IKEA to create 1,300 jobs by end of next year

IKEA UK & IE has today announced that it will create over 1,300 new jobs by the end of 2018.

The news comes as the home furnishings retailer celebrates the construction of its 21^st UK store in Exeter today, which will create 350 jobs alone. Additional jobs will be created with new stores in Sheffield and Greenwich.

Gillian Drakeford, Country Retail Manager for IKEA UK & IE, and Nick Earle, IKEA Exeter’s Store Manager, today led the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Exeter store, while unveiling the retailer’s ongoing expansion strategy and new job creation in the UK.

Gillian Drakeford comments: “As we mark the construction of our new Exeter store, we’re pleased to announce the creation of over 1,300 new jobs in the UK by the end of 2018. As we continue to expand, we’re delighted to bring investment to new areas across the country and create new opportunities for local communities. New jobs in our Exeter, Sheffield and Greenwich stores will bring our total number of co-workers in the UK and Ireland to approximately 11,700.”

“This year we are celebrating IKEA’s 30^th anniversary in the UK, and we are seeing more demand from customers for more stores in areas closer to where they live. We’re pleased that our three new stores opening in 2017 and 2018 will make us more accessible to the many people and continue to offer our inspirational home furnishing solutions at affordable prices.”

There will be a wide range of roles on offer within the stores and contact centres across a number of departments, including store management, food and beverage, customer relations, sales, interior design, IT, sustainability and marketing.

The breakdown of these new jobs is as follows:

• IKEA Sheffield opening late summer 2017 – 480 new jobs (380 in-store, 100 in the call centre)
• IKEA Exeter opening early summer 2018 – 350 new jobs
• IKEA Greenwich opening late 2018 – 500 new jobs

In the UK IKEA currently has 19 stores with Sheffield, Exeter and Greenwich bringing the total number of stores to 22 by the end of 2018. In addition to this, the retailer has four Order and Collection Points which are smaller format stores. 

IKEA UK & IE Country HR Manager Pernille Hagild comments: “As a values-driven organisation, we are committed to investing in our people and paying our co-workers a meaningful wage that supports the cost of living. As a result, all new IKEA co-workers will be paid the Real Living Wage. At IKEA we also actively promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. As a humanistic and values-led company, we believe everyone has the right to be treated equally. We believe in equal opportunities for all, regardless of age, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical ability, ethnicity, race, nationality, religion, or any other dimension of their identity. Creating an inclusive workplace is everyone’s responsibility. 

Co-workers at IKEA also receive a generous benefits package including an annual bonus and a loyalty pension scheme.

In November 2016, IKEA announced its fifth consecutive year of growth in the UK with annual sales worth £1.72 billion and a +8.9% sales uplift.

All IKEA job opportunities can be viewed online at http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/this-is-ikea/working-at-the-ikea-group/jobs/.

Source: Insight Team & IKEA Press Office

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