Four Best Practices I Learned From British Army Recruiting in London

It is summer and most of us on are on holidays. Whether it is on the beach or at the cottage, many of us in the Canadian Armed Forces | Forces armées canadiennes are taking some well-deserved time off to recharge our batteries, connect with family and friends, and prepare for the second half of this fiscal year.

But I took a slightly different approach to my summer plans by focusing on my professional development. I went to the UK to connect with marketing leaders at The Worshipful Company of Marketors . I also met with recruitment leaders at British Army HQ London District to learn more about how this Five Eyes ally is tackling its Wicked Problem in recruitment.

I sat down with SO1 Engagement just days after the Canadian Armed Forces | Forces armées canadiennes had released its Op UNIFIED RECRUITER. My discussion confirmed a blind spot I see in Canada's efforts. The blind spot? Strategic community engagement. Long-term engagement with local communities to shape public perceptions of the Army. If recruiting is focused on “short-term sales” of converting candidates into uniform, then strategic community engagement is shaping long-term “customer” behaviour, perceptions, and preference for the Army. And how are customers shaped? It is through dialogue, community support, inspiration, and reimagined recruitment for today’s generation.

So let us look at a few best practices found on my fact-finding meeting with the British Army :

Fostering Trust Through Dialogue

Community engagement is the bridge that spans the gap between the military and civil society. By engaging in open, meaningful, and most importantly, long-term dialogue with communities across Greater London, the British Army is dispelling myths, misconceptions, and stereotypes and instead, transforming skeptics into informed advocates. In marketing-speak, the Army is showing its authentic self and building goodwill (trust).

Youth, parents, and community leaders across Greater London gain valuable insight, no matter how small, into the dedication, values, and individuals that define the British Army. This is especially important for disadvantaged groups or newer arrivals with negative experiences with the military stemming from their countries of origin e.g, War in Afghanistan. Will these dialogues result necessarily in enlistment? Perhaps. But will these dialogues foster positive public and voter perceptions of the British Army? Yes. Will these young/future voters understand the need to support national defence and security? Yes. Why? It is because of the trust nurtured through dialogue on how the British Army and the military-at-large protect shared values and offer a positive environment for rewarding careers, should one choose it.

The British Army held its Army Expo 23 the same week as my visit with HQ London District. This unique expo provided an immersive, interactive and unforgettable experience to those interested in the Army. It furthered the dialogue with different communities and allowed the Army to demonstrate its purpose to the British public.

Rallying Community Support

Closely related to community dialogue is community support. A military that actively participates in community events, collaborates on local projects, and supports charitable endeavours becomes an integral part of the social fabric. Great examples of “local lads” from different boroughs in London working with their own local communities on a sustained basis, by coaching football (soccer) for instance, is the type of commitment that resonates with the local youth, their parents and community leaders. These young "local lads" from regular and reserve units in or near London work with and support vulnerable youth by acting as positive role models, breaking the cycle, and empowering the young people to make better decisions, set goals, and achievement. The Army as an institution, becomes relatable, approachable, and humanized.

Community support resonates deeply with parents and community leaders, illustrating the Army's genuine concern for the well-being of the communities it protects. In time, public perception evolves from mere appreciation to active advocacy, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose. Some of these youth might enlist; but all will be left with a positive perception of the Army. By supporting local communities, the Army transcends being perceived as an abstract entity and instead becomes a collection of individuals with common values and shared aspirations.

Inspiring Future Leaders

Engaging with youth and children is an investment in the future military. By targeting youth from an early age (as early as primary school), the Army ignites curiosity, instills a sense of patriotism, and lays the foundation for future candidates. If NASA can inspire youth to become astronauts, why can’t the Army inspire youth to serve? Through early exposure to the British Army's values and leadership principles through interactive programs, workshops, and educational initiatives, the Army is inspiring the curiosity and ambition of youth regardless of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. The (permanent) community engagement team is available to local councils (school boards) and community groups. Age-appropriate engagements led by soldiers in uniform, teach a young target audience life skills and the different personal growth, leadership, and career opportunities available in the British Army.

