Maximising the impact of your internal military network Key Enablers for Success

Start Build Integrate LeverageConsiderations • Askthequestions:‘What'stheobjectiveandpurposeofstartinga

militarynetwork?’-‘Whatisittryingtoachieve?’-‘Whatoutcomesandbenefitswillitbring?’-‘Howcansuccessbemeasured?’

• Determineifnetworksareappropriateforyourorganisation;willtheyimpactoninclusionasawhole;willtheydisrupttheestablishedlinesofresponsibility?

• Ensurethenetworkencapsulatesaclearvisionthatlinkstowiderorganisationalgoals(andbrand/culture).

• Establishingsenior‘buyin’,withachampionontheboardwhocanleveragesupport.

• Setsomeinitialaimsandobjectivesandgovernancestructurearoundthescale,size,outputsofthenetworkbutallowforfluidity-anetworkisnotastatic,controlledgroup.

• Considermilitary/non-militarymix?

• Startsmallandberealisticabouttimetobuild.

• Canyoureplicatetheformatofothernetworkswithintheorganisation-LGBT,BAME,Graduate?

• Ensureagovernancemechanismisinplaceandavoid‘scopecreep’.

• Asyoustarttogrowandbuildthenetwork,beopentosupport,adviceandhelp.

• Ensureeffectivecommunicationwhichwillenablethenetworkto‘merge’intoorganisationalactivitiesandgaintraction.

• Makesureyouinvolvenonmilitarypeopleandusethemasadvocatestootherpartsofthebusinesstobroadensupportforactivity.

• Identifythetypesofactivitiesthenetworkcanundertake-e.g.mentoring.

• Understandwhichstakeholdersneedtobeengagedintheactivityandhowyouwillcommunicatewiththem.

• Usepersonalisedcommunicationwhereverpossibletopromoteengagemente.gutilisingWhatsAppand/orintranetsystems.

• Lookatthebenefitsofusinginternalvsexternalplatformsforcommunication-where,whenandhowoftenareyoucommunicatingtoandtowhom.

• Capturetheoutcomesofthenetwork-cantheybemeasured and used as a barometerofimpact.

• Makesurethereisamechanismforfeedbackanddevelopment.

Benefits • Helpstoberecognisedasanemployerofchoice.

• EnhancesbrandreputationandsupportsCSRagendainanorganisation.

• Opensupnewopportunitiesforrecruitingtalentinyourorganisation.Identifycostbenefitse.g.potentialtosaveonrecruitmentcosts.

• Spreadswiderunderstandingof defence sector and military clients.

• Helpsbringinnewtalentpool-recruitsoftenhaveacceleratedpromotioninorganisation.

• Networkscanhelptransitionindividualsintotheorganisationandbuildcommercial awareness by learningthroughpeers(withacostbenefite.g.quickerforserviceleaverstoassimilateworkinginorganisation-thereforemoreproductivequicker).

• Aneffectivenetworkcanfacilitatethetransferofskillsacrosstheorganisation;breakdownofsilos;fosterinnovatione.g.‘buddyscheme’cancontributetoorganisationalandculturalknowhow.

• Thenetworkcanhelpthepersonaldevelopmentofthoseinvolvedinrunningthenetworks.

EMPLOYERS NETWORK#militaryisgoodforbusiness

Start Build Integrate LeverageCosts • Thinkabouttheinitialsetuptime.Isthereagreementontraveland

subsistencecostsallocation.

• Isthisactivitygoingtocostorsaveusmoney?What'sthecostofnotdoingit?

• Considerthecostoftimeforthoseinvolved-Whatelsetheycouldbedoingandcanyoujustifyoffsettingthiscost?

• Collaborationacrosstheorganisationcancutdownontimeandresourceallocation.

• Understandwhatyoucanaccountfor-sometimeshavingadedicatedbudgetcanbecounterproductiveasitgetsinthewayofthedeliveryofactivity,especiallywhenalotofactivityisdonethroughgoodwill.

• Makesurecostsandresponsibilitiesarespreadacrossateamofpeopletoensure sustainability of activity.

• Considersuccessionplanningsothatknowledge,experienceandimpetusisnotlost.

• Canyouuseexistingresourcestosupport?Couldcompanyvolunteeringdaysbeusedandcouldthisbeawayofinvolvingothersinactivity?

• Networkscanresultincostsavingsinotherareasofthebusinesse.g.recruitmentcosts.UnderstandingtheROIcanleadtogreaterengagementandsupportfortheaimsandobjectivesofthenetwork.

• UnderstandingtheROIcanlead to accelerated decision making,buyin(especiallyatastrategiclevel)leadingtoenhancedsatisfaction,soit’simportanttothinkabouthavingimpactmeasures(evensoftones).Considerlinkingtootherexternalnetworkstocapitaliseonbroaderbusinessbenefits.

Challenges • Beawarethatsomepeoplecanoftenbenervousabouttheperceptionofexmilitarypersonnelinorganisations-somepeopledon'tliketoidentifythemselves.

• Understandthepoliciesandframeworkofyourorganisation-sometimesyouneedtobuildactivitiesratherthenanetworktoachieveyourgoals.

• Makesurerankdoesnotbecomeafeature,itisn'tpartofacivilianworkforceandshouldn'tgovernwithinthenetwork.

• Managingexpectations-ensureeveryoneisawareoftheobjectivesofthenetwork,especiallyasitstartstogrow.

• Veryimportanttomakethenetworkfeelinclusiveandpartofthebroaderorganisation.

• Egoscanoftenbeinvolvedespeciallywhenactivitiesstarttobuildprofile,makesureyouhavegoodgovernanceinplacetodealwithcompetingagendas.

• Need to ensure its not an ‘exclusiveclub'butintegratedintootherprogrammesandopportunitiesacrossthebusiness.Communicationisparamount.

• Agoodopportunitytothinkabouthownetworks/sectorscancometogether,involveSME’sandbringtogetherdifferentgeographiclocations.

• Makesurethenetworkandactivitiesaresustainableandarepartofabroaderorganisationalobjective,thereisaclearplanandvisibilityforactivityacrossallrelevantstakeholderstoensureyoumaximiseimpact

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