IKEA News and Happenings.

What do you think -- is this company going to survive and thrive? Are they looking to expand their staff, or do you think layoffs are inevitable?

How does IKEA stack up against the competition?

To Global IKEa management

Me and my family has been huge fans of IKEA. Beautiful store, happy staff, family and customer cented management.Distinguished trademark of IKEA. Each visit to IKEA is like going to visit a friend. We feel we are part of a IKEA family. It is unforgettable over these years.

But in Singapore, with the opening of Tampines branch, the change in IKEA running style has become more apparent.
Deliberate effort is made to make cusotmer comb through thousand square feet of floor space with all exit seal (except 1 at cashier). Nevermind how tired, how unwilling or how old the customer are. Nope it is not important. What is important is that we look at more product, get more purchase.
Where is the heart of management ? where is the wisdom of IKEA past mangement style?
Yes in the end probably we did end up with more purchase. But with that small amount of sales revenue, what was been comprised ?? At what expenses of IKEA ?

Many of my friends and relatives felt IKEA has changed. The staff are no longer happy, we don't feel like family anymore. What left of it is the residual of past success. And this are just one of the many examples and change we experienced at IKEA.

Sure i still visit IKEA. But to me, IKEA has changed. She is no longer unique and special. She has become just another local furniture store i vist for a good bargain.

And there are many yearning sentiment for the old IKEA. And it is not just the sentiment felt by the customer. Talking to IKEA staff, they share similar sentiments.

It is indeed a sad day for us customer and staff alike

I do not expect to change anything. But as a local fan of IKEA, this is the least i can do for my old IKEA by writing this letter.

I miss my Old IKEA very very much, just thought you all should know.

I fully agree with the comment about IKEA by Leona Lee.
I too want Old Ikea back.

Every day, Employees get mistreated by companies or service providers.
Well, this this a rare case here, where I see a sincere customer being sadden by the way IKEA is operating.
I feel like they have nowhere to turn. Good on you Leona Lee.
Don't sit back and let them get away with it!
I am sure IKEA will impove!
All viewers are encouraged to write in your commets.

I will still go for IKEA with hope that they will do something.
Long Live IKEA!

Host said: What do you think -- is this company going to survive and thrive? Are they looking to expand their staff, or do you think layoffs are inevitable?

How does IKEA stack up against the competition?

Layoffs are inevitable, and they will soon become another revolving door retail giant, but they know this and simply do not care. They don't even replace positions after people quit so the staff expansion is out of the question. In a lot of cases they are worse than the competition as far as co-worker morale goes. As a current employee/inmate of IKEA I liken the experience to a prison. It is true they have changed, and it is a change for the worse. The difference is it is much better for the customers than for the co-workers. Now it is important to realize that the difference is not at all that different from other US based companies. The differences only become apparent when you compare this Swedish company to the other divisions in other countries. I have been lied to, passed over for promotions despite I clearly was the most qualified candidate, and the dispicable thing is to cut costs, and shorten hours to a point where people can't afford to pay their bills. This budget cut is despite the fact they have been way over on projected sales, and have been breaking all types of sales records for a new store. Some of the co-workers have gotten into financial turmoil, and have had to find second jobs despite their loyalty. The US division of the company is now money driven. Some of you will say that is like most companies and I do not argue that point, but when you first get hired by IKEA they spend three days telling you about the European concept and hw they are totally different. I will tell you that the fact customers are forced to walk the entire length is because they feel you will spend more money. I could go on, but I save all of the juicy info for my personal blog. Sorry this is so long.

IKEA is laying off people. Lots of people. They are also cutting back hours. And new jobs are posted for positions less than 20 hours per week. So they don't pay any benefits.

Also, IT is going through a major reorg and will be letting people go. They are moving away from developing their own software systems. They are now in a transition phase to outsource the development work to a company in India. So they will be letting people go as they don't need developers anymore.

I know this from a friend who used to work for IKEA in their IT office in Philadelphia.

I realize that this post is almost a year old, but I felt the need to comment anyway. I work for IKEA as well. In Portland, Oregon. We are a new store, only been open for about a year and a half. Right now we are experiencing some severe hour cuts. Our goals are continuously really high and we rarely meet them. Even with the cut backs on hours we still manage to have 1 or 2 openings every few weeks. As far as stacking up to the competition I think we will be fine. Layoffs might be inevitable if the economy continues on this path, but I think it will be in more higher management than on a store co-worker level.

Host said: What do you think -- is this company going to survive and thrive? Are they looking to expand their staff, or do you think layoffs are inevitable?

