. We truly can do it all, while maintain a positive outlook, and ensuring we have multiple backup plans.
Why is it important to be an ally for veterans, military parents, or military spouses in the workplace?
Supporting veterans, military parents, and military spouses in the workplace is crucial because it helps them navigate unique challenges like frequent relocations and deployments, improves job satisfaction and retention, and brings diverse perspectives and problem-solving skills to the team. Creating an inclusive environment fosters community and aligns with corporate social responsibility, enhancing both the company’s culture and its reputation.
How does UKG support you in the workplace?
UKG has provided a few comprehensive tools and solutions to help support my needs in the workplace as a military-affiliated employee. They have integrated the ability for me to work remote from anywhere. I can feel confident knowing my job goes with me most places within the US. I can access all my paystubs, timecards, and other various benefit information right from my mobile device using the UKG mobile app. ERGS, such as VETS, help foster a community I can be a part of virtually.
How has VETS provided support or shaped your UKG experience?
I've been in a few positions that required others' expertise with how to navigate my first permanent change of station (PCS). I was provided clear insight into how others managed it, which helped me feel more comfortable during my PCS within my current role.
What makes you proud to work at UKG?
The community I have built during this journey within UKG has been one I will never take for granted. I've worked with some amazing individuals that are now some of my closest friends, some that I've yet to meet in person. UKG is committed to diversity, inclusion, and belonging which I feel across the board. These elements combine to create a workplace where I feel personally proud to be part of the team. I value the strong sense of community, commitment to values, and focus on people. I hope we can continue to build on this and really incorporate the military lifestyle to become more available to those that want to pursue this career type while not losing out on the opportunity simply due to them relocating more than an average family.
Tina M., Principal Partner Enablement Manager
What is your child's rank/branch in the military? How long have they served?
My son is a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army with nearly 3 years of service.
Tell us about your experience as a military parent.
In the short time I’ve been a military parent, it’s taught me to be more flexible and appreciate the moment. My son has already held multiple roles while serving, traveling the US and the world. It’s created opportunities for him that are life-changing, and very different from the experiences of our civilian friends and family. As a military mom, I see my role as supporting him in the best way I can. That includes building my own network for when things get challenging, and meeting him where he is, sometimes literally. We had the chance to spend last Christmas together in London, since he was deployed. It was a very different holiday for us, and we created memories that will last a lifetime.
Why is it important to be an ally for veterans, military parents, or military spouses in the workplace?
Seeing my son’s journey, and hearing from others, highlights to me how challenging military life can be. This is true not only for active-duty service members, but also their families, and for veterans once they leave active duty. Offering support in whatever way you can makes a difference and can make someone else’s journey easier.
How does UKG support you in the workplace?
Workplace flexibility is a huge support and has allowed me to be there for my son in ways I never could have with a location-based role. My direct leadership has consistently been supportive of this flexibility, which makes all the difference.
How has VETS provided support or shaped your UKG experience?
VETS provides me the ability to give back to the military community in a very direct way. As part of VETS, we’re able to work with other ERGs to educate and provide resources to U Krewers. Whether it’s having retired military speak to our employees, researching military programs to help prospective students, or providing military-focused charitable options to employees, being part of that effort is a powerful benefit of working with VETS.
What makes you proud to work at UKG?
I’m proud of UKG’s culture and the focus on the full employee experience. When we’re holistically better, we bring our best selves to work!
- INTERESTED IN JOINING THE U KREW? EXPLORE CAREERS AT UKG.
- LEARN MORE ABOUT UKG’S EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS (ERGS).
