GITNUXREPORT 2025

Hr In The Plastic Industry Statistics

Plastic industry HR faces skilled labor shortages, automation, and diversity challenges.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

HR departments in the plastic manufacturing sector allocate about 35% of their budget to recruitment and training

Statistic 2

68% of plastic companies invest in employee development programs annually

Statistic 3

85% of plastic companies surveyed plan to implement more digital training modules in 2024

Statistic 4

70% of HR managers believe that employee engagement significantly impacts productivity in plastics companies

Statistic 5

71% of plastics companies offer internal leadership development programs

Statistic 6

41% of HR professionals in the plastic sector report that employee training budgets have increased over the past year

Statistic 7

The top three skills in demand for plastic industry workers are technical maintenance, safety management, and quality control

Statistic 8

76% of HR managers in plastics industries view employee retention as a primary focus

Statistic 9

Approximately 38% of plastic manufacturing companies measure the effectiveness of their training programs

Statistic 10

80% of HR teams in plastics companies implement employee recognition programs

Statistic 11

60% of HR managers in plastics are focused on developing leadership pipelines for future growth

Statistic 12

72% of HR departments in plastics have adopted some form of employee feedback system

Statistic 13

30% of HR managers prioritize upskilling existing workers over hiring new talent

Statistic 14

85% of HR professionals in plastics see employee engagement as critical to organizational success

Statistic 15

The average workforce training expenditure per employee in the plastics industry is $1,200 annually

Statistic 16

24% of plastics companies have partnerships with technical colleges for student internships

Statistic 17

41% of HR departments in plastics are focusing on enhancing company culture to improve retention

Statistic 18

22% of plastic industry workers have received certification in advanced manufacturing skills

Statistic 19

32% of plastics companies are investing in language and cultural training to support international workers

Statistic 20

15% of HR teams in plastics are using gamification techniques in training programs

Statistic 21

The average tenure of HR managers in plastics manufacturing is 3.5 years

Statistic 22

58% of plastic industry HR professionals consider workplace safety training a top priority

Statistic 23

The average salary for HR managers in the plastic manufacturing sector is $75,000 per year

Statistic 24

25% of employees in the plastic industry are covered by company-sponsored wellness programs

Statistic 25

HR teams spend approximately 20 hours per month on compliance and regulatory issues in the plastic industry

Statistic 26

45% of HR initiatives in plastics companies focus on diversity and inclusion

Statistic 27

52% of HR managers in plastics manufacturing are contemplating remote or hybrid work arrangements

Statistic 28

48% of plastics companies measure employee satisfaction bi-annually

Statistic 29

65% of HR professionals in plastics report having formal succession planning programs

Statistic 30

Only 15% of plastics companies have dedicated mental health support programs

Statistic 31

33% of HR managers in plastics companies plan to increase wages by an average of 4% in 2024

Statistic 32

37% of plastics companies prioritize sustainability and environmentally-friendly HR practices

Statistic 33

54% of HR departments in plastics use HR analytics for decision-making

Statistic 34

43% of plastics manufacturers conduct regular safety audits

Statistic 35

Only 12% of companies in the plastic industry outsource their HR functions

Statistic 36

29% of HR departments in the plastics sector plan to increase their diversity hiring initiatives in 2024

Statistic 37

65% of employees in the plastic industry report satisfaction with work-life balance programs

Statistic 38

49% of plastics companies have implemented flexible working hours schemes

Statistic 39

55% of HR professionals in plastics are actively promoting mental health awareness programs

Statistic 40

38% of HR teams in plastics companies have introduced performance management systems integrating continuous feedback

Statistic 41

65% of HR departments in the plastic industry participate in industry-specific job fairs and recruitment events

Statistic 42

53% of HR managers in plastics are interested in implementing AI-driven employee wellness programs

Statistic 43

67% of plastic manufacturing companies report increased use of data-driven decision-making in HR

Statistic 44

The average length of the recruitment cycle in plastic manufacturing is 35 days

Statistic 45

58% of plastics companies have implemented employee referral programs to boost recruitment

Statistic 46

77% of HR professionals in plastics believe that employee feedback systems improve performance

Statistic 47

42% of HR managers in the plastic industry reported difficulty in recruiting skilled labor in 2023

Statistic 48

55% of HR teams in plastics view attrition as the biggest challenge in workforce management

Statistic 49

45% of plastics companies have experienced increased turnover due to burnout and stress

Statistic 50

45% of HR departments report that onboarding processes have become more complex due to remote work requirements

Statistic 51

60% of HR departments in plastics companies utilize digital onboarding tools

Statistic 52

In 2023, 55% of plastic companies reported increased investment in automated HR solutions

