GITNUXREPORT 2025

Hr In The Plastics Industry Statistics

HR in plastics boosts skills, retention, diversity via digital and AI strategies.

Jannik Linder

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

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

About 40% of HR professionals in plastics are planning to increase their AI and automation investment

Statistic 2

38% of HR departments in plastics are working on succession planning initiatives

Statistic 3

14% of plastics companies are experimenting with virtual reality for training purposes

Statistic 4

60% of HR teams in plastics are exploring artificial intelligence for predictive hiring analytics

Statistic 5

65% of HR departments in plastics are planning to increase cybersecurity training to protect employee data

Statistic 6

35% of plastics industry HR budgets are allocated to employee wellness programs

Statistic 7

80% of HR professionals in plastics believe that employee safety training reduces workplace accidents

Statistic 8

80% of HR departments in plastics prioritize mental health and wellness programs

Statistic 9

The percentage of plastics companies providing maternity/paternity leave increased by 20% over the last 3 years

Statistic 10

47% of plastics industry HR teams cite employee mental health as their top well-being priority

Statistic 11

The plastics industry employs approximately 1.3 million workers globally

Statistic 12

In the United States, the plastics industry employs around 90,000 HR professionals

Statistic 13

The annual growth rate of HR employment in the plastics industry is approximately 3%

Statistic 14

42% of HR professionals in plastics prioritize diversity and inclusion initiatives

Statistic 15

The median salary for HR managers in the plastics industry is $75,000 annually

Statistic 16

60% of HR teams in plastics companies utilize automated applicant tracking systems

Statistic 17

Employee training programs in the plastics sector see a 15% participation rate increase year-over-year

Statistic 18

The plastics sector's average hiring time for HR roles is 30 days

Statistic 19

68% of HR departments in plastics plan to expand their diversity hiring initiatives

Statistic 20

52% of HR teams in the plastics industry use cloud-based HR management systems

Statistic 21

15% of HR professionals in plastics industry hold certifications such as SHRM-CP or PHR

Statistic 22

25% of plastics HR departments have expanded their HR technology budgets due to pandemic-related needs

Statistic 23

The average age of HR professionals in the plastics industry is 44 years

Statistic 24

49% of HR teams in plastics see a direct correlation between employee engagement and productivity

Statistic 25

22% of HR managers in plastics use blockchain technology for credential verification

Statistic 26

59% of plastics industry HR teams plan to increase their focus on digital skills training

Statistic 27

62% of plastics HR managers believe that talent acquisition has become more competitive due to the pandemic

Statistic 28

The average ratio of HR staff to employees in plastics manufacturing is 1:40

Statistic 29

56% of HR managers in plastics recognize the importance of upskilling existing employees to fill skill gaps

Statistic 30

39% of plastics companies have experienced increased HR staffing needs due to rapid industry growth

Statistic 31

53% of plastics HR managers plan to increase their focus on workforce diversity training

Statistic 32

19% of plastics companies utilize virtual career fairs as part of their recruitment strategy

Statistic 33

57% of plastics HR professionals believe that automation will significantly impact HR operations in the next five years

Statistic 34

25% of HR leaders in plastics industry have experienced challenges related to workforce safety compliance

Statistic 35

50% of HR professionals in plastics industry report difficulty in filling technical roles

Statistic 36

33% of plastics firms have faced challenges with remote work policy compliance

Statistic 37

46% of plastics companies report that their HR digital transformation projects have improved compliance

Statistic 38

29% of HR professionals in plastics report lack of adequate onboarding resources as a challenge

Statistic 39

29% of HR teams in the plastics industry are adopting AI chatbots for routine employee inquiries

Statistic 40

44% of HR departments in plastics have faced challenges with cross-cultural communication

Statistic 41

65% of plastics companies report difficulty in recruiting skilled HR personnel

Statistic 42

The average turnover rate in the plastics manufacturing sector is 12%

Statistic 43

55% of HR managers in plastics companies believe that talent retention is their biggest challenge

Statistic 44

78% of plastics firms invest in continuous training programs for HR staff

Statistic 45

72% of plastics companies conduct annual employee satisfaction surveys

Statistic 46

48% of plastics firms have implemented remote onboarding for HR personnel

Statistic 47

58% of HR departments in plastics companies report improved employee engagement through digital tools

Statistic 48

63% of plastics companies offer skill development programs to their HR teams

Statistic 49

22% of plastics companies have implemented AI-driven HR analytics

Statistic 50

55% of plastics HR managers report that retention of skilled workers has improved after implementing flexible work policies

