Find’em & Keep’em
A Different Navy
A Different Navy
More Missions, More Varied, More Demanding
Not a smaller Navy…
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More demands
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GWOT Support Assignments
Language, Regional Expertise
and Culture
Navy Expeditionary Combat
Enterprise (NECE)
Wide range of missions
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Theater Air and Missile Defense
Riverine Operations
Theater Security Cooperation
Multi-dimensional warfare
scenarios in politically sensitive
regions
Humanitarian
Assistance/Disaster Relief
…a different Navy
Composed of Different Generations
“Go with the Bold Ones!”
“It’s not just a job. It’s an adventure!”
“Accelerate your life!”
Boomers
Generation X
Millennials
Idealistic
Cynical
Optimistic
Champions of social causes; seek
to change their world
Shaped by divorce, recession,
commercial hype, & morally
suspicious social leaders
Products of their close relationships
with parents and extended families
Individualistic
Non-conformists; 63% aspire to be
different than other people
Self-Completing
61% feel they need to know
themselves better
Interdependent
Independent/Pragmatic
Take it upon themselves to plan,
analyze and make solid decisions
-always hedging
Entrepreneurial
Record number choosing to join
large institutions and government
agencies in search of team work
and protection against risk.
Balanced
57% take what they can get in life
#1 goal: balance personal &
professional life.
Diverse
Sense of Urgency
Social choices reflect consumption
pattern
Want responsibility quickly, need
short-term goals
Media Consumption
Media Consumption
Media Consumption
Passive
Selective
Multi-source
Acquisitive
Often believe the more they give
away or let get away, the less
special they are
The Battle for Talent
 Navy requires the talent necessary to deliver future combat
capabilities.
– Future force structure requiring more technical skills
– Increased foreign language and cultural knowledge
– Increased flexibility
 Navy will not be able to recruit or retain the talent required
without changing policies and culture.
– 75% of Fortune 500 companies report a chronic “talent shortage”
– Millennial Generation seeks to incorporate balance throughout
life vs. settling at the end of their career
 70% of all workers in 2008 will be minorities or women
Todays Talent Has More Leverage
Why is the Navy concerned?
 Unemployment is down and labor markets are tightening
 For every two Baby Boomers exiting the workforce, there is
only one Generation X or Millennial to fill their jobs
 Navy has to compete to both recruit and retain talent
– No mid-level hiring capabilities
 Women growing as a large portion of skilled workers
– Women constitute 58% of college graduates
– Women earn 45% of all professional and graduate degrees
 Number of women with graduate & professional degrees is
projected to grow by 16% in the next decade vs. 1.3% for
men
Retaining Millennials & Women is Critical to Winning the
Battle for Talent
Focus To Win the Battle for Talent
 Retention is a key for concern – particularly
among the Millennial Generation and women:
– Life/Work Balance a key issue for both men and
women
 Key to success is flexibility and a menu of
options:
– A mix of financial and intrinsic incentives
 We are in competition with the private sector
who has greater flexibility in
designing/implementing programs
 A cultural shift toward more flexibility overall
is required
Life Work Integration of the Past
TFLW Mission and Vision
Examine initiatives Navy can
influence through policy
change
Identify efforts that require
DoD/Congressional approval
for engagement
Solicit feedback from the Fleet
on needed changes
Need More Flexibility & Options
Different Demographic Groups Want Different Retention Incentives
Officer Men
Officer Women
Choice of Assignment
Choice of Location
Increase in Base Pay
Sabbatical Options
Bonus Money
Flexible Work Hours
Geographic Stability
Pregnancy Leave/Deferment
Enlisted Men
Enlisted Women
Choice of Assignment
Choice of Assignment
Education Opportunities
Geographic Stability
Geographic Stability
Flexible Work Hours
Flexible Work Hours
Childcare Stipend/Priority
The Problem
 Low retention for SWOs…especially women
– Retention for SWO men = 38%
– SWO women = 17%
– Women represent 25% of SWO accessions
– Negative impacts in Surface Force
• Lack of diversity
• Impact on Department Head numbers
 SWOCP has not solved the problem
 Numerous studies have been conducted (NPS,
CNA, SWO JO Surveys, etc.)…similar findings
SWO Resignations…the Key Factors
 Work-life imbalance
– Operating schedule uncertainties; long hours;
inflexibility
– Family considerations (lack of)
 Low morale, poor leadership, and pervasive
negative culture in the SWO Community
 The “push” to leave is from Surface Warfare, not
the Navy
Common “Success”
Traits in SWO Women
 Enjoy and seek out the challenge of SWO
leadership positions and decision making
responsibilities
 Have the same “passion for their work” as most
career professionals do
– They enjoy military camaraderie, leading Sailors, and
driving ships
I love being at sea. There is a freedom that’s
unbelievable! (LT)
They have the “warrior ethos” (JO Detailer)
“Success” Traits (Continued)
 Flexible and adaptable in career progression
 Tough and thick-skinned
 Have mentors who support and influence them
– Women have both men and women mentors
– Mentoring is critical in the first DIVO tour
– Many Department Heads too busy to mentor…or lack
the skills
 Assertive…in all aspects of the SWO’s duties
The women I’ve seen who were not successful
were too soft—they weren’t assertive enough on
the bridge. (LT)
SWO Women = A True Minority
 They are “under a microscope”…regardless of the job or
seniority
 Poor performance may be generalized to all women SWOs
 Many feel that they are isolated by the lack of a “critical mass”
of other women on board ships
 Some men SWOs, while well-intentioned, are uncomfortable
leading women…and that impacts performance and morale
– Communications, berthing, and liberty issues can
marginalize women
 Women do not want preferential/different treatment
 Women-specific logistics, e.g., health issues, uniforms, etc.