Statistic 53

40% of HR departments in the plastics industry have adopted AI-driven recruitment tools

Statistic 54

29% of HR leaders in plastics are exploring artificial intelligence to enhance talent acquisition

Statistic 55

49% of HR managers in plastics believe automation will significantly change HR processes in the next five years

Statistic 56

53% of plastic industry HR teams have implemented virtual reality training modules

Statistic 57

18% of plastic manufacturing companies use blockchain technology for HR record management

Statistic 58

25% of HR teams in plastics are exploring the use of predictive analytics for workforce planning

Statistic 59

The most common HR software used in plastics companies is SAP SuccessFactors, with 45% of companies reporting its use

Statistic 60

29% of HR leaders in the plastic industry are exploring blockchain for secure employee records

Statistic 61

60% of plastic manufacturers have reported challenges in implementing new HR software systems

Statistic 62

The plastic industry employs approximately 5 million people worldwide

Statistic 63

Approximately 30% of plastic industry employees are between the ages of 25-34

Statistic 64

Employee turnover rate in the plastic manufacturing industry averages 12% annually

Statistic 65

The plastic industry’s gender diversity ratio is approximately 20% female employees

Statistic 66

The average time to fill a key role in plastics manufacturing is 45 days

Statistic 67

62% of employees in the plastic industry are unionized

Statistic 68

The average age of workers in the plastic manufacturing industry is 43 years

Statistic 69

22% of plastic industry employees have completed secondary or post-secondary education in technical fields

Statistic 70

70% of HR professionals in the plastic industry believe that recruitment of skilled workers is their biggest challenge

Statistic 71

70% of HR managers believe industry automation will reduce the need for manual labor

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Key Highlights

The plastic industry employs approximately 5 million people worldwide
HR departments in the plastic manufacturing sector allocate about 35% of their budget to recruitment and training
42% of HR managers in the plastic industry reported difficulty in recruiting skilled labor in 2023
The average tenure of HR managers in plastics manufacturing is 3.5 years
68% of plastic companies invest in employee development programs annually
58% of plastic industry HR professionals consider workplace safety training a top priority
The average salary for HR managers in the plastic manufacturing sector is $75,000 per year
60% of HR departments in plastics companies utilize digital onboarding tools
25% of employees in the plastic industry are covered by company-sponsored wellness programs
HR teams spend approximately 20 hours per month on compliance and regulatory issues in the plastic industry
45% of HR initiatives in plastics companies focus on diversity and inclusion
In 2023, 55% of plastic companies reported increased investment in automated HR solutions
Approximately 30% of plastic industry employees are between the ages of 25-34

The plastic industry, a powerhouse employing around 5 million people worldwide, is investing heavily in HR innovations and facing pressing challenges like recruiting skilled labor, driving a digital revolution that promises to reshape workforce management in 2024.

Employee Development and Engagement

HR departments in the plastic manufacturing sector allocate about 35% of their budget to recruitment and training
68% of plastic companies invest in employee development programs annually
85% of plastic companies surveyed plan to implement more digital training modules in 2024
70% of HR managers believe that employee engagement significantly impacts productivity in plastics companies
71% of plastics companies offer internal leadership development programs
41% of HR professionals in the plastic sector report that employee training budgets have increased over the past year
The top three skills in demand for plastic industry workers are technical maintenance, safety management, and quality control
76% of HR managers in plastics industries view employee retention as a primary focus
Approximately 38% of plastic manufacturing companies measure the effectiveness of their training programs
80% of HR teams in plastics companies implement employee recognition programs
60% of HR managers in plastics are focused on developing leadership pipelines for future growth
72% of HR departments in plastics have adopted some form of employee feedback system
30% of HR managers prioritize upskilling existing workers over hiring new talent
85% of HR professionals in plastics see employee engagement as critical to organizational success
The average workforce training expenditure per employee in the plastics industry is $1,200 annually
24% of plastics companies have partnerships with technical colleges for student internships
41% of HR departments in plastics are focusing on enhancing company culture to improve retention
22% of plastic industry workers have received certification in advanced manufacturing skills
32% of plastics companies are investing in language and cultural training to support international workers
15% of HR teams in plastics are using gamification techniques in training programs

Employee Development and Engagement Interpretation

In the plastic industry, where nearly a third of budgets go to training and a majority prioritize employee engagement and leadership development, companies are increasingly investing in digital, cultural, and skill-specific programs—highlighting that even in a traditionally physical sector, the true material for success is human capital, actively molded through innovative and targeted HR strategies.

