Swedish brand Ikea to hire almost 500 workers for world’s largest store in PH

Here’s some good news to brighten up your intense week.

Swedish retailer Ikea, which is set to open its first Philippine store sometime next year, is planning to hire 496 people for its outlet, which promises to be the biggest in the world.

Known for its amazingly good meatballs (yum!), Ikea intends to hire sales associates, food assistants, customer service associates, and part-time workers for its Pasay City store. The furniture maker will also open a call center and warehouse to support its e-commerce site.

“Part-timers are treated like full-time members of the family, with all the same benefits as full-timers on a prorated basis—including health insurance, annual leave, subsidized meals, and Ikea discounts,” Ikea Philippines Market Development Manager and Store Manager Georg Platzer said in a statement.

What’s more, it plans to relocate 20 Filipinos employed at its overseas stores to work in its new concept, which reportedly spans 65,000 square meters and sits in front of the Manila Bay.

The Philippine store, Ikea’s 10th in Asia, was supposed to open this year, but its launch was postponed to the second quarter of 2021. At least 8,000 products are expected to be sold in the store.