Statistic 51

44% of plastics companies have experienced a increase in employee training budgets over the past two years

Statistic 52

70% of plastics companies see improved onboarding experiences with digital orientation tools

Statistic 53

59% of plastics firms report an increased need for HR data analytics to inform decision-making

Statistic 54

65% of plastics companies conduct regular employee engagement surveys

Statistic 55

72% of plastics companies invest in leadership development for HR managers

Statistic 56

37% of plastics HR departments have adopted gamification techniques for employee training

Statistic 57

43% of plastics companies offer tuition reimbursement programs for HR employees to upskill

Statistic 58

The turnover rate for HR professionals in plastics is about 10%, lower than the industry average

Statistic 59

The average tenure of HR professionals in the plastics industry is 5.2 years

Statistic 60

45% of plastics companies have dedicated diversity officers within their HR teams

Statistic 61

48% of plastics HR departments have incorporated employee recognition programs to boost morale

Statistic 62

52% of HR departments in plastics industry have adopted flexible working hours

Statistic 63

38% of plastics firms have developed remote work policies specifically for their HR teams

Statistic 64

81% of HR professionals in plastics view employee engagement as critical for productivity

Statistic 65

23% of plastics firms are investing in leadership coaching for HR managers

Statistic 66

67% of plastics companies report that proactive HR initiatives have improved employee retention rates

Statistic 67

47% of HR professionals in plastics recognize the need for more comprehensive leadership development programs

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Sources

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Key Highlights

The plastics industry employs approximately 1.3 million workers globally
In the United States, the plastics industry employs around 90,000 HR professionals
65% of plastics companies report difficulty in recruiting skilled HR personnel
The average turnover rate in the plastics manufacturing sector is 12%
55% of HR managers in plastics companies believe that talent retention is their biggest challenge
78% of plastics firms invest in continuous training programs for HR staff
The annual growth rate of HR employment in the plastics industry is approximately 3%
42% of HR professionals in plastics prioritize diversity and inclusion initiatives
72% of plastics companies conduct annual employee satisfaction surveys
The median salary for HR managers in the plastics industry is $75,000 annually
60% of HR teams in plastics companies utilize automated applicant tracking systems
48% of plastics firms have implemented remote onboarding for HR personnel
35% of plastics industry HR budgets are allocated to employee wellness programs

With nearly 1.3 million workers worldwide and ongoing challenges in recruitment, retention, and digital transformation, HR in the plastics industry is at a pivotal crossroads shaping the future of workforce management.

Future Planning and Strategic Advances

About 40% of HR professionals in plastics are planning to increase their AI and automation investment
38% of HR departments in plastics are working on succession planning initiatives
14% of plastics companies are experimenting with virtual reality for training purposes
60% of HR teams in plastics are exploring artificial intelligence for predictive hiring analytics
65% of HR departments in plastics are planning to increase cybersecurity training to protect employee data

Future Planning and Strategic Advances Interpretation

As plastics companies navigate the future, HR professionals are increasingly betting on AI and virtual reality to automate, innovate, and safeguard their workforce—highlighting a sector at the cusp of digital transformation.

Health and Wellbeing Initiatives

35% of plastics industry HR budgets are allocated to employee wellness programs
80% of HR professionals in plastics believe that employee safety training reduces workplace accidents
80% of HR departments in plastics prioritize mental health and wellness programs
The percentage of plastics companies providing maternity/paternity leave increased by 20% over the last 3 years
47% of plastics industry HR teams cite employee mental health as their top well-being priority

Health and Wellbeing Initiatives Interpretation

With nearly half of HR teams in plastics prioritizing mental health and wellness, and a significant increase in parental leave, it seems the industry is finally realizing that a healthier, happier workforce is the most durable packaging for sustainable growth.