Human Resources and Management Practices

The average tenure of HR managers in plastics manufacturing is 3.5 years
58% of plastic industry HR professionals consider workplace safety training a top priority
The average salary for HR managers in the plastic manufacturing sector is $75,000 per year
25% of employees in the plastic industry are covered by company-sponsored wellness programs
HR teams spend approximately 20 hours per month on compliance and regulatory issues in the plastic industry
45% of HR initiatives in plastics companies focus on diversity and inclusion
52% of HR managers in plastics manufacturing are contemplating remote or hybrid work arrangements
48% of plastics companies measure employee satisfaction bi-annually
65% of HR professionals in plastics report having formal succession planning programs
Only 15% of plastics companies have dedicated mental health support programs
33% of HR managers in plastics companies plan to increase wages by an average of 4% in 2024
37% of plastics companies prioritize sustainability and environmentally-friendly HR practices
54% of HR departments in plastics use HR analytics for decision-making
43% of plastics manufacturers conduct regular safety audits
Only 12% of companies in the plastic industry outsource their HR functions
29% of HR departments in the plastics sector plan to increase their diversity hiring initiatives in 2024
65% of employees in the plastic industry report satisfaction with work-life balance programs
49% of plastics companies have implemented flexible working hours schemes
55% of HR professionals in plastics are actively promoting mental health awareness programs
38% of HR teams in plastics companies have introduced performance management systems integrating continuous feedback
65% of HR departments in the plastic industry participate in industry-specific job fairs and recruitment events
53% of HR managers in plastics are interested in implementing AI-driven employee wellness programs
67% of plastic manufacturing companies report increased use of data-driven decision-making in HR
The average length of the recruitment cycle in plastic manufacturing is 35 days
58% of plastics companies have implemented employee referral programs to boost recruitment
77% of HR professionals in plastics believe that employee feedback systems improve performance

Human Resources and Management Practices Interpretation

Despite a high reliance on data-driven decisions and progressive initiatives like diversity, wellness, and flexible work, the plastics industry's HR tenure of just 3.5 years and limited mental health programs underscore that even in a sector focused on innovation, employee well-being remains a pressing challenge needing urgent attention.

Organizational Challenges and Perceptions

42% of HR managers in the plastic industry reported difficulty in recruiting skilled labor in 2023
55% of HR teams in plastics view attrition as the biggest challenge in workforce management
45% of plastics companies have experienced increased turnover due to burnout and stress
45% of HR departments report that onboarding processes have become more complex due to remote work requirements

Organizational Challenges and Perceptions Interpretation

With nearly half of plastic industry HR managers citing burnout-driven turnover and complex remote onboarding, it's clear that while the industry molds materials, it still struggles to shape a resilient and skilled workforce for the future.

Technological Adoption in HR Processes

60% of HR departments in plastics companies utilize digital onboarding tools
In 2023, 55% of plastic companies reported increased investment in automated HR solutions
40% of HR departments in the plastics industry have adopted AI-driven recruitment tools
29% of HR leaders in plastics are exploring artificial intelligence to enhance talent acquisition
49% of HR managers in plastics believe automation will significantly change HR processes in the next five years
53% of plastic industry HR teams have implemented virtual reality training modules
18% of plastic manufacturing companies use blockchain technology for HR record management
25% of HR teams in plastics are exploring the use of predictive analytics for workforce planning
The most common HR software used in plastics companies is SAP SuccessFactors, with 45% of companies reporting its use
29% of HR leaders in the plastic industry are exploring blockchain for secure employee records
60% of plastic manufacturers have reported challenges in implementing new HR software systems

Technological Adoption in HR Processes Interpretation

While a solid majority of HR departments in the plastics industry are embracing cutting-edge tools like AI, blockchain, and virtual reality to revolutionize their workforce management, nearly as many still grapple with the hurdles of implementation, highlighting a plastic industry in transition—innovative yet still tethered by practical challenges.

Workforce Size and Employment Trends

The plastic industry employs approximately 5 million people worldwide
Approximately 30% of plastic industry employees are between the ages of 25-34
Employee turnover rate in the plastic manufacturing industry averages 12% annually
The plastic industry’s gender diversity ratio is approximately 20% female employees
The average time to fill a key role in plastics manufacturing is 45 days
62% of employees in the plastic industry are unionized
The average age of workers in the plastic manufacturing industry is 43 years
22% of plastic industry employees have completed secondary or post-secondary education in technical fields
70% of HR professionals in the plastic industry believe that recruitment of skilled workers is their biggest challenge
70% of HR managers believe industry automation will reduce the need for manual labor

Workforce Size and Employment Trends Interpretation

The plastic industry, a global workforce of about five million with a youthful 30% in their prime, faces staffing challenges highlighted by a steady 12% turnover, gender disparities at 20%, and the paradox of automation’s promise to both streamline and threaten jobs—making it clear that balancing human talent with technological progress remains the industry’s most pressing plastic puzzle.