The HR Dept becomes eighth Swindon firm to sign Armed Forces Covenant

Military personnel past and present have a new ally in their search for gainful employment after The HR Dept pledged its support by signing The Armed Forces Covenant.

The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation ensuring that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly.

The covenant was signed to coincide with Armed Forces Day on Saturday (June 25).

It means the national HR outsourcing company, which operates in 80 territories around the UK and Ireland through a network of 58 licensees, will uphold the covenant’s key principles across its operation and advocate these practices to its customer base of 4,500 SMEs.

In Swindon, The HR Dept is run by Peter Jones. The company has become one of just eight businesses in Swindon to have signed the pledge.

The principles of the Covenant are twofold: first that no member of the Armed Forces, past or present, should be disadvantaged compared to any other citizen in providing public and commercial services and, secondly, that they may be due special treatment, especially if injured or bereaved.

In practice, the signing of the Covenant means the HR Dept will promote itself as forces-friendly, help Armed Forces personnel seeking employment recognise the transferrable skills they have, support veterans and their partners with CV writing and interview practice, support employees who choose to be Reservists and educate the company’s customers about the benefits of employing reservists and cadets.

The HR Dept has also committed to ensure that practical policies and training seminars are available to its 58 Licensees and their staff to implement with their own customers, as well as making sure that those franchise holders are trained in the specific challenges faced by military personnel.

The HR Dept is one of just over 1,000 companies in the UK to have signed The Armed Forces Covenant.

Peter Jones, director of The HR Dept Swindon, said: “The brave service men and women of the UK’s armed forces aren’t assured an easy transition back into civilian life when they leave the military. Long and short serving veterans often have to take a huge leap from their experience in military employment to whatever they do next.

“The Armed Forces Covenant has been set up to pull businesses, communities, and the public together to support them; ultimately helping to remove any disadvantages they may face upon their return to civilian life.

“For some it will be easier than others. The immensely successful and inspiring Invictus Games recently shed light on the difficulties faced by veterans left injured from war. They highlighted the traumatic disabilities soldiers have learnt to live with, before anything else is considered. And those without injury may still face difficulty readjusting after years of service.

“Even smaller things like writing CVs or paying bills could pose an initial challenge. Following years of living regimented and structured lifestyles with peers in similar roles, stepping into a life outside of that (especially if unemployed) can be a lonely journey.

“The HR Dept is one of the businesses signing the Armed Forces Covenant. As part of this we’ve pledged to become an armed forces friendly organisation. We are here to support and advise employers looking to recruit veterans, veterans looking to secure employment; and we’ll promote the benefits of employing veterans and reservists too.”