Randall Braaksma is proof you can go back again. After a writing start long ago at Herman Miller, and a patchwork of jobs since (ad agency copywriter, editor in China, freelancer), he is back. The common thread through it all: words. The constant goal: make them engaging to read.
You may think it’s for the exercise. There is that, since otherwise I wouldn’t do much all winter, me not being a skier or a health clubber.
It could be the scenery, because Michigan is a place of pure beauty. And that certainly plays into my decision; few things are more lovely than a winter sky or sun (when we see it) glinting off snow.
But, why I really ride for is the money or, more accurately, the chance to win it. Herman Miller believes in conserving the world’s gas and burning employees’ calories, so it does a monthly drawing for a $50 gift card. You log your miles biked each month (in my case 5 miles each way) to enter. There’s a similar drawing for carpoolers.
I’ve yet to win, but I keep on biking in the hope I will, which is good because I’ve spent my yet-to-be-realized gift card several times over on goggles, balaclava, and other gear.
Remember your dorm room? Yuck. (Or maybe you can’t remember, but that’s another story.) The opposite of “yuck” is the trend today.
Take the William Jessup University in Rocklin, California, for example. It recently won an American Institute of Architects chapter award for its new student apartment building. Beyond being a great place to reside, the 192-bed, 24-apartment project preserved “the original conversion of the Herman Miller furniture factory, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry.”
So, the place has the look, but does it deliver the good life? You bet. Each apartment has a full kitchen, wireless Internet, cable TV, central air, a two-story parking garage, laundry facilities, and a courtyard big enough for community gatherings and barbeques. “Boola, Boola.”
Rich Sheridan, CEO of software firm Menlo Innovations, in Ann Arbor, MI, recently asked the cubicle question. Then, annarbor.com ran an article about his post under the title “Death to Cubicles.” The battle lines were drawn. Read more
Or at least cut back on them. I know, there is always pressure to cram more into the day, especially more meetings. After all, they’re where most work gets done these days. But does it have to be over lunch? We need a break. And some, including Carl Honeré, author of In Praise of Slow, argue that getting away for lunch clears the head and makes room for creative thoughts. Even if you’re lucky enough to be sitting in a chair designed to keep you healthy, you need to get up and move around. And leaving a meeting room for a quick lunch can be just the way to do it. So here’s to the separation of lunch from work. Bon appétit.
In 24 cities across the U.S. and Canada, for the 13th year in a row, Herman Miller folks joined with architects, designers, and suppliers—from over 200 firms—to bring children a day of seasonal good cheer. They helped kids from local Boys and Girls Clubs have fun and make holiday gifts for their loved ones—everything from tree ornaments to sand vases to holiday placemats. It’s a great tradition, and one you might want to be a part of. Contact us to find out about a We Care event near you or look for other opportunities in your city. Happy holidays!
The venerable New York landmark is set for a $20 million upgrade. The goal is to make it a model of sustainability. To help make that happen, the skyscraper will get advanced lighting controls from Convia/A Herman Miller Company. Those controls will contribute to an expected 40% reduction in energy use.
As a rule, not very often. Here’s one that breaks the rule: the level certification for furnishings. It’s something all members of the industry trade group BIFMA agreed on and published as the e3 sustainability standard. The standard’s goal is to give everyone a consistent, easy way to compare the sustainability of furniture products. Watch the video for more about level and why Herman Miller’s CEO Brian Walker thinks it’s so important. By the way, 80% of Herman Miller’s products are certified under the new standard.
How do we balance using our resources to earn a profit while doing it responsibly? At Herman Miller, we look to our statement of corporate values called Things That Matter. One of the nine is called “A Better World.”
And the zero? It graces the cover of the report because getting to a zero operational footprint by 2020 is such a big deal for us. We’re proud to say that we’re 83.5% of the way there. For the full story, check out our video “Zero is hero.”
As head of Herman Miller’s creative crew, Steve Frykholm has shaped the company’s image for nearly 40 years and won plenty of recognition for it. But his love of poster making began with a stint in Aba, Nigeria, where he worked in the Peace Corps. The journey his posters took eventually landed them in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
