Working alongside Recruit for Spouses (RfS), the Employers’ Network for Equality & Inclusion (ENEI), the UK’s leading employer network covering equality in the workplace, has recently updated its ‘to-business’ guide on supporting military spouses.
The guide blends the expertise of the two organisations: ENEI supports more than 270 members to implement diversity strategies, working with clients to uncover and overcome unconscious bias; RfS advises employers of the unique challenges faced by military spouses and how to remove barriers to their employment. Together, the two bodies are influential in changing perceptions: as advances in technology make remote working easier than ever before, companies can now demonstrate a commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant whilst securing the talents of a skilled individual.
ENEI chief executive Denise Keating says: “Our military spouses are the first line of support for the serving personnel who keep the country safe. We encourage all employers, large and small, to utilise this free guide. Employing a military spouse not only benefits the military family but also benefits the employer, who will have an employee with the soft skills that education and civilian work experience rarely provide.”
Heledd Kendrick, founder of Recruit for Spouses, agrees that filling skills gaps often requires a change in processes: “Over the past five years, we have helped almost 1,000 spouses find work, and after working with the ENEI in 2014 to produce the first guide, we experienced a definite shift in the spousal employment space with more spouses finding work that matched their skill set.
“The ENEI information that was distributed to companies undoubtedly helped change the ‘unconscious bias’ that spouses so often face in an interview situation. The update to this document – used by large corporations to inform their Diversity & Inclusion advice – includes details of the Armed Forces Covenant and how employers can best support a military spouse into work.”
Note to Editors:
Issued by Recruit for Spouses (RfS), an award-winning, independent social enterprise, run largely by people whose spouses are serving in the Armed Forces, that helps military spouses into the workplace. To contact RfS, email: e.mcpartlin@recruitforspouses.co.uk
