The global situation demands a significantly more robust defense of Sweden. In the growth journey that the Armed Forces have now embarked on, reservists will be of crucial importance. It is the reservist who, together with conscripts, will constitute the majority of the wartime organization.
The reservist is permanently employed by the Armed Forces and is called in for training in their wartime position for a few weeks each year, or sometimes longer periods to support the basic organization. Most reservists are well-educated, competent individuals who earn a higher salary in their civilian job than in their military position. Many reservists therefore suffer a noticeable income loss when serving in the Armed Forces, which often prevents them from important training.
Within the state, there are agreements that give reservists the right to certain salary supplementation during military service. In regions and municipalities, such agreements are mostly lacking. In large parts of the private sector, reservists receive neither leave nor salary supplementation for military service.
We thus have a system where parts of the military personnel's ability to train are greatly influenced by the goodwill of the civilian employer. Such a system is hardly robust, rather unpredictable and arbitrary. The reservist who is fortunate enough to work at a responsible, civilian company can continue to contribute to defense capability without their personal finances being affected. Otherwise, the Armed Forces can only hope that the reservist will come anyway.
A robust defense naturally requires a system that ensures personnel actually have the opportunity to serve.
In Finland, most reservists receive salary supplementation from their civilian employers. Previously, there was also a recommendation in Sweden for companies within SAF (now the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise) to give their reservists leave and salary supplementation during service in the Armed Forces. Unfortunately, that recommendation no longer exists, but more and more private companies are now taking concrete measures to facilitate service in the Armed Forces. Volvo is one such company. Nammo and AFRY are examples of other companies that, like other companies with or without ties to the defense sector, are now introducing salary supplementation for their personnel if they contribute to Swedish defense.
There are many good reasons to facilitate reservists:
• A sustainable society needs internal and external security and thus a functioning defense. Supporting society is important both for the brand and for concrete sustainability work and is part of the company's CSR efforts.
• The company that attracts reservists has a clear competitive advantage in recruiting competent personnel. Reservists naturally choose companies with a positive view of the total defense sector and reservists over other companies.
• During military service, the reservist is trained in leadership and problem-solving in a recognized and quality-assured school, which constitutes extremely cost-effective competence development for the company. The company that wants to be associated with competent leadership does well to attract reservists.
• Better customer knowledge gives the company competitive advantages. It is not only about purely military goods and services but also about the basic organization in larger authorities, norms regarding behavior, and regulations.
• The reservist is good for the company. A competence-based staffing means that the reservist's civilian and military careers complement and strengthen each other through ongoing competence development and training. The reservist is security-screened for their military assignment and is thus both controlled and also trained in security awareness at a completely different level than purely civilian employees. The Armed Forces' core values (Openness, Results, Responsibility) contribute positively to the corporate culture.
The companies that already give their personnel leave and salary supplementation are role models, and everyone should follow in their footsteps.
Raising military salaries in general would be welcome and might help somewhat. But the differences between military and civilian income would still be noticeable for many. Everyday expenses and mortgage payments do not wait just because one is making a contribution to the country. With the strained personnel situation that the Armed Forces have, it is important that every person who actually can work militarily is also given the opportunity to do so.
The Reservists Association therefore advocates the Finnish model, but with an addition: No reservist should lose out financially by participating in the Swedish defense, therefore the civilian employer should supplement the reservist's salary. As compensation, the civilian employer should receive a reduced employer contribution for the individual actively serving in the Armed Forces.
In this way, the individual will be able to afford to serve, in a system that becomes predictable for both civilian and military employers. Individuals, the state, and industry jointly contribute to securing our defense capability.
Given the current global situation, a robust defense is a matter of real sustainability, and the issue is urgent. A defense worthy of the name is not something that "someone else" should arrange. We build it best together.
Jenny Harlin Secretary General, Reservists Association