On Veterans Day, the United States honors its past and current military veterans with parades, observances and recognition. Here at Paycom, we take this time to also champion the veterans in our workforce.
Originally known as Armistice Day, Veterans Day initially occurred on the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Several years later, Congress passed a resolution to make it an annual observance, and in 1938, Nov. 11 became a national holiday. Today, an estimated 16.2 million military veterans live in our nation, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. They represent 6.2% of the adult population.
As the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs notes, veterans possess a broad skill set, thanks to their multifaceted training and array of responsibilities in the military. They know the meaning of a hard day’s work and appreciate the challenge and satisfaction of a job well done. Their commitment and appreciation for overcoming challenges to achieve excellence makes them valuable in any workforce.
Our own heroes
At Paycom, our team is full of hardworking veterans. The perspectives they provide and the skills they bring to their roles strengthen our organization.
Kyle, a team lead at Paycom’s joint security operations center, has been with us for more than five years. But before joining the Paycom team, he felt compelled to serve.
“There was a call to service since I have family members who served in other military branches,” Kyle said. “So a year after graduating high school, I decided to join the Marine Corps.”
Kyle served for 21 years as a radio operator, radio chief and spectrum manager. After retiring as communications chief for radio, telephone and data networks, he was drawn to Paycom because of the camaraderie. Our wide array of learning and growth opportunities deeply resonated with him.
“I learned a lot about teamwork, mission accomplishment, troop welfare and leadership in the military,” he said. “I feel these all fit into Paycom very well. Paycom really cares about and takes care of its employees. They strive to be the best in the industry and have changed how it runs.”
Prescious, a benefits coordinator in our Oklahoma City headquarters, said she learned and developed habits from the military that helped her flourish in the civilian workforce.
“I am very organized and have great time management skills. I apply the Navy’s core values to my everyday life now: honor, courage and commitment,” she said. “Honor, being true to myself even when it may be hard. Courage, to stand up for the things that are right. Commitment; when I say I will do something, I do it.”
Duty to give back
This month, Paycom and its employees donated to military-related nonprofits, including $30,000 to the USO. Team members also participated in Burpees for Vets, an awareness challenge in which employees did full-body exercises for money to support the Courage Foundation. This year, employees completed a total of 133,963 burpees, with Paycom donating $1 for each one.
“For someone who has PTSD, seeing that Paycom is giving back means a lot,” Prescious said. “There are some vets who suffer as well and don’t have the support or resources, and The [Mark Divine] Courage Foundation provides that.”
Paycom also has a veteran-focused employee resource group (ERG). Like all our employee-led groups, it aims to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with Paycom’s DEI strategy. Among the many benefits this ERG provides, Kyle believes human connection is the biggest.
“It is important for veterans to connect with other veterans and with family, friends and colleagues in their communities,” he said. “Veterans who can accomplish this have better mental health outcomes than those who don’t. Connecting with other veterans gives us someone to talk to who understands where we have been and what we have been through.”
Want to join a team committed to supporting veterans and their families? Apply to Paycom today!
