Cool offices: An office that feels like home

By RUSSEL CHEAH & NISHA T. NAIDU
editor@mystarjob.com

When you think of swanky offices, you’d think Google. But in this modern hipster age, more and more companies are believing in a fun work environment, free coffee, and the colour yellow.

IKEA Damansara is an excellent example of this. This Swedish furniture brand and icon does not only exude vibrance and confidence in its retail store, but also in its office - which incidentally is connected to the store itself, through a secret entrance that we were sworn to never reveal (just kidding!).

If you’re a fan of IKEA’s furniture, you’ll be an equal, if not a greater fan of its office.

The IKEA culture

Gerard Jansen

IKEA embraces a culture unlike any other in the retail industry, one that is built upon a clearly defined human resource idea to give down-to-earth, straightforward people the possibility to grow, both as individuals and in their professional roles.

Employees live and breathe the 10 IKEA Values, which includes, togetherness, enthusiasm and humbleness which are reflected in every aspect of IKEA’s organisational structure and office design, to the sense of team spirit among co-workers.

“We encourage everyone to ask questions and take responsibility. When IKEA co-workers see a problem, they know how to fix it without being told what to do,” says IKEA Damansara store manager, Gerard Jansen.

IKEA provides room for people to try out different roles, for instance a salesperson has the potential to move into marketing or interior design, and vice-versa.

There are no corner offices here. There is very little hierarchy. Everyone – from the most seasoned manager to a newly arrived cashier – wears the same uniform.

“We seek out diversity, making room for retirees, moms, young students and other aspiring retailers of any culture or background,” added Jansen.

IKEA is hiring! Click here to apply for job vacancies.

The concept of the IKEA office

“The IKEA office space in general is based on open concept, while accommodating to the practical functionality according to the employee’s needs,” said Jansen.

“For instance, the human resource department, which manages a considerable amount of private and confidential information, is located further away, but still within the same room as the broader teams.

Although from different departments, IKEA’s employees are encouraged to work together and not work in isolation. And yes, they use only IKEA furniture.

IKEA’s office space is well -ighted up and has plenty of space to provide an environment homely for co-workers.

The office is light and airy to emphasise the modern Scandinavian style, while keeping the environment homely for co-workers.

Pendant lamps and cabinets are used to break the monotony of a typical office environment. They also work well in creating different spaces within the office.

“Instead of office furniture, we use fabrics, dining tables and dining chairs at meeting areas,” said Jansen.

Taking homeliness to the next level, IKEA also provides dedicated area for co-workers where lockers are available for them to keep their belongings before entering the workplace.

IKEA provides its staff with locker rooms to keep their belongings before entering the workplace.

There are rest benches, ironing stations and even shower rooms if they need to freshen up and look good prior to meeting customers.

Apart from the cluster styled workspaces, the office is laden with common tables that are flexible for both quick meetings and short presentations.

Beautiful wall paintings make a cozy environment for workers who wish to have a short meeting or discussion.

IKEA also has two small rooms which are created to look like a garden to bring out a more relaxed environment for private discussion. Larger rooms have a feature called WebEx which connects co-workers from stores all around the world to save time and money.

These are embedded to truly reflect IKEA openness, while promoting communication within and between departments and stores.

Manuals and various resources are provided at this ideas corner for those who need to do some research or gain some inspiration.

Benefits of working at IKEA

Yes, working in IKEA has other benefits apart from being stationed in a pretty neat environment.

IKEA Store uses a staff planning system that allows co-workers to define their available hours and schedules are sent out four weeks in advance, so that everyone can balance their work with their personal lives.

Part-time co-workers are also allowed to enjoy the same benefits as full-timers on a pro-rated basis. These include medical benefits and an annual incentive plan.

Co-workers are also entitled to discounts on its famed range of home furnishings and foods, as well as access to a cosy co-worker restaurant that offers free coffee, tea and fruits, as well as reduced prices on halal and Western cuisine.

The co-worker restaurant

Employees are able to enjoy a variety of dishes served at the company restaurant.

“The company also subsidises the meals and we are often astonished at the good deal we get. Many come to work early just so they can start the day with an IKEA breakfast,” says Jansen.

Employees are given a budget to go on outings three times a year. The Sports and Recreation Committee organises seasonal celebrations, special events and an annual dinner and dance for its employees.

This year, IKEA Damansara has begun offering employees the opportunity to take a paid day off work to volunteer for a local charity.

IKEA is hiring!

Wish you were working here? Well, now you can. Apply for job vacancies at IKEA below:

• Assistant Sales Manager

• Sustainability Manager

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Do you work in an awesome office or know of one? Email the details over to editor@mystarjob.com for an opportunity to be featured on myStarjob.com!