Herman Miller C.E.O. Grapples With Politics and Pandemic - The New York Times

of Herman Miller, Andi Owen has had to navigate a polarized work force while thinking about the future of the offices her company makes furniture for.

When Andi Owen took over the furniture company Herman Miller, in 2018, she didn’t expect to get caught up in politics.

“I don’t think these are new problems.

Owen has been steering Herman Miller through a pandemic that closed offices worldwide — an existential threat to a company that makes office furniture and owns Design Within Reach, an upscale retailer.

It was there that she first learned about Herman Miller, which produces iconic pieces by famous midcentury designers such as Isamu Noguchi and Charles and Ray Eames, and modern office staples like the Aeron chair.

A job at The Gap led to a series of senior roles at the retailer, culminating in her leadership of the Banana Republic brand, before she moved to Herman Miller.

Some people would say I’m not good at any one thing.

But I have a little bit of a broader point of view, and an experience that doesn’t necessarily pigeonhole me into thinking one thing or another.

You’ll have plenty of time for a career and it won’t matter anyway.” So I really did spend time doing what I loved, and I think it’s been an advantage.

I’m good.” And then of course I got pregnant and didn’t go.

What are you doing?” That really was the way people were thinking back then?

When you rely on a playbook that was successful in the past, and you don’t understand where your customer is going, it’s a prescription for disaster.

How did your time at The Gap shape your thinking about what you do at Herman Miller.

I feel like I’m going from making landfill to making heirlooms.”?

So it’s been a real balance of, “Hey, right now is really crappy,” and, “We’re going to get through it.”.

People don’t want employees to come back to what it was?

We’re not going to change much of anything.” And then some of the tech companies in Silicon Valley are like, “Who needs an office ever again?”.

Depending on the industry, I think we’re going to see a whole lot of different solutions in this first year or two.

At Herman Miller, we’re taking all of our office environments and using this time while we have people working remotely to completely renovate them.

Herman Miller isn’t an inherently political company, so how do you deal with a moment like this, when there is so much rancor, including among your own employees.

On the other hand, I have to make sure that we’re listening to one another, and are trying to find commonality