VETS Indexes Benchmarking

The most detailed picture available of how you support veterans and military spouses.

This is a new benchmarking line, built to be the most rigorous standard available anywhere — real peer data down to the individual measure, up to seven years of history, nothing rolled up or watered down. VETS Indexes surveys employers every year on how well they support veterans and military spouses; these reports turn that into the clearest picture available of where you stand — and exactly what to work on next.

or compare all three side by side

This isn't an incremental update — it's a new benchmarking line, built to be the standard other approaches get measured against. Whether you're just getting started or have years of data behind you, it helps you pinpoint exactly where to improve, and gives you the specifics to bring back to your team.

Organizations of every size and sector take part — from small government agencies to companies with 200,000+ employees, for-profit and nonprofit alike.

A printed copy of the Five-Star Report lying on a desk beside a coffee cup and a pen, headed The VETS Indexes Five-Star Report.

The Five-Star Report, page one

Open to everyone — no survey history needed

The VETS IndexesFive-Star Report

See what sets Five-Star award winners apart from everyone else — the 10 specific things they do differently, two in each of five key areas of support for veterans and military spouses. Read it alongside your own programs to see where you might be falling short and what to work on next. No survey history required — anyone can read the report and put it to use.

This isn't a personalized scorecard — it shows what the top performers are doing, not how your organization specifically compares.

Request the Five-Star Report

What's inside

Ten findings — two from each of five areas of support for veterans and military-connected employees. Each finding names the specific thing Five-Star organizations do that everyone else is lagging behind on, not a vague theme.

Veteran Recruiting & Hiring: How you find and hire veteran talent
Veteran Employee Development & Retention: How you develop and keep veterans once they're on your team
Veteran-Inclusive Policies & Culture: How welcoming your workplace is for veterans, in policy and in practice
Guard & Reserve Support: How you support employees who serve
Military Spouse & Family Support: How you support military spouses and their families

“Through collaboration and benchmarking by VETS Indexes, we have learned a lot over the last couple of years. By continuing to assess and adjust, we ensure that we continue to hone the Fiserv Salutes programming in order to meet the needs of those who are currently members of the military community.” Meg Hendricks, Army Veteran & VP Head of Military and Veteran Affairs, Fiserv

A printed Category Benchmark on a meeting table with a hand resting beside it, the report titled with the employer's own name.

The Category Benchmark, titled with your name

For organizations that have taken our survey before

The VETS Indexes EmploymentCategory Benchmark

Shows how your programs have changed over time — up to seven years of history — against groups of similar employers. The category scores answer “how do we compare?” Look at the subcategories underneath to see which piece is pulling a category up, or holding it back, and see whether you're catching up or losing ground.

Ask about Category Benchmark

What's inside

Your scores compared to four different peer groups — both at a category level and broken down further by subcategory — trended across up to seven years, for every year you've taken part.

“I've found invaluable support in VETS Indexes' Benchmarking Service. Their meticulous curation of benchmarks offers unparalleled insight and comparative analysis within the realm of veteran-friendly companies. Whether evaluating the performance of veteran-owned businesses or assessing the impact of corporate initiatives on veteran employment, VETS Indexes provides a nuanced perspective that transcends mere numbers, enabling me to make informed decisions with confidence.” TJ Martin, Sr. Manager, Military Programs, USIC

A thick printout of the Enhanced Benchmark on a desk, the cut edges of the pages beneath the top sheet clearly visible.

The Enhanced Benchmark, printed in full

For organizations that have taken our survey before

The VETS Indexes EmploymentEnhanced Benchmark

Category Benchmark tells you a score moved. Enhanced Benchmark tells you exactly which answers caused it — the level of detail you need to actually fix something. It's real, itemized peer data, not a generic checklist: every single measure we track, compared to employers most like you, no rollups standing in for the specifics.

Ask about Enhanced Benchmark

What's inside

Every measure we track — all 242 of them — compared to two peer groups built around organizations like yours. No rollups, no summary scores standing in for the details. Where too few employers have been scored yet, we hold back that comparison rather than show a number that isn't meaningful — a sign of how new some measures still are, not a gap in your report.

“The VETS Indexes benchmarking tool helps Chemonics analyze processes and procedures that directly affect our veteran teammates' recruitment, retainability, and inclusivity. The tool is one way we ensure we're always moving the needle towards being Vet Ready.” Susanna Mudge, Chair of the Board/Executive Advisor, Chemonics International Inc.

Compare

What each report gives you

All three cover the same five areas — what differs is how deep they go, and whether the numbers are yours. The Five-Star Report shows what the top scorers do; the other two show where you stand, which is why they need a survey on file.
What you get	Five-Star Report Open to everyone	Category Benchmark Survey history needed	Enhanced Benchmark Survey history needed
The five areas measured
Veteran Recruiting & Hiring	Included	Included	Included
Veteran Employee Development & Retention	Included	Included	Included
Veteran-Inclusive Policies & Culture	Included	Included	Included
Guard & Reserve Support	Included	Included	Included
Military Spouse & Family Support	Included	Included	Included
How deep each one goes
You can buy it without having taken our survey	Included	Not included	Not included
Ten findings on what the top scorers do differently	Included	Not included	Not included
Built from your own survey answers	Not included	Included	Included
Compared with groups of employers like you	Not included	IncludedFour groups, including top scorers	IncludedTwo groups, including top scorers
A score for each area above	Not included	Included	Not included
Broken down further by subcategory	Not included	Included	Not included
Year-by-year history	Not included	IncludedUp to seven years	Not included
Every individual measure we track, one by one	Not included	Not included	IncludedAll 242 of them
Shows exactly which answers moved your score	Not included	Not included	Included

Enhanced Benchmark compares you measure by measure, where smaller groups could make it possible to work out how one particular employer answered — so it uses the two broadest groups. Category Benchmark compares whole areas rather than single measures, so it can safely use four.

Can I get more than one? Yes — Category Benchmark and Enhanced Benchmark are sold separately or together, depending on how deep you want to go. The Five-Star Report stands on its own and is open to anyone.

Quick answers

Do I need to have taken your survey before?: Only for Category Benchmark and Enhanced Benchmark — those compare your own results, so we need at least one year of survey data to work with. The Five-Star Report is open to everyone.
What is VETS Indexes?: VETS Indexes was built to recognize the value veterans bring to the workplace. Each year, we run a survey and awards program — including the Five-Star Report — that measures how well employers support veterans, Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses. We also donate a share of our profits to veteran support organizations.
What does it cost?: Depends on your organization — reach out and we'll talk specifics.

See it for yourself — reach out and we'll walk you through the new benchmarking line, product by product.

Request a walkthrough

Disclaimer

The results of this survey are based on requests for information on veteran recruiting and employment practices from employers. Vets Indexes LLC does not guarantee that results are accurate as they are provided by third parties out of our control. Vets Indexes LLC does not conduct separate audits or investigations with regard to the accuracy or completeness of input data. While the survey requests were developed with experience, expertise, and knowledge of the industry, Vets Indexes LLC does not provide any representation and warranties with respect to the surveys or survey results. The results are solely for informational and educational purposes, and are not intended to be relied upon for any other purpose, whether investment, fact finding, or otherwise.

The surveys and survey results, and the content, methodologies, and processes relating thereto are the sole and exclusive property of Vets Indexes LLC. Peer group averages may sometimes not appear if too few employers in the peer group responded to the question, or if your organization did not provide industry classification data in your survey response.

All visualizations on this page are based on sample data and do not reflect any actual data.