No one likes hearing that they’re not getting bonuses. But employees at furniture design company MillerKnoll, were told by CEO Andi Owen in no uncertain terms to “leave pity city” and stop asking about compensation in a leaked video of a company town hall that went viral on social media earlier this week.
Now, Owen is apologizing to her employees for not conveying the message in the right way, MLive, a Michigan-based news outlet, reported Wednesday. “I want to be transparent and empathetic, and as I continue to reflect on this instance, I feel terrible that my rallying cry seemed insensitive,” Owen said in an email to employees. “What I’d hoped would energize the team to meet a challenge we’ve met many times before landed in a way that I did not intend, and for that I am sorry.”
She also added: “Nothing will lessen the power and strength of our collective team. My appreciation for each of you is huge, and I will continue to do everything I can to help us meet our shared goals.”
