We are a highly experienced recruitment agency within the Food, FMCG and Engineering sectors.
UK: 01733 391 515
USA: (630) 423 3341
UAE: 600 575 215
Food safety is a cornerstone of the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry. Every recall, contamination, or labelling error can damage consumer trust, tarnish brand reputation, and cause significant financial losses, yet the connection between food safety and a company’s hiring policies is often underappreciated. Make no mistake – the employees hired today will determine whether or not a company can uphold the rigorous standards needed to maintain consumer safety and compliance with regulatory requirements.
This blog explores the importance of hiring policies in shaping food safety culture, the balance between skills and values, and how companies can adjust their hiring strategies to reduce risk and foster a safety-first culture. We’ll also look at common hiring pitfalls and how inadequate compensation or mismatched priorities can lead to lower-quality hires that may inadvertently increase food safety risks.
Food safety begins with the people who are responsible for maintaining it. From line workers to top management, every individual in a CPG company plays a role in preventing food safety risks. Hiring policies must prioritize both the technical skills necessary for safety protocols and, perhaps more importantly, the behavioural attributes that align with a safety-first culture. This can only be accurately identified by asking the right questions during the hiring process, often moving away from experience and skills and creating a values and behaviour focused interview.
A company’s leadership sets the tone for its food safety culture. If top executives prioritize speed or profit over safety, that mentality will trickle down to the production floor, leading to corners being cut and an eye for detail become clouded. According to a 2022 survey from Food Safety Magazine, 60% of employees working for companies with strong safety cultures said they felt empowered to stop production in the event of a food safety risk. This contrasts with only 30% in companies with weaker safety cultures, where speed or cost-cutting was prioritized.
A commitment to safety should not be siloed within a quality assurance department. Instead, it should be woven into every department, from procurement and R&D to sales and marketing. To achieve this, companies need to hire people who understand that food safety is everyone’s responsibility. Hiring policies that emphasize a shared responsibility for safety help foster a culture where potential risks are identified and addressed across departments.
When it comes to reducing food safety risks, is technical skill or behaviour more important? The reality is that both matter, but the weight given to each depends on the role. However, it is behaviour and personal values that are often more predictive of long-term success in maintaining a strong safety culture – it’s incredibly difficult to teach values and ethics.
For roles like quality assurance managers, microbiologists, or sanitation specialists, technical expertise is indispensable. A well-trained employee will understand pathogen control, foodborne illness risks, and compliance with safety regulations like the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). However, technical knowledge alone does not guarantee that employees will follow procedures consistently, especially under pressure.
Employees who exhibit strong personal accountability, attention to detail, and a commitment to safety will often do more to prevent food safety incidents than those who rely solely on technical skills. Another study by Food Safety Magazine from 2023 revealed that companies with a strong focus on behavioural hiring had 40% fewer food safety violations than those that prioritized skills alone. Employees who value safety over expedience are more likely to speak up when something feels off, refuse to cut corners, and follow safety protocols rigorously.
Hiring employees who have the technical know-how but lack the right mindset can be detrimental. In one case, a well-publicized recall in 2018 involved a CPG company’s Romaine Lettuce contaminated with E. coli. Despite knowing the risks of cross-contamination, it was later revealed that employees had ignored proper cleaning procedures to meet tight production deadlines, exacerbating the outbreak.
Key takeaway: Both technical skills and behaviour are critical, but hiring for the right mindset—employees who prioritize food safety over production goals or cost-saving measures—can significantly reduce risk.
Many CPG companies unknowingly make hiring decisions that undermine food safety efforts. Some common practices that hinder hiring the right people for safety-critical roles include:
In high-demand, fast-paced industries like CPG, there is often pressure to fill roles quickly. This can lead to rushed hiring decisions that overlook key behavioural traits and lead to the hiring of individuals who may not be a good fit for a company’s safety culture. A report by HR Research Institute found that less than 10% of companies admitted to skipping background checks or thorough reference reviews to expedite the hiring process. However, checks are being carried out AFTER a conditional offer has been made.
Offering below-market salaries for safety-critical roles can result in a lower-quality talent pool. Highly skilled professionals with strong safety records expect competitive salaries. When companies fail to offer adequate compensation, they risk attracting less qualified candidates, which can lead to increased food safety risks. Those that consider themselves to receive lower-than-average pay are more likely to leave their position within the first year, leading to higher turnover and increased risk of lapses in safety standards.
In some cases, hiring managers create job descriptions that do not accurately reflect the responsibilities tied to food safety. This misalignment can lead to hiring individuals who are technically capable but unaware of the critical role they play in food safety processes. Food safety incidents are often linked to employees who didn’t fully understand the scope of their responsibilities in maintaining safety protocols.
Key takeaway: Common hiring practices such as rushing the process, offering inadequate compensation, and failing to create accurate job descriptions can weaken a company’s food safety culture and increase risk.
How can CPG companies alter their hiring practices to ensure they bring on employees who align with food safety values and reduce risk? Here are some strategic steps:
Behavioural Interviewing Techniques
Incorporating behavioural interview questions helps identify candidates who are aligned with safety-first values. Rather than asking technical questions alone, interviewers should ask about past behaviour in safety-critical situations. For example: “Can you tell me about a time you had to choose between meeting a production deadline and following safety procedures? How did you handle it?”
A company’s commitment to food safety should be clear from the moment a new employee walks through the door. Comprehensive onboarding programs that emphasize the importance of food safety and provide robust training in safety protocols set the stage for a safety-focused culture. The Tyson Foods case study highlights how revamping their hiring and onboarding processes reduced food safety incidents by over 30% in the first year.
To attract top talent for safety-critical roles, companies must offer competitive compensation packages. A Payscale report found that companies offering compensation at or above market rate were 50% more likely to attract candidates with experience in food safety, and 35% less likely to experience high turnover in these roles.
Food safety standards evolve, and so should employee training. CPG companies should invest in continuous professional development, ensuring employees stay current on food safety regulations and best practices. Ongoing training reduces the likelihood of safety breaches, as employees are equipped with the latest knowledge and tools.
Key takeaway: By using behavioural interview techniques, improving onboarding, offering competitive compensation, and providing ongoing development, CPG companies can build a workforce that is both skilled and committed to food safety.
Certain behaviours can increase the likelihood of food safety breaches. Identifying and mitigating these behaviours is crucial for reducing risk:
Companies and employees who prioritize production speed over safety are a common source of risk. Many safety incidents involved situations where employees ignored safety protocols to meet tight deadlines, is safety being compromised for deadlines, and are time allowances realistic?
Over time, employees who become complacent in their roles can pose a risk. Familiarity with processes often leads to carelessness in following safety protocols. Regular training and refresher courses can help mitigate this risk.
Employees who don’t feel personally accountable for food safety can cause systemic issues. Creating a culture where every team member understands their role in maintaining safety standards can help prevent safety lapses.
Key Takeaway: Recognizing high-risk behaviours such as cutting corners, complacency, and lack of accountability is key to fostering a safety-first culture. These can be identified during the recruitment process by asking the right questions around values and behaviours.
Hiring policies have a profound impact on food safety culture within CPG companies. By prioritizing behaviour and values alongside technical skills, offering competitive compensation, and avoiding rushed or misaligned hiring practices, CPG companies can build a workforce that is committed to maintaining the highest standards of food safety.
In a sector where one small mistake can have far-reaching consequences, investing in the right people—and creating a culture that empowers them to prioritize safety—is one of the most effective ways to reduce risk and protect both consumers and the company’s long-term success.
Looking to progress your career? Get in touch:
