From seedling to ‘ the silver forest’.

            The Issue of staffing of pulp and paper companies has been exercising the minds of more than just human resources manager in recent years.

It is widely known that many people currently working in the industry will soon be taking retirement and that pulp and paper companies have had difficulties recruiting and retaining the next generation to take there place.

            This issue’s cover story is a timely piece from executive recruitment consultants Jay Millen and Ronald Wintzéus about how forest products companies and attract, develop and retain high performers. Millen and Ronald Wintzéus identify five factors that have contributed to the global talent gap, ranging from the industry’s ‘image problem’ to lagging investment in innovation and marketing.

            Yet, while there are nagging barriers to success, such as the lack of cross-functional experiences for young managers in pulp and paper firms, there are practical steps that can be taken to bring in and keep hold of the brightest and best young talents around, including marking a commitment to regularly recruit top-tier college graduates and providing regularly succession planning and performance reviews for young managers.

Although such practices are not silver bullet solution, they will certainly help alleviate some of the recruitment and retention problems the industry faces, and reduce the growing need to fill top executive position as the leading pulp and paper companies with candidates from outside the sector.

As the industry becomes increasing global, and as more and more sophisticated activities are both located in and directed at emerging markets, the pulp and paper sector has found itself increasingly being asked to answer the sometimes – tricky question of how to find and manage talent in countries such as china, Indian and brazil.

As this month’s Viewpoint column, from Deloitte’s Gary Coleman, indicates, labor costs and turnover among highly skilled workers in developing markets are increasing rapidly, making staff retention harder then ever. To succeed in this battle for talent, companies need to take account of local conditions, rather than simply importing a business model that works at home. In some markets, retention is all about who pays the highest salary, in others, opportunities for training and skills development are highly are highly prized.

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