Posted on Jan 1, 2016
How do you handle the cultural shock of transitioning from military service to civilian employment?
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http://www.bizpacreview.com/2015/12/31/more-than-100-muslim-employees-fired-after-walkout-in-demand-of-prayer-time-289752
What these Muslim employees attempted to do isn't so very different from what I've seen former military members do when they enter the civilian workforce. The same issue that got these Muslims fired can get you fired: Culture Shock.
I well remember the young men who served in my commands dreaming wistfully about what they were going to do when they got back to "the real world". Sadly, their expectations were sorely out of whack with reality. The civilian world has uniforms, SOP's, routines, and a hierarchy just as does the military. However, they're all different, very different, and former military members would do well to lie low and scope out the situation before they plunge in and try to change it.
How do they try to change it? Funny but they typically try to reinvent their civilian workplace into a verisimilitude of the military one they just left (in many cases the very same one they were recently complaining about). Again, can you see the similarities with what these Muslims attempted to do?
What these Muslim employees attempted to do isn't so very different from what I've seen former military members do when they enter the civilian workforce. The same issue that got these Muslims fired can get you fired: Culture Shock.
I well remember the young men who served in my commands dreaming wistfully about what they were going to do when they got back to "the real world". Sadly, their expectations were sorely out of whack with reality. The civilian world has uniforms, SOP's, routines, and a hierarchy just as does the military. However, they're all different, very different, and former military members would do well to lie low and scope out the situation before they plunge in and try to change it.
How do they try to change it? Funny but they typically try to reinvent their civilian workplace into a verisimilitude of the military one they just left (in many cases the very same one they were recently complaining about). Again, can you see the similarities with what these Muslims attempted to do?
Transition
Civilians
Culture
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 15
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If you have questions about ETS or Retiring, it is best to answer them while you are in service. If you have problems remembering things it might behoove of you to take your spouse to the ETS briefings. Fill of journal of all your skills, deployments, responsibilities, accomplishments to the out-process center to work on your resume. Network with buddies. Find corporations that hire veterans. Learn about the USA Jobs site. Learn about Resumix if it is still used.
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CPT Jack Durish what a great analogy to transition and assessment of proper execution. One of the areas constantly being critiqued in Corporate America is culture. And, finding the right "fit" between employee and employer. And, so much of culture is based on "attitude" which is invaluable in life.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
One of the greatest attributes of being a commander is the ability to influence the culture. In my opinion, culture is the peg from which everything else hangs from. The culture will address values, training, taking care of soldiers, expectations, working hard, and having fun.
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My wife and I were talking about this yesterday.
Here was what we got from a different article.
200 employees, 2nd shift (afternoon shift from our understanding). Official policy (in effect for several years) on Prayer breaks had not changed. However that does not mean that "Unofficial" policy had not.
First shift showed up. No problems. Second shift no showed. 3 days in a row. Company had tried to work with them in regards to the issue to make reasonable accommodations.
What "I believe" happened. Second shift would take them through Sunset, which is a variable time for Prayer. This would make the "reasonable accommodation" significantly more difficult to accommodate. If I have my prayer times correct Sunrise (variable, but before 1st shift, no impact), Mid-morning (not variable), Noon (not variable), Mid-Afternoon (not variable, pre second shift), Sunset (Variable). This created a "Burden" on one shift, but not on the others, hence the issue.
Now, that doesn't necessarily explain the walk out.
What "I think" happened was that Policy had been enforced in one way up until a specific point, and then began being enforced more "strictly" or just "differently" at another. What Home Office sees is not necessarily what Branch is reporting.
But... culture shock is a hell of a thing. My biggest thing was having "multiple bosses" who didn't report to each other. A "non-hierarchical" system. Drove me batty. Absolutely hated it. Decided I didn't want to work for that company and found a company that had clear delineation.
Here was what we got from a different article.
200 employees, 2nd shift (afternoon shift from our understanding). Official policy (in effect for several years) on Prayer breaks had not changed. However that does not mean that "Unofficial" policy had not.
First shift showed up. No problems. Second shift no showed. 3 days in a row. Company had tried to work with them in regards to the issue to make reasonable accommodations.
What "I believe" happened. Second shift would take them through Sunset, which is a variable time for Prayer. This would make the "reasonable accommodation" significantly more difficult to accommodate. If I have my prayer times correct Sunrise (variable, but before 1st shift, no impact), Mid-morning (not variable), Noon (not variable), Mid-Afternoon (not variable, pre second shift), Sunset (Variable). This created a "Burden" on one shift, but not on the others, hence the issue.
Now, that doesn't necessarily explain the walk out.
What "I think" happened was that Policy had been enforced in one way up until a specific point, and then began being enforced more "strictly" or just "differently" at another. What Home Office sees is not necessarily what Branch is reporting.
But... culture shock is a hell of a thing. My biggest thing was having "multiple bosses" who didn't report to each other. A "non-hierarchical" system. Drove me batty. Absolutely hated it. Decided I didn't want to work for that company and found a company that had clear delineation.
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