The armed forces are struggling to help personnel adapt to the new challenges of the post-Cold War world, it has been claimed.

A spokeswoman for the Institute for Employment Studies said the problem is partly due to the fact that demands on military personnel have changed radically in a short period of time. "What is required of people in the armed forces has changed a great deal even in the last five years. The role of the military has moved from a force ready for combat to a peace-keeping role in trouble spots. The forces now require people who can communicate, negotiate effectively and solve problems," she said.

The problems that the army, navy and air force are having in recruiting new personnel is matched by problems in retaining staff and helping personnel adapt after leaving the services. Stories of sergeant majors being ordered not to shout at soldiers on the parade ground, though an extreme caricature, highlights the conflict between the traditional image of the forces and the modern role they are now expected to play.

The institute, which has researched human resources issues facing the army, found rigid command structures, essential when personnel were expected to be combat-ready, are now outmoded. "A hierarchical structure is what is needed when forces need to be battle-ready but this no longer fits current demands. The armed forces have found moving to a different mindset difficult. They are now facing a rather unusual set of circumstances."

Deployment to war-zones such as Bosnia or Sierra Leone is now becoming a fact of service life and is adding to problems. "The increasing role as a peace-keeper means that you have not got such a stable home life; the gap between postings is not as regular as it was which is causing stress. People working in the military have got to be quite mentally tough. It's not so difficult for the people who have been recruited with this in mind but perhaps might be for people who joined the forces a few years ago," she said.

The type of recruits that used to fit easily into military life would now struggle said the institute's spokesman. "In the past the army has recruited people who were manual workers. The armed forces are not so much of a home for people like that any more. This is not unlike other employers; organisations generally are expecting more from their employees in terms of multi-skilling and inter-personal skills."

The Commons defence committee will give its analysis on personnel issues on the armed forces on Friday when it publishes "The Strategic Defence Review: Policy for People".