Solving the Manufacturing Talent Gap: DS Smith’s CHRO on Engagement, Integration, and AI that Pays

Summary

Struggling to recruit and retain frontline talent while driving transformation?

Monica Anderton, CHRO at DS Smith North America—and a recognized top CHRO voice in manufacturing—shares how her team stabilized a complex post-acquisition landscape and built a “sticky” culture in a tough labor market.

Monica walks through DS Smith’s North America journey—from consolidating plants and launching a highly automated greenfield site in Lebanon, Indiana, to importing the company’s sustainability DNA (“redefining packaging for a changing world”).

She breaks down Project Engage, a data-driven turnaround that moved poor survey scores by treating engagement like any other operations initiative: executive sponsorship, site-level ownership, transparent communications, targeted training for frontline leaders, and rigorous measurement.

On the technology front, Monica details where AI is already creating ROI—saving millions by translating content across 7–8 languages and building an RFP answer library that speeds responses—alongside pragmatic HR ops wins like automating ATS and onboarding to reduce admin and rehire risk. Expect candid lessons on automation tradeoffs, funding realities, pacing change for frontline teams, and why HR must keep learning (including Monica’s own AI coursework) to act as business leaders first.

Timestamps

[01:54] – Guest intro and DS Smith’s North America growth story

[02:24] – Integration, plant consolidation, sustainability, and the Lebanon, IN greenfield

[06:07] – The manufacturing labor gap and making work “sticky” for the next generation

[08:23] – Project Engage: turning poor survey results into measurable improvement

[12:24] – Running engagement like operations: metrics, ownership, monthly exec reviews

[13:41] – Automation vs. ROI and where AI makes sense today

[15:58] – Saving millions with AI translations; building an RFP knowledge base

[17:47] – Modernizing HR ops: ATS/onboarding fixes; inspiration from AI coaching at scale

[21:53] – Career advice: keep learning, know the metrics, be a business leader in HR

Takeaways

- Treat engagement like an operations project: secure executive sponsors, assign site-level owners, communicate transparently, and measure before/after.

- Compete in the labor crunch by building “sticky” workplaces: develop frontline leaders, clarify career paths, and align culture with daily behaviors.

- Target AI where ROI is clear: automate translations to cut costs and standardize voice; create a reusable RFP answer library to move faster.

- Modernize people ops to reduce friction: automate ATS and onboarding, clean data, and prevent costly rehire mistakes.

- Pilot AI-enabled coaching and support where scale is needed; set guardrails, learn from usage data, and iterate content.

- Keep learning to lead credibly: deepen your AI literacy, know the business metrics, and operate as a business leader in the people function.

Sponsor

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