Roger Bleiker: Can you remember what you were doing in May 1988?

I remember it very well. I started work as an installer at Lista Office LO East Switzerland. I had originally trained as a chef, but I couldn’t get on with the working hours. The move to Lista Office was pure chance, and was intended to be a temporary stepping stone.

You were promoted to office manager eighteen years ago. Tell us about one of your key moments after the promotion.

I am a team player, and I believe strongly in having the right chemistry in a team. After considerable reflection, I actually decided to replace our entire staff. The new team I put together then is still working well together, almost unchanged, two decades later. That tells me that although it was a hard decision to make at the time, it was the right one. Our team is defined by the nature of our location: we are always ready to help our customers, proactive, service-oriented, we respond quickly and you can feel the positive atmosphere. These features have become our brand and our customers value them very highly.

How would you say East Switzerland differs from other regions of Switzerland, when it comes to the office world?

We work for a lot more SMEs than the other regions, so we have a lot more smaller orders. In addition, many of our business customers are owner-operated – the firms with long traditions as well as the startups. This feeds a lot of energy into our partnerships. It means that not only can we discuss ideas and projects directly, but we have short access routes to management.

For me, the best thing about East Switzerland is that everything is a little more personal. People know each other, and make word-of-mouth recommendations.

How have your customers’ requirements and needs changed over the last ten years?
When work from home came into force during the pandemic, our office became very quiet! The fact is, although Lista Office LO is a leader in the corporate sector, we were not really known for home furnishing.

In addition, work from home meant a strong push towards paperless offices, which along with the ongoing digital transformation means that the demand for storage units and cabinets – one of our core competences – was falling steadily, and indeed continues to fall.

How do you adapt to changes in the market?

Anticipating and adapting to change is one of our core challenges. As a full solution provider, we’re not just about developing great products in-house; we can also draw on the innovative portfolios of our product partners to ensure we meet every customer need.

Now, a few questions about your personal life: who is responsible for interior design in your home, and how would you describe the style of your interior?

At home, I’m responsible for the interior. I live in an attractive farmhouse and I love the mix of old wooden furniture with modern pieces – including a few items from our own collection.

What does your office at home look like, and what’s the central element in that room?

(laughs) My home office space is perfectly outfitted with Lista Office LO furniture. I've got an adjustable sitting/standing desk, since I love to work standing up, an office chair, and a cabinet. If I had to offer one tip for office furniture, it would be the sitting/standing desk, which can be used for all kinds of things besides the office work!

President of the Appenzell Harley Club, Roger Bleiker loves touring in Switzerland and abroad. He also enjoys the freedom of the outdoors during early morning hikes in Alpstein, or winding down with weight training in his home gym. The trained chef knows how to enjoy life, and loves to relax with his partner or good friends.