How does IKEA stack up against the competition?

Just a tid bit of info:

IKEA is a global co so it's overall sales are strong regardless of a single store or country wide sales number. It does NOT have layoffs. Never, find some proof and show it but I don't think so? Could be wrong?

It is not a public trade co so stock holders do not have a say so the co integrity remains strong.

They hire FULLTIME, and this means they have full benefits for a 20 hour coworker. They do not have to work 40 hours to have benefits because many people say they want to work but then have "work life issues" and only want to work when they can.

It is retail, they are in it to make money. Yes not a surprise. But they do offer products at a very low cost some times losing money on a sale to provide to the many people.

Host said: What do you think -- is this company going to survive and thrive? Are they looking to expand their staff, or do you think layoffs are inevitable?
How does IKEA stack up against the competition?

IKEA has spent mega $'s marketing themselves as the "darlings" of home retail. They meet the nature of the beast and flavour of the decade. I'm a p/t employee with IKEA for several years, there is no f/t. It is massively micro-managed and structered almost identical to Walmart. No expanding staff only massive cut in hrs. and no chance of making a fair living. IKEA is very much in control of what is said about them to press or otherwise. IKEA can talk up a storm to impress those that want to be impressed, but the truth is right in front of the customers in so far as the unavailable work. staff, multitude of self serve and lesser quality products, you do get what you pay for. Customers should be aware that the general employees do want to work, but the hours have been removed and it's like being in the army of sorts. IKEA doesn't provide the 'necessary' hours and living wage to accrue a liveable paycheck. The average IKEA worker and many who have been w/ the co. for several years or more, is working 2-3 other jobs. IKEA will survive, due to lessening the hours and pay all entirely at the cost of their employees. Sound familiar?

Vader you hit the nail on the head. I too used to work in the Sunrise IKEA prison camp, and I can assure all readers that your comments are 100% accurate. I escaped from the prison, and was able to restructure my life. I remember the hiring process, the force feeding of the European way they will do business, and the false sense of happiness they are trained to brainwash into every new inmate. I was in Logs Admin along with several great people except for the Logs Admin managers, and Simon is just a backstabbing a**hole. I had several meetings with he, and HR to no avail. It is true that they do not care. One of the members of my team was Swedish, and he used to tel us that this is iin no way to be confused with the way IKEA is run in Sweden. It is my understanding that they actually give a rats a** about their employees. Yes, it is true that the US division is motivated only by greed, and a slave labor mentality, but it won't stop with IKEA, or other companies because the wonderful government does not see such things as important. After all they are the ones who gave corporate America unconditional power, and they in turn hide behind the constitution calling any attempt to change their behavior unconstitutional. Then again...I thought slavery was also...

Host said: What do you think -- is this company going to survive and thrive? Are they looking to expand their staff, or do you think layoffs are inevitable?

How does IKEA stack up against the competition?

I think Ikea is fust developed company. It opens new shops every year all over the world and at the same way provides people with working place. It takes good position on the market and I don't think the competitors can take Ikea's place. ikea.pissedconsumer.com/ People like Ikea products and I'm sure Ikea will continue to extend their stuff.

i have worked for ikea inn ew haven for almost 2 years i started off as a temp. worked my way up in logs later worked in recovery which was on of the hardest departments work in. i started of as a young kid building furniture to later gettin trained for spare parts and quality responsible. i saw how they loved to hire temps instead real workers and simple let them go when they want. they loved this idea and having part timers. of course they would balance out have a few people there for years. it would be easy to see if they got rid of everyone or gave them a temporary position.i saw people get hired and fired like bus trips i was in the recovery department with a couple other guys for the longest. i was a level 2 worker in between 25 and 30 but would pick up more they would see on how to cut your hours all the time. it did feel like prison they wanted you to work more and faster with the pay not changing much. the management did not care they were arrogant at times would talk behind peoples back act fake. after a while i didnt want to be in this enviornment i also had to train people which became a hassle they werent paying that good. yea the hr superviors and store managers like safety and secuirty it was like a conspiracy having these meetings talking bad about us co workers i could only think wow. i remember they fired the hr manager because he was for workers and giving them great benefits even gettin rid of my manager in recovery beng replaced by one of the guys up stairs safety and secuirty manager they like keeping their circle tight. giving them self raises while not giving workers. i read the stories about workers in usa working in factories gettin paid 8 and hour. ikea is a nice company by the looks and shopping many different items but the way workers are treated is messed up. hr lost prevention admin management have totally control if they make a mistake its ok if the worker makes a mistake he gets written up. it was crazy endeed up leaving..