How companies deal with the reservists' absence

As more and more countries start putting ‘boots on the ground’ in faraway places, what are the implications of mobilizing reservists from an HR perspective.

Arriving at Singapore’s Changi Airport you are likely to encounter patrols of soldiers armed with assault rifles circling the passenger terminals. A security measure introduced since 911. You may be surprised to hear that a percentage of them are in fact reservists!

Recent world events have shown how the armed forces are relying more and more upon part-time reservists as a way of meeting their military obligations. The human resource implications of this are far reaching in that taking employees away from the work place depletes organizations of valuable employees for, it seems increasingly longer periods of time.

When employees are called up during peacetime, either to do NS or as reservists, it is always for a stated duration. In war time it can be, conceivably, for an indefinite period.

In countries such as the US, the UK, and Australia reservists volunteer their services. As such reservists make up a very small percentage of the population in these countries. In other countries such as Singapore all young men are required to complete two years military service after which, they are eligible to be called upon for reservist duties up to the age of thirty five.

Reservists are often drawn from key sectors of the economy. Typically they include, medical personnel , engineering and logistical experts. The majority of Britain’s military medical personnel are reservists. Traditionally reservists have been used in support functions. Increasingly however they are being used for front time duties as well.

Employers are not normally required to pay reservists while they are away. Some organizations however continue to do so, usually for patriotic reasons. Employers receive government compensation to cover the temporary loss of the employee. A survey conducted by Buck consultants in the US in 2003 revealed that two-thirds of employers were prepared to offer some form of pay differentiation to employees called away for military service in the Gulf. Between 23% and 43% stated that they were prepared to continue provide medical and dental insurance for up to a year or for the full duration of hostilities.

If a company is already short staffed, possibly as a result of downsizing, the calling up of key employees can have a serious economic impact. An employer is entitled to apply to exempt a reservist from call up but, to be successful, the employer must establish that their absence will cause serious economic damage to the organization.

Likewise the reservist can be granted exemption from duty on a number of grounds. These might include recent family illness or bereavement or an elderly relative to care for. Others circumstances might include recent promotion , imminent examinations or training that cannot easily be deferred.

It is worth noting that 50% of appeals lodged in the US at the time of the 1991 Gulf war were successful.

A key concern of the reservist is likely to be that he or she has a job to return to. In all countries legislation exists to protect the rights of reservists. In most instances the reservist is entitled to reinstatement. Bear in mind however, that a lot can happen if an employee is absent for a considerable period of time. Sometimes it can be deemed unreasonable to expect an employer to hold open a job.

Generally speaking the majority of employers in the U.S. and in Europe have a favorable attitude towards employees who serve in the reserve forces. Often such employees are perceived as being more resourceful and as having greater integrity. Also there are can also be useful spin offs for the organization. Skills such as leadership skills as well as technical skills cab be transferable to the workplace.

According to the Australian Defense Force, whose members are recently seen active service in both Iraq and East Timor ‘physically and mentally fit individuals who are self-disciplined, self-reliant and trained as team players and thinkers are of benefit to any company’. Service overseas can also nurture a global perspective. Likewise, as the SARS outbreak in Asia demonstrated, military experience can prove useful in the event of a civil emergency.

A survey conducted by the Leeds Business School in the UK in 2003 concluded that on average a reservist received 9,000 pounds worth of training each year of which about 50% can applied directly within the work place.

But there are also other spin-offs. As part of its Common Defense Policy Europe is developing an integrated, rapid response force comprised of regulars and reservists from its member nations. Participants from former Eastern block states are seen to have benefited as a result of being exposed to a different management style. Unlike the ex Soviet states, a central feature of the command structure of the armed forces of countries such as France, German and Britain has always been senior NCOs and junior officers. In other words their middle management. A reluctance to delegate and to relinquish centralized control made this less prevalent in Soviet organizations.

Reservist training has provided eastern Europeans managers and administrators with an insight into a more decentralized and participative leadership style which is also more compatible with prevailing economic reforms within their own countries.

In many larger corporations, the mobilization of reservists has become part and package of the organization’s culture. As such other staff are trained to take over the reservist’s job in preparation for their absence. Some organizations bring back retired employees temporarily or employ temporary staff to plug the gap thus reducing administrative costs. It can also be used as an opportunity to allow younger staff to acquire experience in a more senior role.

However a recent survey indicated that about 50% of organizations envisaged the absence of a reservist employee for more than two weeks as causing potential problems. Small companies are more likely to be adversely affected than large ones. Not surprisingly many employers in the US and UK indicated that they thought twice before employing a reservist.

Mindful that taking employees away from the workplace is never popular with employers, Singapore has tried to make it more acceptable by focusing upon the broader ideological appeal in terms of defending the nation against external threats. Attempts are made to secure greater commitment from employers by integrating the concept of reservist training with civilian employment. Employers receive updates and reports on the their employee’s progress and are encouraged to observe their employee’s training. Cross training is also encouraged. A ‘best employer’s’ award has even been introduced for organizations that were seen to be the most supportive.

At the same time Singapore has tried to minimize the level of disruption caused as a result of the employee’s absence from the work place. Internet facilities and, prior to these faxes, have been commonplace for sometime at military camps

Similar initiatives have been undertaken in the UK. The aim is to communicate with employers on the role of reservists. According to Captain Simon Barnes, who is leading the initiative, now that call ups are becoming increasingly common companies have to become more involved and to have in place contingency measures. The British MOD are encouraging employers to visit training camps to see for themselves how their employees benefit from the military training they receive. Specially Britain’s TA is aware of the need to shred its ‘weekend soldier’ image.

Until Desert Storm twelve years ago, the mass mobilization of reservists for active service was a rarity. If they were called upon it was usually to plug the occasional gap. The general perception tended to be that reserve forces were being kept back for the ‘big one’.

However this is the third time that reservists have been mobilized in a decade. In the post 911 world, putting more boots on the ground in far away places, is seen as the best means of preserving peace. At the same time it’s not just about numbers. Today’s military machines depend on a vast armory of skills and as military needs become more specialized there will be a corresponding need to pull in reservists from civilian life to perform specific tasks.

A decade ago, the two working million days were lost in the US as a result of employees being taken away from the work place for reservist duties. Today it is estimated that about fifteen million days lost with reservist numbers remaining approximately the same. There is also some concern also that the armed forces are becoming over dependent upon their reserve forces. Also that essential civilian sectors such as medicine are being deprived of much needed personnel.

Who do you see when your ‘Doc’ is in Karbul! During the 2003 Iraq war for example, it was alleged that NHS wards were closed as a direct consequence of key staff being called for duty. As a general rule it has been recommended that reserve forces should be last in and first out whenever possible. Also that they should either be used in large numbers for a short period or in small numbers for a prolonged period. This way disruption to the civilian sector is minimized.