Building your career at IKEA
Explore the many ways to work and grow as an IKEA co-worker and be encouraged to build a unique career. Because when you grow, IKEA grows too.
What we think of as a career
Many people think that careers follow a vertical path like the image on the left, where you build your career with one promotion after another. An IKEA career path is shaped more like a jungle gym ― you have many opportunities to move in any direction.
As an IKEA co-worker, you don't simply climb a career ladder; you can change work areas, become a leader or a specialist or change your work hours to balance your work and life. Everyone can build their own unique career path with IKEA.
Open IKEA
At IKEA, we believe in "Designing your career yourself". Instead of a transfer being ordered by the company, co-workers choose their next challenge based on their life-stage and motivation, including transfers and promotion to a leader position. Co-workers can apply for all kinds of positions, not just in Japan, but around the world.
What do our co-workers say about Open IKEA?
Name: Yukiko
Store: IKEA Tokyo-Bay
Work area: Logistics team leader
'I was a part-time co-worker on a permanent contract and have worked with the Checkout team of Customer Relations for 13 years. Open IKEA posted an opening for a team leader right after my children graduated school. "It's a great opportunity", my family told me after talking it over with them. With their support and encouragement, I decided to give it my best shot'.
Name: Andy
Store: Service office
Work area: Country Selling Manager
'I operated a forklift for two years after becoming a co-worker with Logistics at IKEA Tsuruhama in Osaka. I later switched to being an Activity Manager at the same store. After gaining more experience at IKEA Fukuoka Shingu, IKEA Shin Misato, and other locations, I now work as a Country Selling Manager at the service office'.
'Whenever I changed roles, I used Open IKEA to take on new challenges. I may be away from work areas that sell directly to customers now, but I feel tremendous value in supporting other people and helping to develop our team's talent'.
Learning at IKEA
IKEA believes that all co-workers have the ability to develop their own talents. When co-workers feel eager to grow, it means that IKEA grows too. That is why IKEA supports co-workers with many opportunities and tools to learn new skills and reach their goals.
Extensive onboarding
After joining IKEA, the first 6 months is the probation period. New co-workers will learn about working at IKEA from other co-workers, their buddy and their manager. You are able to learn and grow as well during this period.
Leadership training
IKEA believes that everyone is a leader. We have many leadership training opportunities on offer, so everyone can develop their leadership ― regardless of their job title.
Internal learning platform; 'My learning'
My learning is a dedicated learning platform for IKEA co-workers where you can learn more about IKEA, its culture and its values. You can also acquire knowledge and skills that you will need for your role.
External learning tools
Grow your talents with free access to tools from external companies like 'LinkedIn Learning' (an online tool for learning business skills) and 'Rosetta Stone' (a program for learning languages).