What was particularly exceptional during the meeting was the discussion around the British Army Support Education (BASE) programme. BASE is a MoD-approved education programme that provides secondary school teachers and career counsellors with free educational resources, materials, and workshops. The programme and materials are compliant with the Gatsby Benchmarks. Endorsed by the UK government, the Gatsby Benchmarks are widely recognized as a standard for high-quality careers education and guidance in British schools and colleges. With paraprofessionals in short supply across British and Canadian school systems, qualified soldiers from the London District community engagement team are available to lead workshops in schools on diverse subjects like STEM, career development, social equity e.g, how to write a CV, how to job interview, 2SLGBTQ+ contributions to the Army past and present etc. Some workshop recipients will enlist a few years later while others won’t. But when that young workshop participant lands his/her first summer job because of the CV writing and job interviewing skills taught by a soldier in uniform, imaginations are captured and positive perceptions are made. When the same young person becomes a cybersecurity professional later in his/her career, he or she can attribute it back to support and inspiration provided by a soldier back in day at his/her secondary school. This is an example of how the Army can inspire youth to enlist or become a supporter in adjacent careers in national security, such as cybersecurity professionals, military doctors, fighter pilots etc.

Reimagining Army Recruitment for Today’s Generation

In an era defined by rapid change and evolving values e.g, BLM, Me Too, Indigenous Reconciliation, GBA-Plus etc., community engagement is pivotal in attracting new and diverse talent to the Army. The work by British Army London District recruiting and community engagement teams influences not only candidates to enlist (conversion), but also influences parents, community leaders and other stakeholders involved in young people’s lives. The influence and support of stakeholders cannot be underestimated; with more young people living longer with their parents and with more non-traditional candidates from diverse backgrounds, family, community, and social pressures are different. When parents would never consider soldiering as a viable career for their children, how would the young person receive support from said parents to become one? What if soldiering is not well regarded in certain diverse cultures? The Army must be reimagined with social proofs that it genuinely is an inclusive, innovative, and dynamic institution and not one that is "old and antiquated" according to a new opinion poll in Canada. We know that it takes four or more touchpoints to shape candidate perceptions for any job. The military cannot rely on its few or only touchpoints of Remembrance Days or career fairs to shape perceptions and to enlist candidates. It is much too late in the young person’s life or career trajectory to steer them towards your offer. Recruitment in Canada should be reimagined for today’s generation.

Conclusion

The British Army in London and 15 other districts across Britain are showing the importance of strategic community engagement. When combined with recruiting, long-term community engagement is a highly-effective tactic that not only shapes public perceptions of the Army but also fortifies the bond between the military and the society it protects. London District's company-sized network of recruitment, community engagement and cadet teams build trust, goodwill, and brand equity in target audiences as young as 12 years old, as well as parents, educators, and community leaders amongst 9 million people in Greater London. These are just a few best practices for the Canadian Armed Forces | Forces armées canadiennes to consider adopting. Strategic community engagement will resolve a blind spot between Recruitment that is highly focused on expediency and "the process" and Public Affairs that is highly focused on "corporate" media communications, issue management, strategic communications advice as well as ad-hoc, disjointed stakeholder engagement in recruiting. If you are from Canadian Forces Recruiting Group or the Royal Canadian Navy | Marine royale canadienne , Canadian Army | Armée canadienne or Royal Canadian AIr Force, I look forward to discussing the ideas and others in further detail.

Thank you for reading my article.?I hope to share insights on how to improve recruiting outcomes for the Canadian Armed Forces | Forces armées canadiennes , an institution I care about. To read my future?articles, simply?click "Follow". Also feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or through DM.

About Garrick Ngai

Garrick Ngai is a marketing consultant and professional trusted by special forces, defence companies, and international organizations to develop brands, achieve business objectives, and improve the triple bottom line. He is a Canadian veteran and vice-president of the NATO Association of Canada . In 2021, he became a fellow at the UK CIM | The Chartered Institute of Marketing . In his spare time, he volunteers with The King’s Trust Canada Operation Entrepreneur by mentoring Canadian Armed Forces | Forces armées canadiennes veterans in marketing strategy and tactics for their startup businesses and ventures.

I want to thank Darren Johnston , Helen Field and those who made the meeting with British Army HQ London District possible. The discussion, insight, and advice shared between allies will serve to strengthen the national defence of both countries.