For over a century, Herman Miller has been synonymous with modern office design, sustainability, and employee well-being. Recognized as one of America’s Healthiest Workplaces, their commitment to workplace wellness extends beyond ergonomic furniture, it includes fostering a supportive and nourishing food environment for employees across all shifts.
The Challenge: Limited Meal Options for Shift Workers
At their Zeeland, Michigan, manufacturing headquarters, Herman Miller operates on a three-shift system. While first-shift employees have access to a variety of meal options – including a full cafeteria and local restaurants – second- and third-shift workers had fewer choices. Many had to rely on microwaves to reheat meals or settle for vending machine snacks, leading to:
- Poor meal quality and limited nutritious choices
- Long wait times for microwaves, cutting into break periods
- High microwave replacement costs (over $9,000 annually)
Shannon Bell, Food Service Manager at Herman Miller, knew that their current setup wasn’t meeting the company’s wellness goals.
The Solution: SmartShelf™ Technology from HOTLOGIC®
To address this issue, Herman Miller integrated HOTLOGIC®’s SmartShelf™ Ovens into their break rooms. These innovative warming devices transformed meal prep by allowing employees to simply place their food in a SmartShelf before their shift. The technology gently heats meals to an ideal temperature (165°F) and keeps them warm for up to 12 hours, without overcooking or drying out food.
The benefits were immediate:
- ✅ Better Meal Quality: Employees enjoyed evenly heated, fresh-tasting meals without the hassle of microwaves.
- ✅ Time Savings: No more waiting in line for a microwave – employees could grab their meals and go!
- ✅ Cost Efficiency: The HOTLOGIC® 8 eliminated frequent microwave replacements and reduced energy consumption.
The Results: A Game-Changer for Employee Satisfaction & Cost Savings
The response from employees was overwhelmingly positive. According to Shannon Bell: “It’s crazy how quickly our employees grabbed a hold of this! We hardly use the microwaves now.”
Beyond employee satisfaction, Herman Miller also saw significant operational benefits:
- Lower Maintenance Costs: Reduced microwave failures and cleaning needs.
- Energy Efficiency: The HOTLOGIC® 8 uses stable power consumption, lowering peak energy demands.
- Future Expansion: Based on success, Herman Miller committed to adding SmartShelf-equipped grab-and-go meals in their cafeteria.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Workplace Dining
HOTLOGIC®’s partnership with Herman Miller demonstrates how smart technology can improve employee well-being while reducing operational costs. By prioritizing convenient, high-quality meal solutions, companies can create healthier, more productive workplaces.
Could your workplace benefit from a more efficient meal solution? Let’s talk!
📩 Connect with us to learn more about HOTLOGIC® solutions.
Parting Words
Del Lankheet, Workplace Project Manager: “I love the low energy use. Employees love the convenience of ‘Grab and Go’ hot meals. This is easily one of the best technology roll-outs we’ve ever had.”
Shannon Bell, Food Service Manager: “I was replacing three to four microwaves every month. But trouble with a SmartShelf is rare, and HotLogic is always there for us! It’s been a stress free relationship.”
Jake Wisner, Managing Director, HOTLOGIC: “This isn’t about a product that we have; it’s about changing spaces in order to change people’s lives for the betterment of all. If we can help someone get back just 5 or 10 minutes each day, that’s 40 hours over the course of a year that comes back to them.”
