What Is It Really Like to Work at Veritiv?
Explore careers at Veritiv. We analyze employee reviews, pay, benefits, and culture to show you what it's like to work at this packaging solutions leader.
Working at Veritiv means being part of a Fortune 500 B2B distributor specializing in packaging, facility solutions, and print products. Employees describe a stable, process-driven corporate environment with a strong emphasis on safety and operational efficiency. Roles span from warehouse and logistics to corporate functions and a large, commission-driven salesforce. The company offers a hybrid work model for many corporate positions and provides a standard package of benefits, including a 401(k) match and various healthcare options. It's a large, established company facing typical market pressures of the wholesale distribution industry.
- Founded
- 2014
- HQ
- Atlanta, Georgia
- CEO
- Sal Abbate
- Employees
- 6000
- Industry
- Wholesale Distribution, Packaging
- Ownership
- Public
- Ticker
- NYSE:VRTV
- Veritiv is a Fortune 500 company formed in 2014, operating as a B2B wholesale distributor of packaging, facility solutions, and print products.
- The company employs approximately 6,000 people across North America.
- Compensation for sales roles heavily features a commission-based structure, while corporate and warehouse roles have more traditional salary and hourly pay.
- Veritiv offers standard corporate benefits including medical, dental, vision, a 401(k) with company match, and paid time off.
- Employee reviews often point to a stable, traditional corporate culture that can sometimes be slow to adopt new technologies or processes.
- The company has publicly stated goals to increase the representation of women and people of color in leadership roles by 2030.
Working at Veritiv means being part of a Fortune 500 B2B distributor specializing in packaging, facility solutions, and print products. Employees describe a stable, process-driven corporate environment with a strong emphasis on safety and operational efficiency. Roles span from warehouse and logistics to corporate functions and a large, commission-driven salesforce. The company offers a hybrid work model for many corporate positions and provides a standard package of benefits, including a 401(k) match and various healthcare options. It's a large, established company facing typical market pressures of the wholesale distribution industry.
What is it actually like to work at Veritiv?
Veritiv is a large B2B wholesale distributor that provides packaging, facility solutions, print, and publishing products and services. With approximately 6,000 employees and a network of about 125 distribution centers across North America, the company is a significant player in the logistics and supply chain sector. For a potential employee, this translates to a work environment that is structured, process-oriented, and focused on operational excellence. Daily work life varies significantly by role.
A large portion of Veritiv's workforce is in sales, logistics, and warehouse operations. Sales roles are deeply integrated with customer relationship management, tasked with collaborating with clients to tailor solutions—a core part of Veritiv’s customer-centric strategy. These roles are often fast-paced and performance-driven. Warehouse and operations staff work within a highly organized system where safety and efficiency are paramount. The company culture in these areas is often described as direct and focused on meeting daily and weekly targets. Corporate roles in areas like finance, marketing, HR, and IT are primarily based out of the Atlanta headquarters and other regional offices, with many offering hybrid work arrangements. The culture in these departments mirrors that of a traditional, established public company: stable, hierarchical, and sometimes slower to change.
Key strategic initiatives driving the company include sustainability and technology. Veritiv is actively focused on expanding its portfolio of eco-friendly packaging, such as biodegradable and compostable options. Technologically, the company is investing in automation and data analytics to improve inventory management and hygiene solutions, making these themes present in the day-to-day work of many teams.
Source: Veritiv Corporate Responsibility Report
How does Veritiv pay compare?
Compensation at Veritiv is structured to align with industry standards for wholesale distribution and varies widely by function. For its extensive salesforce, a significant portion of total earnings is tied to commissions and performance bonuses, rewarding client acquisition and growth. This is a common model in the B2B distribution space. For corporate, administrative, and IT roles, Veritiv offers traditional salaried compensation. Pay for these positions is generally considered to be at or near market rate, though some employee reviews suggest that base salaries can lag behind those in high-tech or finance industries.
