Oberg (CONT’D FROM PAGE 44)
great. Much like the typical man only goes to the doctor when they can no longer ignore their symptoms, corru- gated people only come to me when something in their career is going so poorly that ignoring it is no longer an option. With that in mind, I had information that Mike was not aware of. Three of the nine people in that conference room reached out to me earlier that year asking that I keep them in mind regarding outside opportunities that might be available. “But Roy,” you may ask, “how would we know what it takes for us to retain our top people?” Let me introduce
nancially reward the hard work of their employees. While compensation alone can attract people, it is not always ef- fective at retaining them. A quick story from early in my career: in my late 20’s I was doing a lot of business with International Paper. I was flattered when I was invited to Memphis to their Corporate office to review their tactical and strategic talent needs. I spent the morning with Don Taylor, the Director of Hu- man Resources, reviewing their talent status and project-
ed needs. Don was a corporate mentor for me, and I was grateful for his support. After lunch he introduced me to Mike Ross, top of the Corrugated Divisions org chart. Mike was very pleasant and friendly, and I ended up spending about 30 minutes in his huge office. He then asked me to join him in his conference room. It was here that Mike and Don introduced me to their leadership team: a Division CFO and five Regional General Managers. “Roy has been doing work for us,” he said, “and we anticipate more good things from him.” I expressed my gratitude for their business and ex- plained that I looked forward to a wonderful partnership. Mike then asked me where I found my candidates. “From the rest of the industry,” I replied. This response prompt- ed some rather pointed questions about who I viewed as a client company and who I viewed as a source compa- ny. Put simply, was I charging a fee for placing people in through the front door of IP while turning around and tak- ing people out through the back? The perspiration on my brow was probably evident as I pondered my answer. The truth about recruiting back then is the same as it is now. I don’t take anyone; I simply provide options when said op- tions are requested. It is the people who make decisions regarding their tenure at a company. It’s worth pausing here to mention that individuals typ- ically don’t reach out to me when their career is going
Oberg’s hierarchy of needs. It offers an employee per- spective on the components needed to attract and retain top talent, compiled from 40 years of feedback I’ve heard across the industry. Regardless of where an employee is in their company’s org chart, all people value these five things: Compensation, Work Environment, Clear Expecta- tions, Leadership Style/Company Culture, and Opportuni- ties for Advancement. One level of the pyramid does not work in a silo; it is interconnected with the other levels to create an environment that will ultimately attract and retain the talent companies are seeking. Interestingly, throughout my career servicing and ad- vising the corrugated industry, I’ve noticed that not much has really changed when it comes to the needs of talent either. Companies still need talent, and talent still needs jobs. Despite this, the corrugated industry, as dysfunction- al as it can be sometimes, still provides wonderful oppor- tunity for anyone willing to show up early, stay late, and provide value to everyone they interact with. There are no short cuts to success. Putting in constant, genuine effort remains a tried-and-true recipe for long-term prosperity. I am unremarkable in any professional regard. Howev- er, I have built trusting relationships by coming in early, staying late, and providing value to everyone I meet. And in an industry committed to the making and selling of emp- ty corrugated boxes, that means something. Stay strong.
46 September 28, 2026
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