HIGH POINT — Since the pandemic spring of 2020 the furniture industry has been on a roller coaster ride. Exploding consumer demand coming on the heels of the pandemic induced lockdowns resulted in widespread product shortages and a major supply chain crisis. The explosive increase in ocean freight rates and rising inflation have confronted companies across the furniture industry with a steady stream of challenges, which seem to change from one week to the next.
These business disruptions coupled with social and cultural pressures associated with the pandemic have resulted in widespread personnel turnover both within the furniture industry and beyond. With millions quitting or changing jobs 2021 saw the coining of the term The Great Resignation to describe the phenomenon, and 2022 has seen the trend continue unabated.
In the second quarter alone, Furniture Today reported on more than two dozen position changes, hiring and firings, a reflection of the ongoing disruption of the industry and the people working within it.
Major personnel shifts are occurring at all levels as companies look to realign their businesses to address these rapidly changing circumstances and maximize the opportunities presented by disruption.
Furniture Today has been keeping track of this industry merry-go-round, noting who is moving where. Here are some of the key personnel changes in the industry since May 2022:
Erica Hawbaker, associate editor for Furniture Today, is a recent graduate of the University of Iowa, with a degree in English and a writing certificate in publishing. In addition to bringing her writing talent to the editorial team, Erica will add her late-Millennial perspective.