reinforce the “women are different” viewpoint
The Family Piece
 Women SWOs want to “Have it all” (career + family) but
they don’t know if they can do it
 They value their careers … and may or do want to have a
family … but don’t see how they can do both well
I don’t even have time to meet someone, much less
marry and start a family (LT)
 Many perceive that Navy is not family-friendly to women
– Leadership attitudes (“She wants to have babies”)
– Inadequate child care support
– Inconsistent messages about geographic stability for
certain periods of time
The Family Piece (Continued)
 Most women carry a disproportionate burden of family care;
trailing male spouses are exception
What are the chances of that for me? (LT)
 Lack information about how women SWOs have done both …
and succeeded
– No senior role models because two generations of SWO women
• Most senior women don’t have children (only 5 of 82 are
parents)
– They were the “trail blazers” but my peers don’t want to
trail blaze at the expense of families. (LT)
– Lack of connectivity with peers who have families
• Of 439, 157 are married and 40 have at least one child
– I’ve never met a woman officer who was successful and
had a child. I want to see one. (LT)
They feel that they must choose between family and
career … is that compatible with our retention goal?
Other “Push” Factors
 Negative and insensitive leadership = poor
command climate
– Classic example … “Stay until the XO goes home!”
 Operating schedule uncertainties …little or no
ability to plan family activities
 Work hours on shore tours … many find it
harder to be home than when underway
 General lack of downtime
 Individual Augmentee assignments … no real
shore duty
– Concerns with 4-year window in new career path
– It may be a small percentage who go, but 100% are
watching
LOW IMPACT
HIGH IMPACT
CNP Charting a Course for Action
Part Time Pay
for Part Time
Work
Telework
Reenlistment
Basket Leave
Reinstate EEAP
Pregnancy
Instruction
Off-On Ramp
Off Base
Housing
Buy-Back
Life Coach Pilot
LOW COMPLEXITY
Complete
Incentive
Bidding
Geographic
Stability
Flex Hour
Schedule
Sabbatical
Paternity
Leave
HIGH COMPLEXITY
In Progress
Proposed
Soliciting Feedback From the Fleet
Education
Match Navy qualifications to civilian certifications
Reinstate EEAP
Tuition Assistance
- Last year of service authorized
- Erase 16 credit hr limit per year
Recognize Education with pay scale
Quality of Work
Revise evaluation process
Respect/recognition from senior leadership
Revise HYT policy for continued service
Better technology & training for juniors
Provide more advancement opportunities
Train leadership on balance & flexibility
Too many shore billets have disappeared
Financial
Authorize SRB for all rates
TSP Matching
Increase BAH / COLA for San Diego
PCS Off-Base Housing Buy Back
Raise base pay of enlisted
First Term Re-enlistment Basket Leave
Pay/bonus for completing extra deployments
Quality of Life
Daycare
- Availability (hours and size)
- Childcare Stipend
Geographic Stability
Flexible Work Hours / Telecommuting
Paternity Leave
Extended Maternity Leave
A Changing Navy
Steady-State
Surge
Homeland
Defense
Active
Partnering with
USG Agencies
Global
Deterrence
Consequence
Management
Interdiction
Active
Partnering &
Tailored Shaping
War on Terror /
Irregular Warfare
Train & Equip
Counterinsurgency
Stability Ops
Information Ops
Transnational
Deterrence
Foreign Internal Defense (FID)
Globalization
WMD Elimination
Active
Partnering &
Tailored Shaping
Forward Presence
Conventional
Campaigns
Regional
Deterrence
Major Combat / Strike,
Stability Ops
Reconstruction
Cons. Management
Information Ops
Variables:
Frequency
Number
Duration
Scale / Intensity
Policy Environment
Concurrency
Partner Capabilities
More needs to be done….You can help!
Backup
 Backup
Women in the SWO Community
Women in the SWO Community:
Is the Navy Losing in the Competition for Career
Professionals?
Alice M. Crawford
Gail F. Thomas
Stephen L. Mehay
Naval Postgraduate School
William R. Bowman
United States Naval Academy
Sponsor: Chief of Naval Personnel, N1
Competing Priorities: Life/Work Balance
WHY DO PEOPLE LEAVE?
Change in Careers
3%
Degree/Training
7%
Health
9%
Felt Stalled in
Career
23%
Eldercare
24%
Career Not
Satisfying
29%
Spouse
32%
Children
45%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Data Collection Process
 Quantitative data from multiple sources
 Interviews with 13 senior SWO women
– 8 of 11 women in command (past or present)
– 5 of 9 selected for slated to command
 Focus groups/interviews with 44 women who
opted for SWO Continuation Pay (SWOCP)
 Focus groups/interviews with:
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15 male SWOs
Junior Officer Detailers, Senior Detailer
SWO Community Manager
Chaplain (serving Fleet units)
 IRR Survey