3 MIN READ
FMCG businesses need to adopt relevant strategies to recruit and retain talent.
And top of the list is – your brand. Candidates are customers and your employer brand is just as important to a prospective employee as your consumer brand.
On Brand
Glassdoor found that 84% of job seekers would consider leaving their current jobs to work for a company with a better reputation.
At this point, we all know differentiating your company from competitors and sharing the most compelling story about your brand will help attract the right talent. But where do you start and what do candidates really want from your business?
SUSTAINABILITY AND MOBILITY
Let’s begin with sustainability. In 2024, top FMCG brands are still taking sustainability and mobility seriously by setting ambitious goals and investing in renewable energy, sustainable sourcing and alternative transportation methods. Taking steps to reduce environmental impact and create a more sustainable future is just as important to candidates as it is to your customers.
Plant-based producer, Beyond Meat targets methane emissions by creating a meat alternative. The alternative uses about 99% less water than traditional meat. Suppliers are also encouraged to reduce logistics and transport costs to minimise their carbon footprint and reduce water, land and energy use.
Whilst you don’t need to shout this from the rooftops, your commitment to sustainability should be readily available to your audience and talent pool.
CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE
Candidate experience is critical when you’re building an employer brand. Delighted customers keep coming back for more and they share great experiences. Unfortunately, the same can be said for the bad ones. Lengthy recruitment processes, delays to receiving feedback or a final decision will all be communicated to other candidates in the market.
To ensure every candidate walks away singing their praises – Kellogg’s, Cadbury and Heinz all provide candidates with a personalised recruitment experience, sharing development resources and providing regular communication.
Don’t lose an ideal candidate by wasting their time. Remember, you need to welcome, engage and impress them as well. And it could be as simple as giving them timely response, UK research by LinkedIn found that 83% of candidates expect feedback after an interview.
COMPETITIVE SALARIES
Offering a competitive salary is crucial when hiring in FMCG, as it can help companies attract and retain top talent, maintain their market position, and demonstrate value to employees.
FMCG is a highly competitive industry, and companies that offer lower salaries may struggle to attract the most qualified and experienced candidates. If somehow you do attract and onboard someone amazing, the risk of losing them quickly is very real.
Not only that, FMCG is known for its fast-paced and demanding work environment, and employees may be more likely to leave for a higher-paying job if they feel that their compensation is not commensurate with their workload and responsibilities.
Offering a competitive salary is one way for employers to demonstrate that they value their employees and are committed to investing in their success. This can help to build loyalty and engagement among employees, which can lead to increased productivity and higher levels of job satisfaction.
TOP TIP
Work with your consultant to get a full market map and ensure the most competitive salary is attached to your roles to future-proof your hire.
LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY
Technology can be used to streamline the recruitment process, making it more efficient and effective.
You’ll all be using online applications and video interviews, but have you invested in an applicant tracking system? Are you reviewing data analytics? Does your recruitment partner share this data with you?
Using an applicant tracking software can help companies manage job postings, applications, and candidate communications – all valuable tools when you’re trying to get things done quickly and effectively. And by analysing data on candidate sourcing, application rates, and time-to-hire, companies can identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions to optimise their recruitment strategy.
Build Relationships
Regular communication with followers and ensuring a positive candidate experience, even if you’re not interested in hiring them right now, is essential to building relationships. UK research by Glassdoor found that 79% of job seekers use company reviews and ratings to research potential employers and those reviews come from every touchpoint.
Social media is a powerful tool for connecting with potential candidates and showcasing an employer brand. L’Oreal created a series of TikTok videos that featured employees sharing their experiences working for the company. The videos showcased the diversity of the L’Oreal workforce and highlighted the company’s commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. By using TikTok, L’Oreal was able to attract a younger and more diverse pool of candidates.
But you don’t have to stop there, virtual reality is another powerful tool that FMCG companies can use to improve their hiring process. Virtual reality allows candidates to experience the workplace environment before they even set foot in the door. For example, a candidate could take a virtual tour of a manufacturing plant or retail store to get a sense of what it’s like to work there.
Unilever created a virtual reality game called “Rinse, Recycle, Repeat” that allowed candidates to experience what it’s like to work in a Unilever factory. The game was designed to test candidates’ problem-solving skills and ability to work under pressure.
All of these options will help you build an engaged talent pool. Talent pooling is an important strategy for FMCG to not only attract and retain top talent, but to also reduce recruitment costs and build a diverse workforce. By building relationships with potential candidates early and keeping them engaged, companies can build a strong talent pipeline and stay ahead of the competition in the competitive FMCG industry.
Emphasise Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity and inclusion are essential considerations in a candidate-driven market with a wide range of benefits:
- Improved creativity and innovation: Bringing together individuals with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can lead to greater creativity and innovation, as employees are exposed to new ideas and ways of thinking.
- Increased customer understanding: By hiring individuals from different backgrounds and with different experiences, companies can gain insights into the needs and preferences of a wider range of customers.
- Enhanced problem-solving: A diverse workforce can bring a range of problem-solving skills and approaches to the table.
- Improved talent retention: When employees feel valued and respected, they are more likely to stay with the company long-term.
TOP TIP
Candidates will always be attracted to companies where they can be themselves and have the ability to be comfortable and supported at work, sounds simple, but not every company can say this about themselves.
Talk to Denholm
The recruitment process may be a difficult one to crack but follow these strategies and you’ll be well on your way to hiring the right talent for your business. To expedite the process, feel free to give us a call on 03303 359 818.
Whether it’s scarce skillsets, elusive locations, or you just needed them to start yesterday… We are experts in hiring the talent you simply can’t find yourself.
So if you have a permanent or interim requirement, need some help scoping a brief, or you are simply looking for some up to date market insight in an ever-changing landscape, our team are ready to help.