For the large number of employees in warehouse and logistics roles, Veritiv offers hourly wages. Based on self-reported data, these wages are competitive within the logistics and warehousing sector. For example, a Warehouse Associate can expect to earn an hourly wage that is competitive with the national median for similar roles.
| Role | Veritiv Typical Hourly Pay | National Median Hourly Pay (BLS) |
|---|---|---|
| Warehouse Associate | $16 - $22 | $17.86 (for Laborers and Freight Movers) |
This table illustrates that Veritiv's pay is generally in line with national averages for its core operational roles. It's important for candidates to research specific roles and locations, as pay can fluctuate based on local market conditions and individual experience.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Source: Glassdoor
What benefits and time-off does Veritiv offer?
Veritiv provides a comprehensive benefits package typical of a large public company, designed to support the health, financial security, and well-being of its employees. The company emphasizes its commitment to employee well-being as a cornerstone of its culture. Core offerings include a range of medical, dental, and vision insurance plans, allowing employees to choose coverage that fits their needs.
Key components of the Veritiv benefits package include:
- Health & Wellness: Multiple medical plan options, along with dental and vision coverage. The company also provides Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) to help employees manage healthcare costs. Wellness programs are available to encourage healthy lifestyles.
- Financial Security: A 401(k) retirement savings plan with a company match helps employees save for the future. Veritiv also offers life insurance, short-term disability (STD), and long-term disability (LTD) insurance.
- Time Off: Employees receive paid time off (PTO) that accrues based on tenure, in addition to paid company holidays.
- Family Support: The benefits package includes resources for family planning and support.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential support for personal and professional challenges is available to all employees and their families.
These benefits are a key factor in Veritiv's recognition as a top workplace, reflecting its investment in creating a supportive and productive environment.
Source: Veritiv Careers & Benefits
Culture, leadership, and DEI at Veritiv
Veritiv's culture is built on a foundation of safety, respect, and operational integrity. As a company with a massive logistics and distribution footprint, its commitment to health and safety is a non-negotiable aspect of the work environment. The company has a stated goal of continuous improvement in safety metrics and performance.
Leadership, under CEO Sal Abbate, emphasizes a vision centered on being a leading provider of packaging and facility solutions. The leadership style is generally seen as traditional and top-down, consistent with a large, established public corporation. The company's strategic direction focuses on customer collaboration, sustainable solutions, and leveraging technology for efficiency.
On diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Veritiv has established formal goals and programs. The company's 2023 Corporate Responsibility Report outlines its commitment to creating a more inclusive workplace. Key initiatives include:
- Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Veritiv supports several ERGs, including groups for women, Black employees, Hispanic employees, and a Young Professionals Network. These groups provide community, networking, and professional development opportunities.
- Representation Goals: The company has set public goals to increase the representation of women in leadership to 35% and people of color in leadership to 25% by the year 2030.
- Supplier Diversity: Veritiv also has a supplier diversity program aimed at increasing its spend with businesses owned by women, minorities, veterans, and other underrepresented groups.
While the company is taking structured steps to foster a more diverse and inclusive culture, employee reviews suggest that, like many large corporations, the experience can vary significantly by department and location. Some employees praise the supportive teams and managers, while others note a desire for more dynamic and modern cultural initiatives.
Source: Veritiv Management, Source: Veritiv Corporate Responsibility Report
The hiring and interview process at Veritiv
Based on candidate feedback, the hiring process at Veritiv is typically straightforward and professional. It generally follows a standard corporate structure that aligns with a company of its size and scale. The process can take anywhere from two weeks to over a month, depending on the role's seniority and the department's urgency.
For most professional roles, the process includes these stages:
- Application: Candidates apply online through the Veritiv careers portal.
- HR Screening: A recruiter from the talent acquisition team conducts an initial phone screen. This call typically covers the candidate's background, salary expectations, and basic qualifications for the role.
- Hiring Manager Interview: The first formal interview is usually with the direct hiring manager. This conversation dives deeper into technical skills, relevant experience, and situational judgment. Candidates for sales roles can expect questions about their sales process, track record, and how they build client relationships.
- Team or Panel Interview: A second round of interviews may follow, often involving team members, peers, or cross-functional stakeholders. This stage assesses team fit and collaborative skills.
