Editor´s Note
The present publication, number 26 of the "ARES" series, entitled "The Problem of Recruitment and Retention of Personnel in the Portuguese Armed Forces: A Complementary Perspective on Diagnosis and Corrective Measures", continues the dissemination of research work carried out at the Military University Institute (IUM), under the coordination of its Research and Development Center (CIDIUM).
This book is another product associated with the Research Project registered at CIDIUM under the title "Provision of Military Service under Contract in the Portuguese Armed Forces: from Recruitment to Socio-Professional Reintegration", and is, at the same time, a subsequent contribution to the 12 studies presented in number 22 of the same Collection and on the same general topic.
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I commend the coordinators and authors for this participation and I leave a particular compliment to Dr. Alberto Coelho for having associated himself with this initiative, giving the work a more institutional character and, above all, of recognition of the research work that is developed in this Institute, of which he is an assiduous and unavoidable collaborator.
It remains for me to leave the reader with my best wishes for a fruitful reading.
Lisbon, November 20, 2018
Vice Admiral Edgar Marcos de Bastos Ribeiro
Commandant of the IUM
Articles
The evolution of recruitment models within the military. The Portuguese Armed Forces case.
Abstract
With the extinction of the Normal Effective Service in Portugal, the model of conscription gives rise to the professionalization of the Armed Forces, provoking significant changes in recruitment structure, firstly, by the attempt to conceive an attractive recruitment model, in order to captivate sufficient young volunteers to enable them to function fully. The object of study of the present investigation is the model of recruitment of the Portuguese Armed Forces. In this framework, it is characterized the evolution of the military recruitment model according to the inductive reasoning method and a qualitative research strategy based on a case study research design. The analysis model comprising three dimensions, recruitment, retention and reinsertion, allowed a critical analysis of the current model and those of the countries that are part of the European space, in order to benchmark recommendations prone to improve the model. The study reveals that the effective way to increase the number of candidates is to make the organization more attractive, concluding that there is a need to change in a logic of general engagement, stimulate behaviors, perceive and potentiate the image of the Armed Forces, gain deep understanding of the emerging new generation, thus enabling the definition of processes framed to influence the attitudes and behaviors of the candidates.
Keywords
Model, Recruitment, Retention, Reinsertion, Armed Forces.Author(s) (*)
José Augusto de Sousa Silveira José Martins Borges
The Armed Forces recruitment for contrated military . The role of social media.
Abstract
The ending of conscription, and adoption of a contract-based model for the military service, has led the military to recruit human resources to the ranks, using the social media to fulfil this purpose. This study aims to analyse the current model of the use of social media for recruitment, within the Armed Forces, in order to present contributions for a joint and integrated model, which involves the National Defence and the Branches. To achieve this goal, a mixed research strategy was adopted, collecting data from semi-structured interviews to national and foreign entities, responsible for the recruitment and use of social media, and a questionnaire survey directed to applicants of the Armed Forces. Based on organizational attractiveness, and considering the concept of integrated communication, the potentialities and vulnerabilities arising from the current use of social media for recruitment were analysed. This investigation concludes that there is a need for an integrated communications plan, a careful choice of platforms/channels and contents according to the different target audiences, the importance of word-of-mouth when deciding to enlist, and the need for competent and committed management teams.
Keywords
Recruitment, social media, integrated communications, organizational attractiveness, employer branding, word-of-mouth.Author(s) (*)
Francisco José Fonseca Rijo Manuel da Costa Honorato
The problem of retaining soldiers in the Armed Forces. Corrective measures.
Abstract
This study focuses on the turnover of the military under a fixed-term contract, trying to identify the reasons why they leave the Armed Forces before reaching the time limit to stay in the ranks, as well as to identify the measures that promote retention and job satisfaction. The influence of the Employer Branding and the generational evolution in the Armed Forces, is also analyzed. Empirical data was collected from a questionnaire applied to 339 former military that chose to leave voluntarily in 2016 and 2017 and from interviews to Defense Resources Directorate and to command staff in the three branches of the Armed Forces. The collected data allowed to verify that the courses that enhance retention capacity are: valuation for the work performed, commitment to the degradation of the conditions, in terms of staff, professional training, nature of tasks, salaries, among others, provoke high levels of dissatisfaction and potentiate the breach of the Psychological Contract. Professionalization requires a balance between the needs of the institution and the expectations of the military, and the vectors that enhance the capacity for retention are: appreciation for work done, commitment to professional training and recognized professional qualification, the increase of professional stability, a more satisfactory remuneration offer and a policy of human communication, personalized and focused on the needs of both parties.
Keywords
Retention, turnover, psychological contract, employer branding, next generation.Author(s) (*)
Dinis Mendes Faustino Paulo Jorge André Serra
Military career: goals and expectations of the contracted personnel serving in the Armed Forces.
Abstract
Nowadays, we are seeing a big decrease in the number of candidates for the Portuguese Armed Forces. This study aims to understand the perception of contracted personnel regarding the military careers in the Portuguese armed forces. To this end, we have used a questionnaire which is an adaptation of one published by the ONRH (2017) and the DGRDN (2017). The questionnaire is based on 13 dimensions (possible catalysts of the Military Career Attractiveness) and it was presented to 1348 military personnel of the three Branches of the Armed Forces, the three Categories, and two Genders. The results lead us to conclude that, in average, a military career is perceived as something positive and attractive, which, nevertheless, can be improved, being this mentioned most relevant for the Army male enlisted personnel. This is also express in the dimensions Recognition and Reward, Change and Innovation, and Quality. In this context, some concrete and potential measures to increase the attractiveness were also listed.
Keywords
Military career; attractiveness of the Armed Forces; expectations and contract regime.Author(s) (*)
Cristina Paula de Almeida Fachada
Hugo Miguel da Mata Ferrão Nuno Alexandre Cruz dos Santos(*) NOTE: The alphabetical order of presentation of the authors may not correspond to the formal order found in the article.