Summary
The 2024 Workplace Wellness Survey (WWS) included an oversample of veterans to better understand their opinions about their employer and how they value their workplace-sponsored benefits, as well as the challenges they face balancing work, life, and their finances.
Key Findings
- About 6 percent of workers surveyed identified as veterans. A plurality of workers with veteran status served in the Army, and nearly one-quarter of veteran workers had a spouse or partner who was also either a veteran or currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
- Most veterans separated from the military prior to becoming eligible for full military retirement benefits.
- Veterans tended to report higher levels of financial wellbeing, social wellbeing, emotional wellbeing, and workplace wellbeing than their non-veteran counterparts. However, that is not to say that veterans do not face workplace stressors; similar shares of veterans and non-veterans reported worrying about the effects of their employer laying off workers, reducing hours, or reducing wages.
- Veterans faced similar stressors outside of the workplace as non-veterans. While they were less stressed by paying bills or the amount of debt they had than non-veteran workers, they were more likely to report being stressed by financially supporting loved ones and paying for caregiving services for either an adult or a child.
- Veteran workers were more likely to report intending to stay with their current employer for the immediate future than non-veteran workers. Both groups responded similarly when asked whether it is beneficial to change employers periodically, although veteran workers tended to express a preference for staying at a single employer for a longer time than non-veteran workers.