What’s New in FMCG Recruitment: Trends to Keep an Eye On

The recruitment landscape in FMCG is changing in ways that were hard to predict just a short time ago. The rise of advanced digital tools like AI, the growing emphasis on diversity and inclusion, shifting candidate expectations, and the increasing demand for soft skills are reshaping how FMCG companies attract and retain talent.

As these trends take hold, FMCG needs to focus on methods other than traditional recruitment. Talent acquisition teams need new approaches, updated skills, and greater flexibility to succeed in this changing environment.

We’ve explored key industry trends, analysed emerging tools and strategies, and gathered insights from top talent leaders to understand better what lies ahead for FMCG marketing recruitment. Here are the key trends that will define the future of recruitment in the FMCG sector.

Digital Transformation in Recruitment

The digital revolution has fundamentally changed the recruitment landscape. FMCG companies use online platforms, social media, and mobile applications to attract and engage potential candidates.

This paradigm goes beyond posting job advertisements online. Companies are developing comprehensive digital strategies to enhance the entire recruitment process. They have adopted new approaches, such as targeted social media campaigns, virtual career fairs, and video interviews.

A few FMCG companies design proprietary recruitment applications and chatbots. These cater to the hiring process, answering candidate questions, scheduling interviews, and conducting preliminary assessments, which gives the HR specialist more challenging, value-added work.

Data-Driven Decision Making

In the big-data era, FMCG companies are increasingly using analytics to fashion their recruitment policy. Through voluminous data, recruiters will be able to understand candidate behaviour patterns, the trends prevailing in the job market, and how effective their methods have been at hiring.

Predictive analytics can determine which candidates might succeed based on the skill sets, experiences, and cultures that will be brought into the mix—such a practice results in better quality hires and lower time-to-hire and recruitment costs.

Pay More Attention to Soft Skills

While technical and industrial know-how are undoubtedly necessary, soft skills are gradually gaining greater recognition within FMCG circles. As automation and AI take over more mundane jobs, human competencies like creativity, emotional intelligence, flexibility, and problem-solving abilities receive more value.

Some companies have begun to promote ‘blind hiring.’ This refers to the practice of leaving out personal information contained within an application simply to eliminate unconscious bias and focus on a candidate’s capabilities and potential.

Employer Branding as a Strategy

Candidates today, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are seeking more than just financial compensation. They want to work for companies that align with their values and offer meaningful career development opportunities.

Therefore, FMCG companies are majorly investing in their employer branding approach. Companies share their culture, values, and employee experience through channels such as social media, career websites, or employee testimonials.

Flexible Working Arrangements

While this does not apply to all sectors in the FMCG domain, most companies are now extending flexible options wherever possible. This change is having a solid impact on recruitment. Organizations with flexible working arrangements appear far more attractive to potential employees, especially younger ones, than non-flexible organizations.

As such, in many circumstances, FMCG companies now feature their flexible working policies as the centerpiece of job advertisements and a critical feature of the organization in recruitment. All in all, companies are no longer restricted to the nearest commuters because they can tap into the global market for talent.

Employee Wellbeing

Employee wellbeing has become a key focus for many FMCG companies, reflected in their recruitment strategies. Companies recognize that a healthy, happy workforce is more productive and less likely to leave, reducing recruitment costs in the long run.

For example, many employers now compete in highlighting their wellness programs at the hiring stage, such as mental health support, fitness centers, healthy eating places in staff cafeterias, or generous holiday leave. Others extend their hiring process with wellbeing assessments to acquire the right candidate to be most productive in the workplace and live a balanced life at work and elsewhere.

Upskilling and Reskilling Programs

Technology in FMCG industries changes faster than ever and thus requires new skills. Companies have found that instead of only external hiring, upskilling and reskilling from within the company can help find the best candidate.

This trend is impacting recruitment in several ways. Firstly, it’s changing the skills companies look for in new hires. Instead of seeking candidates with specific technical skills that may soon become obsolete, they’re looking for individuals with a strong learning aptitude and adaptability. Secondly, companies highlight their learning and development opportunities as part of their employer value proposition. Candidates, particularly those early in their careers, are often attracted to employers that offer clear pathways for skill development and career progression.

Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment

Technology is making the recruitment process more efficient and effective, from chatbots that engage with candidates to AI-powered applicant tracking systems that screen CVs. One of the most significant applications of AI in recruitment is in candidate matching. AI algorithms can analyze job descriptions and candidate profiles to identify the best matches, considering not just skills and experience but also factors like cultural fit and career aspirations. Not only in FMCG, but AI is making waves in legal secretary recruitment as well.

AI is also applied to initial interviews and incredibly high-volume roles. Video interviewing platforms powered by AI can also assess body language, tone of voice, and vocabulary and tell a lot about personality and suitability for the role.

Staying ahead of these trends is crucial for FMCG companies to continue attracting and retaining the best talent. This requires embracing new technologies and processes and a culture of continuous learning and adaptation. Get a recruitment agency license in Australia and partner with the best team.