.

Daniel Quintana

Could you give a brief overview of your experience in the HR industry and about the role that you play in Amcor?

As the head of HR for the division covering tobacco packaging at Amcor Europe, my responsibilities include managing a team of 10 people and overseeing diverse talent initiatives, performance management, and coworker engagement. Our main customers are the big four tobacco companies, namely Philip Morris International, British American tobacco, Japan tobacco, and Imperial Group.

Recently, we sold our business in Russia and a workforce of about 2000 people in Europe. This change has brought about new challenges that we are working hard to overcome. Despite this setback, I remain committed to ensuring that our team continues to deliver the best possible outcomes for our company and clients.

Prior to joining Amcor Europe in March 2019, I spent 13 years at Baxter Healthcare, a medical device company. During my time there, I held various roles in compensation benefits and HR operations before eventually becoming a business partner for different types of client groups.

Originally from Mexico, I moved to Europe with Baxter in 2007 to pursue new career opportunities. My diverse background and experience have equipped me with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the complexities of the HR industry, and I'm excited to continue contributing to the success of Amcor Europe

When it comes to HR consulting, how are you addressing some of the prevailing challenges impacting the industry right now?

Amcor Europe employs close to 2000 blue collar workers, comprising 80 to 90 percent of our workforce. As an organization, we prioritize safety, investing heavily in training to prevent accidents and fatalities. Our safety performance is closely tied to coworker satisfaction, and we recognize the importance of understanding what drives and motivates each individual. This can be a challenging task given the diverse needs and interests of our people. In light of the pandemic, many companies have been taking steps to support their employees' mental wellbeing, with offerings such as meditation and yoga. By getting to know our employees and demonstrating that we care about their personal lives and interests, we hope to build stronger connections and foster a positive work environment.

Can you talk about any technologies or practices that help you streamline your strategies when it comes to implementing your HR consulting strategies to deal with the challenges?

Every year, we conduct climate surveys and follow up with polls or pulse checks to receive feedback about the company. Our most recent survey revealed that our employees trust in the leadership and feel inspired by our mission. As a pragmatic company, we recognize the importance of having factory workers who understand how their daily job connects to the overall goals and mission of the company.

“As a pragmatic company, we recognize the importance of having factory workers who understand how their daily job connects to the overall goals and mission of the company. We believe that if workers are trained well on how to shorten machine setup time by just a few minutes per day, it will result in increased productivity and profitability for the company.”

We believe that if workers are trained well on how to shorten machine setup time by just a few minutes per day, it will result in increased productivity and profitability for the company. This will enable us to provide more benefits and higher salaries to our employees. Essentially, we are working to connect the dots between the job someone does on a machine and the vision of the general manager of the factory.

We want to ensure that there are no perceived gaps between management and everyone within the organization in the factory. To accomplish this, we have implemented an operations excellence program, introducing a no-meeting zone where the management can speak to employees, build relationships, and ask how they can support them in their job. This ensures that management is present and known to the employees helps us gather valuable input from those operating the machines.

Overall, our goal is to train and support our workers, create a strong connection between their daily tasks and the company's mission, and ensure that there are no perceived gaps between management and employees within the organization. By doing so, we believe we can improve the overall performance and satisfaction of our workforce.

Would do you like to share any advice to your peers on how they can better position themselves to deal with challenges in the HR consulting?

I believe every CEO must consider people as their company's most valued asset and understand that having their support can lead to exceptional performance and honest communication. To achieve this, it's crucial to foster a strong emotional connection between the company and its employees. I come from Mexico but currently live in Switzerland where my father, an architect, manages a diverse range of construction projects. Through his experience, he has learned that connecting with people is essential to avoid union issues, strikes, or absenteeism. He would often visit construction sites on holidays like Labor Day, inviting families, spouses, and having meals and recreation time with them, creating a bond between himself and the workers. Although the manufacturing industry is different from construction sites, the key factor is still the same - the people. As the HR Director, I work with my leadership team to ensure that our employees are happy and that their feedback is addressed across all factories and networks. Our goal is to maintain good performance and safety records, which will lead to an exceptional workforce that will want to work with us and spread the word.

Is there anything I've missed out that you'd like to highlight in the article?

To ensure the success of any initiative or program in a company, it is crucial to pay close attention to the needs of the people within the organization. This requires taking the time to understand what employees really need and not making assumptions. It is not uncommon for someone in the corporation to suggest an initiative that is later questioned because it did not address the real needs of the employees. Therefore, it is important to go the extra mile to understand what people need before launching any initiative or program to ensure that it will be successful and effective in addressing the actual needs of the employees.