This years Orgatec is about culture@work and visionary concepts for a new working culture. Officerepublic is interested in how participants in the Orgatec describe the culture in their own company and their vision on the workplace of the future. To clarify this vision, we asked five questions to more than 400 participating office furniture manufacturers. We publish the answers we receive in a series on OfficeRepublic: “Culture @”. This article is about Culture@Carl Hansen & Son with the companies CEO Knud Erik Hansen
#1 – Culture is sometimes defined as all that man produces in material and immaterial sense. The culture of a people, or a group of people, includes its beliefs, values and customs. If we look at your company, how do you describe the current culture in your company?
Carl Hansen & Søn has had many years to form its culture – right from the founding in 1908 until today. All through the years, the company has been managed by a member of the Hansen-family that lived and died for the company’s objectives – objectives, that were all defined by the founder, Carl Hansen, from the early start.
Our culture builds on engaged and motivated employees and a constant striving towards the goals that we have set to thrive and maintain the workplace as a safe and sound platform that all employees and management can securely rely on and steer the company forward.
For the past 15 years, Carl Hansen & Søn has expanded its production in Denmark substantially. The company has bought up a number of Danish manufacturers and integrated their designs into the significant collection of furniture that the company offers to the market. Concurrently, Carl Hansen & Søn intensified the liaison with the inheritors of the great mid-century architects to gain additional iconic pieces to bring back to life to the delight of design lovers worldwide.
Top quality is key
Top quality is the keyword for everything that Carl Hansen & Søn produces in Denmark. To manufacture and keep the production in Denmark, require the best machinery, the best experienced craftsmen, the finest design, a top marketing & PR team, and a dedicated management. This way, we also make sure we meet the needs of our design and quality savvy customers.
Carl Hansen & Søn is experiencing an increase in our international markets and our wide selection of top furniture within the office category is becoming an important part of the environment that supports the appreciation and motivation of any colleague.
The Preludia series, first presented at the Orgaec 2018, is designed by Brad Ascalon
#2 – What changes do you see taking place in the culture within companies in the coming years? Which external and internal developments will affect our ‘work culture’?
The changes within Carl Hansen & Søn are no different to what other companies will experience through the coming years. We will be progressively specialized and thus the use of the individual top-dedicated staff member will be used more and more as a form of consultant within the company i.e. working in many different departments for shorter periods and moving around within the space of the company locally and internationally and solving different tasks within his or her discipline.
As we work with a number of specialists within different fields, it is increasingly important that the company provides areas where the staff will be able to discuss the issues to be solved and in a non-stressed environment unravel the subjects both internally and externally.
There is already a need for areas and rooms where video conferences can be organized in order to bring the messages from for instance head office to the branches – to secure an efficient implementation of the management objectives and the needs for changes to meet up with the general development as well as the intensified requirements by the customers of the company.
#3 – What developments can we expect from your company in the coming years?
We shall maintain what we already offer to the market – functional and affordable design of the highest quality – because this will remain an established factor within any public environment. However, we will also continue to bring new pieces to the market that will meet the needs of the contract market and fit into any modern office, hotel or restaurant environment.
#4 – Do we already see some of that development on the coming Orgatec, and what will be the eye-catcher of your trade show presentation?
Carl Hansen & Søn’s stand – The Envelope: A furniture landscape – will be curated by SevilPeach Architecture + Design and will consist of an architectural curtain around the stand’s full perimeter, which will create a sense of intimacy and calmness. The curtain will allow the rest of the exhibition to sort of fade away visually and sonically, and it will be drawing the visitors’ attention to the curated platform arranged with Carl Hansen & Søn furniture pieces.
The installation will have a monochromatic colour palette and diverse textures which will tie in with Carl Hansen & Søn’s finishes and will highlight the designs’ natural materials and versatility. Thereby, the installation works like a landscape that showcases our collection – the work of some of design history’s greatest visionaries.
#5 – Where can you be found on the Orgatec?
Design Post Cologne, Deutz-Mülheimer-Str. 22a, 50679 Köln
