Andy Owen, CEO and president of office furniture company Millernoll, told employees during a meeting in late March to “give up town” after being asked how to stay motivated during challenging times, Vice First reported. informed.
“I had an old boss who once told me, ‘You can visit the city of mercy, but you can’t live there.’ So people, leave the city of mercy. Let’s get it done,” Owen said Video Which has been circulating online ever since.
Evan also told employees not to ask about it Bonus – Instead, worry about closing the deal.
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“Get 26 million dollars,” she said. “Spend your time and your effort thinking about we need $26 million and not thinking about what you’re going to do if you don’t get a bonus. Okay? Can I get some commitment for that?”
Here we have Millernoll’s president, one Andrea R. Owen tells the employees that there will be no bonuses. Apart from that – for $6.4 million.
— Jay Arnold (@jadedcreative) April 17, 2023
Following the media attention, Owen apologized to staff on Tuesday and said she understood her language could come across as “insensitive”.
“I had hoped it would energize the team to meet a challenge that we had met many times before but I landed in a way I did not intend and for that I am sorry,” Owen wrote in an email to his staff. Vice.
“My appreciation for each of you is enormous and I will continue to do everything I can to help meet our shared goals,” she added.
Over the past three years, Millernoll’s stock has fallen nearly 40% as of Tuesday afternoon. The company announced 160 permanent retrenchment with the closing of one of its manufacturing plants in Wisconsin earlier this month.
The furniture industry experienced record low demand in 2021 and the manufacturing sector contracted for the fourth straight month in February. Furniture today. Although Millernoll doesn’t just sell office furniture, that’s been the focus of the business since its inception — which, considering office closures during and in its wake, may have contributed to the drop in revenue.
While the Millernoll fiscal year is not yet complete and status bonuses (including Owen’s) have yet to be announced, Owen received bonuses of $1.29 million in 2022 and $1.12 million in 2021, VICE reports.
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