Industry Employment and Workforce Trends

The plastics industry employs approximately 1.3 million workers globally
In the United States, the plastics industry employs around 90,000 HR professionals
The annual growth rate of HR employment in the plastics industry is approximately 3%
42% of HR professionals in plastics prioritize diversity and inclusion initiatives
The median salary for HR managers in the plastics industry is $75,000 annually
60% of HR teams in plastics companies utilize automated applicant tracking systems
Employee training programs in the plastics sector see a 15% participation rate increase year-over-year
The plastics sector's average hiring time for HR roles is 30 days
68% of HR departments in plastics plan to expand their diversity hiring initiatives
52% of HR teams in the plastics industry use cloud-based HR management systems
15% of HR professionals in plastics industry hold certifications such as SHRM-CP or PHR
25% of plastics HR departments have expanded their HR technology budgets due to pandemic-related needs
The average age of HR professionals in the plastics industry is 44 years
49% of HR teams in plastics see a direct correlation between employee engagement and productivity
22% of HR managers in plastics use blockchain technology for credential verification
59% of plastics industry HR teams plan to increase their focus on digital skills training
62% of plastics HR managers believe that talent acquisition has become more competitive due to the pandemic
The average ratio of HR staff to employees in plastics manufacturing is 1:40
56% of HR managers in plastics recognize the importance of upskilling existing employees to fill skill gaps
39% of plastics companies have experienced increased HR staffing needs due to rapid industry growth
53% of plastics HR managers plan to increase their focus on workforce diversity training
19% of plastics companies utilize virtual career fairs as part of their recruitment strategy
57% of plastics HR professionals believe that automation will significantly impact HR operations in the next five years

Industry Employment and Workforce Trends Interpretation

With nearly 1.3 million workers worldwide and a growing HR workforce that increasingly embraces automation, diversity, and digital skills—reflecting both the plastics industry's steady expansion and its commitment to transforming talent management—it's clear that in plastics, talent is the next polymer of growth.

Operational Challenges and Difficulties

25% of HR leaders in plastics industry have experienced challenges related to workforce safety compliance
50% of HR professionals in plastics industry report difficulty in filling technical roles
33% of plastics firms have faced challenges with remote work policy compliance
46% of plastics companies report that their HR digital transformation projects have improved compliance
29% of HR professionals in plastics report lack of adequate onboarding resources as a challenge
29% of HR teams in the plastics industry are adopting AI chatbots for routine employee inquiries
44% of HR departments in plastics have faced challenges with cross-cultural communication

Operational Challenges and Difficulties Interpretation

While plastics industry HR leaders grapple with compliance hurdles, staffing shortages, and communication barriers, their rapid adoption of AI chatbots and digital tools signals a pivot toward smarter, more compliant HR practices — though the real impact remains to be seen.

Turnover and HR Management Practices

65% of plastics companies report difficulty in recruiting skilled HR personnel
The average turnover rate in the plastics manufacturing sector is 12%
55% of HR managers in plastics companies believe that talent retention is their biggest challenge
78% of plastics firms invest in continuous training programs for HR staff
72% of plastics companies conduct annual employee satisfaction surveys
48% of plastics firms have implemented remote onboarding for HR personnel
58% of HR departments in plastics companies report improved employee engagement through digital tools
63% of plastics companies offer skill development programs to their HR teams
22% of plastics companies have implemented AI-driven HR analytics
55% of plastics HR managers report that retention of skilled workers has improved after implementing flexible work policies
44% of plastics companies have experienced a increase in employee training budgets over the past two years
70% of plastics companies see improved onboarding experiences with digital orientation tools
59% of plastics firms report an increased need for HR data analytics to inform decision-making
65% of plastics companies conduct regular employee engagement surveys
72% of plastics companies invest in leadership development for HR managers
37% of plastics HR departments have adopted gamification techniques for employee training
43% of plastics companies offer tuition reimbursement programs for HR employees to upskill
The turnover rate for HR professionals in plastics is about 10%, lower than the industry average
The average tenure of HR professionals in the plastics industry is 5.2 years
45% of plastics companies have dedicated diversity officers within their HR teams
48% of plastics HR departments have incorporated employee recognition programs to boost morale
52% of HR departments in plastics industry have adopted flexible working hours
38% of plastics firms have developed remote work policies specifically for their HR teams
81% of HR professionals in plastics view employee engagement as critical for productivity
23% of plastics firms are investing in leadership coaching for HR managers
67% of plastics companies report that proactive HR initiatives have improved employee retention rates

Turnover and HR Management Practices Interpretation

Despite a 65% struggle with recruiting skilled HR personnel and a 12% industry-wide turnover rate, the plastics industry is proactively investing in digital onboarding, ongoing training, and flexible work policies—highlighting its recognition that nurturing and retaining HR talent is as crucial as managing its plastics, since over 70% see engagement initiatives as key to productivity.

Workforce Trends

47% of HR professionals in plastics recognize the need for more comprehensive leadership development programs

Workforce Trends Interpretation

Nearly half of HR professionals in the plastics industry see leadership development as essential, highlighting that even in a resilient sector, cultivating future leaders remains a pressing need rather than a plastic illusion.