CXO INSIGHT
WE ARE FASCINATED BY THE DREAMS AND DILEMMAS OF PEOPLE AND HOW THEY LIVE – THAT IS THE CORE OF OUR BUSINESS . sense of this world and people who make the world better .
The 3D-printed meatball is a great conversation starter , so we want people to start thinking about how to have better homes and better lives . We want people to express themselves and think differently , then we give them the space through the interview process and after hopefully they join our team . We ’ ve always wanted to create those conditions so people can explore , makes sense of the world and be heard with their innovative ideas .
IKEA , as a brand , places an emphasis on sustainability . How has this been integrated into the company ’ s business strategy and what wider impact does it have on the business ’ growth ?
One of the reasons I joined IKEA was because sustainability is such an integral part of the strategy . We have a strategy called ‘ Three Roads Forward ’, we ' re trying to be affordable , sustainable and accessible . It really is integrated into the way we work . We plan to be people , planet , positive by 2030 .
We also have an integrated value chain . We have our own product development , so we can have an impact on the different stages in the value chain .
Every business is digitalising , but what ’ s next for IKEA ? How important is technology for achieving the company ’ s future goals ?
One of our commitments is to be leaders in life at home . At home , we really want to continue strengthening our culture , with a strong focus on this people element . As I said earlier , we are fascinated by the dreams and dilemmas of people and how they live – that is the core of our business .
We will continue that commitment and technology will enable us to get an even deeper understanding of people ’ s dreams and dilemmas . So , we need people who are representative of society as well . This campaign is making sure we ' re reaching out and building relationships with people from all walks of life .
What advice would you give to other C-level members who want to improve and streamline their recruitment process ?
Recruitment is strategic . It ' s part of a broader process of attracting and retaining talent so it shouldn ' t be seen as something that ’ s stand alone . Too often businesses have put it into a talent acquisition space . But for us , it really is a learning process , for ourselves and the candidates .
Also make sure you ' re true to who you are . We ’ re lucky at IKEA in that we value meaningful work and culture . We ' ve done a lot of research into that and a better life at home and at work is an integral part of our business .
This , combined with our size , means we can do a lot of good , bring a lot of change to society and beyond . We have a great impact through that value chain and our scale , but also , we have a huge responsibility and we try to take seriously , so that ' s where imagination and values come in – it ' s people who make IKEA better .
How we do business is important , as well as getting a good balance between parts of the process that are automated and what parts of the process remain human . We believe in deep human connection and creativity . As people look at automating HR more , don ' t forget the humanity behind it all by keeping humans in the loop . x
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