Tariffs don’t slow home decor industry hiring plans
Although the job outlook for the general public has dimmed in recent months, hiring prospects in the home furnishings industry are more positive.
Industry members responding to a recent Furniture Today Home Furnishings Sentiment Index said they expect to make capital investments as well as hire over the next six months. Furniture Today’s employment index figure is the highest among all the three quarterly indexes taken thus far, according to the survey.
The Index polls retailers, suppliers/manufacturers and others aligned with the home furnishings industry, including designers, reps and consultants quarterly. The next HFSI survey will be conducted via an online poll in November.
Anecdotally, although some home accents manufacturers are pausing their hiring efforts for the time being based on market uncertainty, others are actively filling open roles or expanding their staffs. When asked by Home Accents Today whether tariff uncertainty has made them reconsider their hiring strategy, here is how industry members responded:
“Yes and no. We have managed to find a way to turn the tariff issue into a competitive advantage. Our customers have not seen any price increases from Classy Living. The reason I say “yes” as part of the “yes and no” is that our growth is too small this year due to the uncertainty of the retailers. Retailers are buying less and less often, but yes, I said growth. We are on track to hit 6% growth this year, and it just doesn’t justify inviting in more people. We have made a ton of investment in the past 6 months in people, technology, processes, and even new product categories. I think we are about tapped out for a little while.”
Gabriel Cohen
CEO/president
Classy Living
“The tariff situation and global uncertainty has made us question every single thing in our business. However, as we are still selling product, we are continuing to buy, hoping for a healthy fourth quarter and are staffing appropriately. We’re watching our hours more carefully than ever, trying to keep cost as low as we can without compromising our ability to serve our customers.”
Mary Liz Curtin
Owner
Leon & Lulu
“While the tariff uncertainty has made business more difficult and costly, we are pushing full speed ahead on all growth initiatives, including adding talent as needed. Obstacles just make us work harder and with more passion.”
Mac Cooper
Owner
Uttermost
“We are now actively looking for sales representatives and a couple other positions.”
Cameron Capel
President – Sales & Marketing
Capel Rugs
“While tariffs and trade uncertainties are always something we keep a close eye on, they have not slowed us down. In fact, Universal Furniture is up for the year, and we remain committed to investing in our people and our growth. We’ll continue to bring in talent where it adds the most value. Staying proactive and focusing on execution has allowed us to grow this year, and we’re confident it will carry us forward.”
Sean O’Connor
President
Universal
“Despite the uncertainty around tariffs, we have not adjusted our hiring strategy. Our business continues to grow, and with growth comes the need to strengthen our team with quality talent. Tariffs can shift on a daily basis, and it would be impossible — and unwise — to change our course every time the landscape moves. Instead, we focus on the bigger picture: building a strong, resilient organization that can navigate fluctuations while still delivering excellence to our clients.”
Dennis Hendriks
Vice President
Eichholtz Americas
“The lack of clarity, timing and consistency surrounding tariffs has created an enormous amount of confusion for all business owners like us. We have been forced to put on “hold” several strategic plans for growth (including hiring) until we see a clear path from the chaos and uncertainty that has been leveled against businesses that depend on global resourcing.”
Bob Ulrich
Senior Vice President of Marketing & Sales
Currey & Company
“Not really, we are actually in the process of onboarding two new hires, one that will fill the role of category buyer and visual merchandiser and another in marketing taking on the role of social media and design coordinator. We are working to control what we can control and while the landscape is fluid, we are focused on continuing to curate the Regina Andrew offering to support what the designer and customer is asking from us.”
Neil MacKenzie
Chief Marketing Officer
Regina Andrew Detroit
“NO, we still need good people!”
Laurie Gross
President
Gross Electric
“Not really, we have a plan in place and while we adjust it to meet market conditions, we need to continue to bring talented people into our organization for long term strategies to be realized.”
Maria Mullen
CEO
Hubbardton Forge
“Economic uncertainly has made us reconsider all of our normal business practices and strategies. We must weather this storm and evaluate the economic conditions once the storm clouds lift.”
Brian Berk
President
The Howard Elliott Company
“Tariffs are always part of the landscape in our industry, and while they can introduce uncertainty, we’ve built our business to remain resilient through changing conditions. Rather than slowing down, we’re focused on long-term growth and stability, which means continuing to invest in our people and our strategy. We see these challenges as opportunities to adapt, innovate, and stay aligned with our vision, not reasons to pause or retreat.”
Jason Phillips
President
Phillips Company
