The Department of Veterans Affairs predicts that more than one million military personnel will transition to civilian jobs by 2014. These veterans face a significant cultural shift in workplace expectations that needs to be managed well so that their experience and value will be maximized by their new civilian employers. A new publication, Onboarding Veterans into the Civilian Workforce, from the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) and written by Emily King, details how organizations can make the transition to the civilian workforce a smooth and mutually beneficial experience for the military veterans they hire.

The unique value of former military service members and the common challenges these veterans face when they transition to civilian work environments cut across industries. Onboarding Veterans into the Civilian Workforce presents information about the employee lifecycle as it relates to military veterans.

Some tips include:

• shaping the earliest experiences of the military new-hire through targeted onboarding

• accelerating organizational return on investment by helping military new-hires get productive quickly

• cultivating a pipeline of top talent, both functional and leadership

• promoting employee engagement and retention through development activities designed with military new-hires in mind.

Onboarding Veterans into the Civilian Workforce can be purchased from the ASTD Store.