Ikea Loves India: Looks To Create 15,000 New Jobs While Cutting Down Global Workforce

The Swedish furniture company, IKEA, has stated that it plans to increase its employee count in India by tenfold and have a workforce of over 15,000 employees in the next few years, as reported by Business Standard. Ingka Group (Ingka Holding B.V and its controlled entities) operate IKEA-branded stores globally.

This development comes after the company announced that it would downsize its global workforce by laying off as many as 7,500 employees spread across the world. It currently employs 1,60,000 workers in 30 countries.

Reflecting on the changing business environment and how IKEA plans to adapt to the same, the company’s statement noted: “So many jobs will become redundant because the company is developing city centre formats and focusing on its e-commerce platform, to better meet the needs of its customers and be more convenient and affordable to many more people.”

On the other hand, IKEA India, upbeat about its prospects in the country, stated: “Through its expansion in India, it (IKEA India) will create many more direct and indirect jobs. The number of co-workers is expected to grow from the current strength of 1,500 co-workers to over 15,000 co-workers in the future, out of which 50 per cent will be women.”

IKEA India, after six years of deliberations, opened its first store in India in Hyderabad. The store, spread over 4,00,000 sq ft, is the largest single-brand retail outlet in India. The company has plans to add 10,000 jobs in Maharashtra as it opens its second store in Navi Mumbai.