Intelligent CXO Issue 12 | Page 45

CXO INSIGHT a tech company , but we do want people to start associating IKEA with technology .
IKEA ’ s meatballs are iconic and the brand is well-known for them . Why has the company chosen to use them as part of the recruitment process ?
We really wanted to surprise people and that ' s why this 3D-printed meatball idea came up . We wanted people to think differently and be surprised because we know how hard the market is . The most humane tech people are getting a lot of attention and are literally spoilt for choice . So , we had to speak to people in a different way to be able to stand out in the job market .
There are many tech jobs to fill now and it can be difficult for employers to find and hire talent . What has prompted IKEA taken such a unique approach to recruitment ?
IKEA is associated with many things but not with technology . That ' s why we wanted to surprise people but also build on the foundations of what we do so well , which is sustainability . The meatball is iconic and we believe in people as well , so through our culture and values , we are unique . We used the meatball as a metaphor for people ’ s imagination rather than trying to battle on a tech stack . We really wanted to talk about people first and we wanted to show life at home as opportunity and a problem worth solving – which all relates back to the meatball , the planet and food .
How will the 3D meatballs utilise the applicants ’ imagination and relate to IKEA ’ s future vision and technology ?
The 3D-printed meatballs are a metaphor for people ’ s imagination . We wanted to surprise people with an iconic IKEA product like the meatball without meat and add a tech twist . People don ’ t associate IKEA with technology so we wanted to do it in a way that ’ s unique to IKEA and our passion for being different as a leader in life at home . We also wanted to talk about people and their imagination not just technology .
Regarding the meatballs , how does the process work for applicants and what can they ( the applicants ) expect ?
It ' s going to be a normal recruitment process with a meatball twist at the end . So , towards the last phase of interviews , some candidates are going to taste one or two 3D-printed meatballs . Just before the ‘ grandparent interview ’, there will be the possibility for certain roles and certain candidates to taste .
How dependent is the future of recruitment on creative ideas like the 3D-printed meatballs ?
At IKEA we always try to find better ways to do things and look at the world differently . We ' re looking for people who share our values and have imagination .
People , especially in technology , need to have that willingness to solve problems connected to people ’ s lives . It ' s not just about finding the best algorithm to optimise efficiency , it really is how our products , in the future , are going to impact lives .
We want people who have imagination and can make
PEOPLE , ESPECIALLY IN TECHNOLOGY , NEED TO HAVE THAT WILLINGNESS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS CONNECTED TO PEOPLE ’ S LIVES .

THE FUTURE

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