Building People-First Cultures From Retail to Manufacturing with Monica Anderton of DS Smith

We’re thrilled to welcome Monica Anderton in this week’s episode. Monica’s journey spans industry giants — including The Home Depot, global metal leader Novelis, and her current role as Chief Human Resources Officer for the North America Packaging and Paper Division of DS Smith, a global heavyweight in sustainable packaging. At each stop, Monica has shaped organizations, built world-class cultures, and led teams through transformative growth. Monica’s experiences are the kind that electrify any HR, leadership, or business community.Key Takeaways:00:00 Introduction.06:51 Curiosity and feedback-seeking accelerate early-career growth.11:12 Professional volunteering builds networks that last for decades.15:18 Community involvement directly creates unexpected job opportunities.19:48 Culture fit matters more than skills during organizational transformation.24:21 Authentic interviewing reveals the real person behind every candidate.28:30 Assessment tools provide valuable data points beyond interview impressions.32:03 Companies should automate HR processes without losing human touch.36:00 AI translations can save millions while maintaining quality standards.40:21 Leaders should be kinder to themselves since perfection isn't expected.Resources Mentioned:Monica Andertonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/monicazanderton/DS Smith | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/ds-smith/DS Smith | Websitehttp://www.dssmith.comHuman Resources Leadership Forum Atlantahttps://www.hrlfatlanta.org/“Living a Generous Life” by Mary Elizabeth Saddhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DVWQ6BZZThank you for listening to “Hire Learning with Oz Rashid.” Don’t forget to leave us a review and subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. Connect with our host, Oz Rashid, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ozrashid.  To learn more about MSH, visit https://www.talentmsh.com. #TalentAcquisition #HiringStrategy #EnterpriseHiring #GigEconomy #AIinHR #WorkforceTrends