Solving a Manufacturing Hiring Crisis Through Employee Insights
UX Research, Rapid Research, Novel Research Methods
Context: Fortune 200 Global Food Manufacturer, 2023
Role: Research Lead, Bionic
Overview:
The “Great Resignation” during the COVID-19 pandemic created a global labor shortage, leaving many manufacturers struggling to keep their facilities fully staffed and their production lines running. At one global food company, the resulting impact on its ability to meet customer demand forced it to take a closer look at its recruiting pipeline. As the lead researcher on the team, I was tasked with understanding how we might utilize research to uncover the root cause and increase recruitment.
Process:
As research lead I conducted 33 in-depth interviews over three weeks with current and prospective employees, as well as local employment experts.
Key insights emerged:
Flexibility – Workers wanted control over their schedules, including part-time and ad hoc shifts.
Expanded Candidate Pool – Traditional screening methods excluded gig workers and part-time seekers.
Recognition Culture – Employees valued short-term rewards to boost engagement.
Career-Oriented Benefits – Workers sought career growth beyond a single employer and personalized benefits.
Additionally, we found that job descriptions focused too much on employer benefits rather than employee value, and compensation packages were difficult to compare. To address these challenges, we launched three hiring experiments. The most effective which was rapid advertising testing to via Facebook and Instagram ads in English and Spanish. These ads, branded under "Bionic Recruitment Team" for neutrality, asked potential applicants what they valued most in a job—flexibility, recognition, career growth, or pay—helping refine our hiring strategy.
This data-driven approach led to more targeted recruitment efforts, ultimately improving applicant quality and retention.
Result:
40% more applications for manufacturing jobs within a week, more than the previous three months combined.
Permanently changed the structure of recruiting pipeline to be more customer-centric.
Won a leading industry award for rapid experimentation to improve culture.
