“It’s about people’s well-being”

Andreas, Christian, do you actually enjoy being the boss?

Andreas Müller (AM) Neither of us is the typical alpha male who’s constantly leading the way. However, we do have a vision of where we want to lead the company, of how we can establish the suitable structures and win the right people over. This is how I see us. We try to constantly advance the company in a way that is favourable to our employees while providing a feeling of security.

Andreas, you studied theology and hadn’t planned to get involved in the company run by your father and grandfather. When and why did you first imagine the two of you would form a great team to run the business?

AM We’ve have never really thought about this decision. Christian joined the company in 1989. This was a difficult time in East Germany, especially shortly after the German reunification. Most businesses had been closed or gone bankrupt. Our father, like many others, was fighting for survival. So Christian’s decision made sense.

Christian Müller (CM) Our father also had certain expectations. One day, Andreas came to realise that the brand did indeed have some potential. When he joined the company, the whole thing picked up speed. In the end, everything turned out fine and the business developed well. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this on my own.

After nationalisation during the GDR and reprivatisation in the 1990s, you were able to turn Mühle into what it is today: an international company with a broad range of goods and domestic production facilities based in the Ore Mountains, where everything had begun. What was particularly important to you in managing the company?

CM The working atmosphere has always been very important to us. Our father set great store by having a positive atmosphere here, one that our employees convey to the outside world. This inspired me.

How would you describe your management style?

AM We like to manage things just the way we are and the way we would like to be treated ourselves. At Mühle, we work with our friends and neighbours. Some of our employees have known us ever since we were children – this means we automatically treat one another as equals.

CM We’ve never had a bossy atmosphere here. It just wouldn’t work.

AM Some people came to us from big companies working with methods of intimidation. They were used to different types of management and had a difficult time grasping our approach. They first perceived it as a weakness and took some time getting used to the way we tick. According to our philosophy, something good can only develop and prosper in a positive environment with employees who take pride in their work. Otherwise, they’ll only wear themselves down, ending up mentally or physically ill.

How can such a sense of pride develop?

CM There are lots of reasons for this. Working for a renowned company, with a great working atmosphere. And also the international aspect, the fact that we have a London store, are exporting our goods to the Chinese market, the magazine 30 Grad, publications about Mühle – all this boosts confidence.

You once said that you go with your gut – also when choosing business partners. Can this management style reach its limits when a company reaches a certain size?

AM No. Apple has always been a role model in this regard and still is. At the end of the day, it’s about your intuition. You shouldn’t spend too much time thinking about something.

CM We’ve seldom been driven by numbers. We might be wrong in this regard. Neither of us are business economists. This is our style.

AM We like working with people we appreciate. Even if this meant accepting a higher purchase price, we still had a lot of fun. As we spend part of our lives here, running the business should be fun.
What’s your policy on feedback?

CM Our door is always open and everybody’s welcome to come in.

And do people do that?

AM Yes! They come and say “we need to talk now!” We try to take time for them, even if we’re in a meeting, not everyone feels comfortable coming up here to our office.

CM We have a letterbox which people can use to tell us things, also complaints. And some people make use of this system. If there’s trouble, we try to conciliate and rely on the common sense and responsibility of our workers. We’re also involved in smaller issues and sometimes ask ourselves whether we need to be involved. But this is important at the end of the day.

You’re doing a lot for your employees. You support the leasing of e-bikes, have turned the most beautiful room into the cafeteria and go on trips with your staff. Where do you get your ideas from?

CM Of course we listen to what other companies do and are inspired by them. Of course, we also think about how we can retain our employees. As for the e-bikes and the sports programme, we also have an ulterior motive: we want to keep people fit in order to reduce the number of sick days.

AM We try to make working conditions as comfortable as possible. You can use any old worktop or use the workstations by Botts, which have been developed according to the latest ergonomic standards. Our chairs are from Bimos, currently the best work chairs available – developed by the Fraunhofer Institute. We also pay for our staff’s working clothes, support their associations, offer flexible working hours and share our profits with employees. It all comes together in the end.

What does that mean?

AM How can you produce a premium product if the inside of company looks shabby? That’s not possible. Organisation, cleanliness and design are important. We don’t succeed in every aspect, but in terms of labour conditions we’re quite advanced. The question always is whether the human being is at the centre of your actions. It’s always a balancing act. In the end, the customer must be satisfied and the product needs to be sold for a reasonable price. But why do we work? Because we want to make more and more money? Yes, partly. We want to be successful. At the end of the day, this is about people’s well-being.

This interview was first published in the print edition of 30 Grad in autumn 2019.