For consumer and industrial products companies, growth remains a priority, but execution is becoming a challenge.
Demand volatility, margin pressure, labor shortages, and evolving workforce expectations are forcing leaders to make difficult decisions about where to invest and how to compete. While many organizations are focused on innovation, workforce-related challenges continue to slow progress.
According to the latest CBIZ Mid-Market Pulse, 44% of mid-market organizations cite talent and skills gaps as a primary barrier to execution, making talent constraints the most frequently reported obstacle to achieving strategic goals. At the same time, 73% report labor costs as a significant business challenge.
Building a Workforce Strategy for Sustainable Growth
Our findings show that workforce challenges have officially become business performance issues. Within the industry, the impact often appears in several areas:
- Difficulty hiring skilled production workers
- Competition for supply chain, logistics, and analytics professionals
- Growing demand for digital and e-commerce expertise
- Higher turnover in frontline and operational roles
- Leadership succession challenges in specialized functions
Addressing these workforce constraints requires a broader workforce strategy that aligns talent, compensation, benefits programs, and risk management.
Workforce Planning Powers Resilience
To streamline workforce planning, many organizations are increasingly leveraging workforce data, technology, and planning tools. Modern human capital management solutions can provide greater visibility into workforce needs, helping organizations identify skills gaps, forecast future staffing requirements, and make more informed decisions.
These capabilities help leaders build a workforce that can adapt to changing business conditions while supporting long-term growth.
Benefits Play a Growing Role in Talent Retention
Competition for talent is forcing many organizations in the industry to rethink their benefits strategy.
Healthcare costs continue to place pressure on employers, with 61% of organizations reporting significant impacts from rising healthcare expenses. The broader Cost Pressure Index also identified healthcare as one of the leading cost concerns facing mid-market companies.
In response, forward-looking organizations are taking a closer look at:
- Healthcare plan design and cost management strategies
- Benefits communication and employee education
- Retirement plan competitiveness and employee participation
- Financial wellness resources
- Data-driven approaches to managing healthcare utilization and benefits performance
When designed effectively, benefits can help strengthen engagement while supporting financial sustainability.
Compensation Strategies Must Balance Pressure and Profitability
As labor costs continue to rise, many organizations are reviewing how their compensation programs support the business. Base pay remains important, especially for critical and hard-to-fill roles, but higher pay alone may not solve retention, productivity, or performance challenges.
Companies in the industry are also looking at incentive plans, recognition programs, and performance-based rewards. The goal is to make sure compensation supports the outcomes that matter most, including productivity, quality, safety, customer service, and financial performance.
Compensation programs should be competitive, but also sustainable. When designed well, they can help organizations attract and retain key talent, manage labor costs, and reinforce the performance expectations needed for long-term growth.
Managing Risk in Complex Environments
In today’s labor market, workforce resilience depends on more than compensation and benefits. Employees increasingly expect safe workplaces, secure systems, and organizations that can navigate disruption effectively.
For consumer and industrial products companies, risk management plays a particularly important role in supporting workforce stability.
Organizations are increasingly evaluating:
- Workplace safety programs
- Labor and employment compliance
- Employee benefits compliance
- Cybersecurity preparedness
- Insurance coverage and cost management
- Business continuity and supply chain resilience
By reducing operational disruptions and protecting employees from unnecessary risk, organizations can strengthen workforce confidence while creating a more resilient foundation for business growth.
Position Your Workforce for Growth With CBIZ
At CBIZ, we help consumer and industrial products companies align workforce investments with business objectives through human capital management, benefits, compensation, talent, and risk management solutions.
Ready to strengthen your workforce strategy? Connect with our team to explore solutions designed to help your organization attract talent, manage costs, and drive performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many organizations face growing demand for employees with expertise in analytics, supply planning, e-commerce, manufacturing operations, and digital transformation. Labor shortages can delay execution, reduce productivity, and limit growth opportunities.
Competitive benefits programs support recruitment, employee satisfaction, and long-term retention. Organizations are increasingly using healthcare, wellness, retirement, and voluntary benefits to strengthen their employment value proposition.
Many organizations are focusing on workforce planning, skills development, leadership succession, compensation strategy, retirement readiness, and technology-driven human capital initiatives to improve business performance and support growth.
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