IKEA Begins Recruitment Efforts For Texas Store

Furniture World Magazine

IKEA, a leading home furnishings retailer, announced the recruitment program for its future Round Rock store, opening this fall. The store will be the Swedish company’s third in Texas and 29th in the U.S. (The closest IKEA stores are in the North Texas city of Frisco and in Houston.) Candidates interested in working at the much-heralded employer of choice should apply online (www.IKEA-usa.com) for all positions available at the future IKEA Round Rock store. Applicants with limited access to computers are encouraged to visit the following local libraries where staff members are prepared for residents to navigate the IKEA application process on the Internet: Cedar Park Library (550 Discovery Boulevard) and Round Rock Public Library (216 East Main Street). Named in FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list (two consecutive years), Working Mother magazine’s annual list of the “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” (three consecutive years) and Training magazine’s annual “Top 100” ranking of companies that excel at human capital development (four consecutive years), IKEA places value and emphasis on coworkers’ personal lives and the importance of a work/life balance. “We are thrilled to offer interested jobseekers in the area diverse positions with limitless opportunity at a global company,” said Jeff O’Shaughnessy, store manager of IKEA Round Rock. “At IKEA, we realize that the opportunity to be able to do the things in life that bring success and happiness is extremely valuable to our coworkers.” Although the future IKEA Round Rock is still progressing through construction and outfitting phases, prospective coworkers are welcome to apply for the almost 300 diverse coworker positions 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 Round Rock will offer – among the 300 total positions to be hired for the store – approximately 60 food service opportunities in its Restaurant, Swedish Foodmarket, Café Bistro and coworker cafeteria. 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. 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. Under construction on 21.5 acres at IH-35 and University Boulevard (formerly Chandler Road) in Round Rock, TX, the 252,000 square-foot IKEA store will create 500 construction jobs and will welcome 300 coworkers into the IKEA family of more than 10,000 coworkers in the U.S. and 90,000 globally. In addition to 10,000 exclusively designed items, IKEA Round Rock will present 50 different room settings, three model homes, a supervised children’s play area and a 250-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 sales and property tax revenue for local governments. When IKEA Round Rock opens in Fall 2006, the new store will welcome 300 coworkers to the IKEA family of more than 10,000 coworkers in the United States and 90,000 globally. Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings and accessories of good design and function, at low prices so the majority of the people can afford them. There currently are more than 235 IKEA stores in 34 countries, including 28 in the U.S., where other stores are being planned in: Brooklyn, NY; Draper, UT; Dublin, CA; Orlando, FL; Portland, OR; Somerville, MA; and Sunrise, FL. IKEA incorporates environmentally friendly efforts into day-to-day business and continuously supports initiatives that benefit causes such as children and the environment. To visit the IKEA Web site or for information about working at IKEA, please go to http://www.IKEA-usa.com.