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International Paper

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"Old" Company in More Ways Than One - Process Improvement Manager International Paper Employee Review

2.0
May 6, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good retirement package. Lots of corporate emphasis on safety. Lots of locations if you want to move around within the company.

Cons

Company is an old company in an old industry and hasn't had to change much over the years. Entrenched unions in most locations - some locations with better relationships and some locations horrid. Leadership near the top of the organization (like EHS leadership) are way overkill on micromanaging lower-level leaders. Ability of lower leaders to tailor processes to their facilities so they actually work is stifled. So much paperwork and redundant effort to meet corporate requirements that it's hard to actually meet the spoken expectation of being on the floor with your people. Real expectations vs imaginary expectations. Work/life balance is horrid in many locations. Salaried employees get paid based on 49hr work weeks, but are often expected to work 6-7 days a week in practice - averaging 60-80hrs in many positions. Often-times hourly work the same, but even overtime pay comes at a cost to their personal lives - voluntary or not. The older-in-age management often have antiquated expectations of work-ethic where your work is your #1 loyalty and you will come in in the middle of the night and every weekend if we tell you to. This has had a widespread effect on company-wide culture. This will not work with younger generations in future decades - company needs to adapt to the times if they want to be successful.

Explore other reviews about International Paper

5.0
Dec 11, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great co-workers/environment Easy work for outstanding pay Great schedule that is set for a year and allows 1 full week off every 4 weeks.

Cons

Can be extremely dirty. A bad day with plugs can be very physically demanding.

1.0
Jun 10, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Benefits were fairly decent when I was there. PTO was pretty generous. Pay was decent enough, along with a Bonus at certain pay levels. Many of the people I worked with there were outstanding - although, most of them are gone now. They did retain a few subject matter experts, most have left or leaving - but I guess it's a possible pro they might not cut your entire department..

Cons

The Cons are the new 'wonder boy' CEO. This puts most of the 'Pros' here on shaky ground. The new CEO - Andy Silvernail, is a ruthless cost cutter. I would expect as/if the stock continues to drop - other benefits, people, or pay will be gouged - like they did the entire IT department. Andy was making big stock promises when he started up, but it was clear from the start, his only concern was the stock price. I still talk to some people they did retain or forced over ("rebadged" - such a terribly soulless word for it) to the new MSP. Every single one of them is at their wit's end. They are hemorrhaging what's left of IT in the company and all of the deep knowledge with them. It WAS a great place to work - now they report working 60+ hours a week trying to make up for the incompetence of the new MSP. At least one of them told me that he has dealt with more downtime and high priority problems in the last couple months, than the previous 15 years there. So if you are considering a job in IT at this company - in any capacity, expect to work long hours with no real path or possibility for advancement.

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