Report Seeks to Understand Barriers in Attracting Talent to Alcoholic Beverage Industry

BCW Member HEINEKEN USA recently unveiled the third installment of its Behind the Label program, “Redefining What it Means to Work in the Alcoholic Beverage Industry.” The report aims to understand the barriers that affect talent attraction efforts into the industry and illuminate the diverse array of roles and growth opportunities available to individuals from all backgrounds.

Among the key findings:

People hold a largely positive view of the alcoholic beverage industry. When asked about the terms they associate with the industry, people are most likely to feel it’s innovative (36%) and forward-thinking (32%). There is a strong perception that the industry is home to new ideas, with 65% of respondents saying that the industry is more innovative than other industries.

Around half (51%) of respondents think the alcoholic beverage industry would be a good or excellent place to work, compared to just 11% who say they think it would be a challenging or bad place to work. 58% of men think that the industry would be a good or excellent place to work, compared to 45% of women. And 47% of Black Americans hold this positive perception of the industry, compared to 54% and 59% of white and Hispanic Americans, respectively.

Despite overall positive perceptions of the industry, more than half (52%) of the people surveyed say they have never considered working in the industry. When people were asked what work environments they most associate with working in the industry, the most common responses were bars/restaurants (38%) or production facilities (24%) like breweries and distilleries.

The positive perceptions indicated in the report suggest there is an opportunity for the industry to attract a new cohort of talent to the field. However, this will only be possible if the industry addresses misperceptions about the work.

In its report, HEINEKEN USA offers three key takeaways for companies in the alcoholic beverage industry working to shift views:

• Foster a culture of belonging to address concerns reported by women and Black Americans.
• Deploy intentional efforts to educate talent on the opportunities in the field.
• Prioritize opportunities to showcase the work as interesting, innovative, and nuanced.

To read the report and learn more about HEINEKEN USA’S Behind the Label initiative, visit HEINEKENUSA.com.