Talent Centric
A military step towards
workforce inclusion
Enabling inclusion and social mobility ensures ‘cognitive diversity’ in the
workplace, argues Alexander Mann Solutions’ Non-executive Director
Sir David Walker, pointing out that veterans are prime examples of
overlooked talent that can significantly enhance an organisation.
W
o r k i n g - a g e Sir David Walker OBE, a non-executive
veterans are director at Alexander Mann Solutions
nearly twice and a former Air Marshal in the Royal Air
as likely to be Force (RAF). Passionate about workforce
unemployed inclusion, he is keen to trumpet the
as their equivalents in the UK general message that employers are missing a
population, according to research trick by overlooking the valuable skills
published in 2014 by the Royal British and qualities of ex-military personnel.
Legion, highlighting the 120,000
“The armed forces are not a bunch
ex-servicemen and women out of work.
of daleks giving orders to each other,”
Its follow-up policy report, he points out. “We’re a very fluid
Deployment to Employment, shines organisation that releases energy and
a light on specific barriers faced by values people. And I think much of that
ex-servicepeople in a civilian jobs is absolutely transferable in terms of
market. These include a lack of skills to the commercial environment.
formal academic
But it needs people
qualifications, but
to recognise that.
also employers’
“I was speaking
negative perceptions
about leadership in
“The armed forces
of ex-military,
the military at an
are not a bunch of
founded
on
event for CEOs last
“pernicious myths”.
year, and during the
daleks giving orders
Not only are
questions at the end,
to each other”
servicemen and
one chairman of a
women believed to
FTSE 100 company
be disciplinarians,
said, ‘surely it’s easy
only able to bark orders at one another, for you in the armed forces because all
but there is a ‘mad, bad, sad’ stereotyping you have to do is give orders and people
whereby people “perceive that veterans obey!’” Would that it were so simple. But I
suffer from high levels of mental health wouldn’t want it to be, because I wouldn’t
problems or that many end up on the want to work with automatons.”
street, sleep rough or are suicidal”.
Explaining that ‘mission command’
Such conscious and unconscious is all about sharing your intent,
bias around veterans needs breaking breaking it down into tasks for
down as part of businesses’ diversity subordinate commanders to achieve,
and inclusion (D&I) work, according to but giving them the freedom to
alexandermannsolutions.com
38
Air Marshal
Sir David Walker,
KCVO OBE
Non-executive Director,
Alexander Mann
Solutions
Air Marshal Sir David spent
nine years as Master of the
Queen’s Household and
commanded the RAF Training
Group, before joining
Alexander Mann Solutions.
[email protected]