IKEA Seeking 400 to Join Swedish Family in University City

Business Wire, Oct 14, 2008

Recruitment Underway for Store Opening Spring 2009 in Charlotte, NC

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- IKEA, the world's leading home furnishings retailer, today announced it is beginning to recruit for its future Charlotte store, set to open Spring 2009 in the University City-area. Candidates interested in working at the future IKEA Charlotte - the Swedish company's 1st store and restaurant destination in the Carolinas, 5th in the Southeast, and 36th in the United States - should look online (www.IKEA-USA.com) for all available positions at the future IKEA Charlotte store. Candidates without access to a home computer are encouraged to visit a NC Employment Security Commission JobLink Career Center or a local library for online computer access.

"We are thrilled to offer interested jobseekers diverse positions with limitless opportunity at a global company," said Richard Castanon, store manager of the future IKEA Charlotte. "At IKEA, we realize that the ability to do the things in life that bring success and happiness is extremely valuable to our coworkers."

While IKEA Charlotte progresses through construction and outfitting, a variety of positions are open to local residents. Prospective coworkers are welcome to apply for the nearly 400 diverse positions as postings are available in: home furnishings sales, interior decoration, customer service, safety and security, cashiers, maintenance, goods flow, receiving, warehouse and stock replenishment. Also, setting itself apart from other retailers in the area, IKEA Charlotte will offer - among the 400 total positions to be hired for the store - approximately 75 food service opportunities in its Restaurant, Swedish Foodmarket, Cafe Bistro and coworker cafeteria.

Named in FORTUNE's "100 Best Companies to Work For" list (three consecutive years), Working Mother magazine's annual list of the "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" (four consecutive years) and Training magazine's annual "Top 100" ranking of companies that excel at human capital development (five consecutive years), IKEA places value and emphasis on coworkers' personal lives and the importance of a work/life balance.

Drawing from the company's Swedish heritage, IKEA is committed to a flexible workplace that emphasizes a work/life balance and provides professional opportunities to people from all life situations. If an IKEA coworker needs to take time off to find a nursing home for an aging parent, be home to kiss their child before bed or have flexible scheduling to best juggle caring for a newborn, one can do so without worrying about risking their career aspirations.

IKEA offers family-friendly initiatives and diverse workplace benefits including full medical/dental insurance to coworkers working 20 hours or more per week with eligibility for domestic partners and children. Coworkers working less than 20 hours still are eligible for medical and dental insurance.

Other benefits include: vacation, paid maternity/paternity leave and paid time off for child adoption, tuition assistance, 401(k) match, professional development, training and mentoring programs and, of course, a discount on IKEA purchases. The organization puts career opportunity into the hands of the individual, encouraging coworkers to consider assignments within different functions, at other IKEA stores or even in other countries. IKEA prides itself on the fact that an opportunity to work at IKEA truly can evolve into a career, and also can serve as a gateway to global experience as well.

Under construction on 25 acres in the University City area, at the northeastern corner of I-85 and City Boulevard, the future IKEA Charlotte will feature nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, three model homes, 50 room settings, a supervised children's play area, a 350-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries and salmon plates, as well as American dishes. Other family-friendly features will include a "Children's IKEA" area in the showroom, baby care rooms, preferred parking and play areas throughout the store. Also, IKEA will generate significant tax revenue for local governments. When IKEA Charlotte opens in Spring 2009, the new store will welcome 400 coworkers to the IKEA family of more than 11,000 coworkers in the United States and 130,000 globally.

Until the 356,000 square-foot IKEA Charlotte opens, customers can shop at stores in Atlanta, GA; and Woodbridge, VA; or at www.IKEA-USA.com. Other stores in the Southeast are located in Orlando, FL and Sunrise, FL, with a store opening Summer 2009 in Tampa, FL.

IKEA believes home is the most important place in the world and, since its 1943 founding in Sweden, has offered a wide range of home furnishings and accessories of good design and function, at low prices so the majority of the people can afford them. As part of this commitment to create a better everyday life for the many people, IKEA incorporates environmentally and socially responsible efforts into day-to-day business, strives to be an employer of choice, and continually supports initiatives that benefit causes such as children and the environment. The unique and family-friendly IKEA shopping experience currently can be found at more than 280 IKEA stores in 36 countries, including 35 in the U.S., where other new stores are being planned in: Centennial, CO; Somerville, MA; and Tampa, FL. To visit the IKEA Web site or for information about working at IKEA, please go to http://www.IKEA-USA.com.