The word “heroes” has become a common descriptor for military service members, but how does that perception discount the contributions veterans can make in the business world? It’s a topic explored in Edelman’s 2024 Veterans’ Well-Being Survey, released last month.
On the latest Warrior Money, hosts Patrick Murphy and Dan Kunze are joined by John D. Edelman, the global communications firm’s Managing Director of Global Engagement and Corporate Responsibility. Edelman reflects on the company’s survey and what it says about the relationship between veterans, the general public, and the companies that employ them.
“It's a unique survey because we survey across veterans, non-veterans, employers, [and] corporate partners,” Edelman explains. “What the survey shows is that there’s this perception that veterans are ‘heroes’ as opposed to ‘strategic assets.’”
Indeed, Edelman’s 2018 survey showed that six in ten respondents viewed vets as “heroes” rather than “strategic assets,” and the company’s latest survey resulted in the same datapoint: “Even six years later, there’s still this misperception."
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“Discounting all their incredible skill sets, resiliency, problem-solving… leadership, team-building, all these things that are core skill sets to navigate the complexity of today's world. These are the leaders that people should be leaning to, to take things forward," Edelman explains further.
The distinction between “heroes” and “strategic assets” is an important one. “They are heroes,” Edelman says of veterans. “One percent of the country provides the freedoms that we have. Yet, when looking to hire them to be leaders at the company, they're not perceived as strategic [assets].” Edelman explains that strategic assets are “leaders who can make things happen [and] drive the company forward.”
“There's a total disconnect where you're missing incredible talent that can help make things happen,” he says.
In addition to how veterans are perceived by others, Edelman’s survey also explores the obstacles veterans face when pursuing entrepreneurship, their mental and physical health after service, and the ways in which their skills are utilized in the workplace.
On this week’s Warrior Money, Saltsman also outlines the defense technology he is developing as CEO of EdgeRunner AI. Hosted by former Congressman Patrick Murphy and veteran investor Dan Kunze, Yahoo Finance’s Warrior Money is a weekly vodcast dedicated to uplifting military veterans transitioning into civilian life. Listen to full episodes of Warrior Money here or wherever you get your podcasts.
This post was written by Nick Riccardo.