For warehouse and operational roles, the process is often more expedited, sometimes involving a single on-site interview and a tour of the facility. Common interview questions revolve around behavioral topics, such as how a candidate has handled a difficult customer, managed competing priorities, or contributed to a team project. STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method is recommended for answering these questions.
Source: Glassdoor Interview Reviews
Career growth and learning at Veritiv
Veritiv provides structured opportunities for career development and internal advancement, though the path is often more traditional than what might be found at a fast-growing tech startup. The company encourages internal mobility, with employees able to apply for open roles across different departments and locations. A significant number of leadership positions are filled from within.
The centerpiece of its learning and development effort is VERITIV-U, an internal platform that offers a range of training resources. This includes compliance training, professional skills development, and leadership courses. The platform is designed to provide employees with the tools to grow in their current roles and prepare for future opportunities. For sales professionals, there is specific, ongoing training related to product knowledge, sales techniques, and customer relationship management. For operational teams, training is heavily focused on safety protocols, new equipment, and process efficiency.
However, some employee feedback suggests that career progression can be slow and that opportunities for advancement are sometimes limited by a rigid corporate structure. Proactive employees who seek out mentors, take initiative on projects, and clearly communicate their career aspirations with their managers tend to be the most successful in navigating their careers at Veritiv.
Risks, criticisms, and what to watch
Every job and company has its challenges, and working at Veritiv is no exception. While the company offers stability, it operates in a competitive, low-margin industry, which shapes its culture and presents certain risks. These factors are important for any prospective employee to consider.
From a business perspective, Veritiv's official filings with the SEC outline key risks. These include dependence on a concentrated number of suppliers, intense competition from national and regional distributors, and sensitivity to economic cycles that affect demand for packaging and print. The company also faces ongoing pressure related to the secular decline in demand for paper and print communication products, a segment of its business. These external pressures can translate into internal pressure on cost controls, efficiency, and sales performance.
Common criticisms found in employee reviews often center on a few themes:
- Pace of Change: A common point of feedback is that the company can be slow to adopt new technologies and processes. As a large, established entity, decision-making can be bureaucratic, which can be frustrating for employees accustomed to more agile environments.
- Compensation for Non-Sales Roles: While benefits are considered solid, some employees in corporate functions feel that base salary growth can be modest compared to other industries.
- System and Tooling: Some reviews mention working with legacy software or systems that are less modern than those used by competitors, which can impact day-to-day productivity.
These criticisms are balanced by praise for the company's stability, the quality of its health benefits, and the strong sense of camaraderie within many individual teams. Candidates who thrive in structured, predictable environments and are motivated by the challenges of a mature industry may find Veritiv to be a good fit.
Source: Veritiv 2023 Form 10-K Annual Report
Most Loved Workplaces® context
Veritiv is a certified Most Loved Workplace®, part of a global network of 1,800 companies and 2.8 million employees. This certification is based on the proprietary Love of Workplace Index™, which tracks employee sentiment against the SPARK framework: Systemic Collaboration, a Positive Vision of the Future, Alignment of Values, Respect, and Kindness. At Most Loved Workplaces®, this positive culture translates to business results, with research showing 4× higher revenue growth at top-tier companies vs. industry peers and 48% higher employee retention. Notably, 92% of employees at Most Loved Workplaces® apply for roles when openings arise, indicating strong internal mobility and engagement.
How we researched this report
This report was written by the Best Practice Institute Editorial Staff. Our analysis is based on information from Veritiv's official corporate website, its SEC filings, its Corporate Social Responsibility reports, and aggregated data from third-party sources like the BLS and Glassdoor. For a detailed explanation of our process, please see our full methodology.
Sources
- Veritiv Corporate Responsibility Report — Veritiv
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — U.S. Department of Labor
- Glassdoor — Glassdoor, Inc.
- Veritiv Careers & Benefits — Veritiv
- Veritiv Management — Veritiv
- Glassdoor Interview Reviews — Glassdoor, Inc.
- Veritiv Careers — Veritiv
- Veritiv 2023 Form 10-K Annual Report — U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Quick answers
Researched and edited by Best Practice Institute Editorial Staff. See our methodology.