Great Place to Work® and Fortune Name IKEA U.S. One of the 2017 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., March 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- It was announced that IKEA U.S. is one of the 2017 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, according to global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work® and Fortune.

IKEA U.S. is grateful to have been selected by Great Place to Work® and Fortune for the second year in a row for the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For list. The companies on this list arebased on employee ratings of their workplace culture; including the level of trust they feel towards their leaders, the pride they take in their jobs, and the camaraderie they experience with co-workers.

"I am very pleased to thank our 15,000 US co-workers for their outstanding contributions in making IKEA a great place to work, and earning a place on the FORTUNE 100 Best list this year," said Lars Petersson, IKEA US President and CEO. "Our vision to create a better everyday life for the many people, especially our co-workers, has not wavered or changed. It is our backbone and provides a clear framework, guiding us in everything we do.  When we remain true to our values – and make decisions and take actions that are consistent with them – we can build long term relationships with our customers and our co-workers."

IKEA U.S. has recently been recognized among stakeholders, the media and customers for its new parental leave policy. As of January 1, 2017, IKEA has been offering an expanded parental leave benefit for all co-workers who are welcoming a child into their families providing up to 4 months paid time off.* Additionally in January 2015, IKEA implemented a new minimum wage structure based on the local living costs instead of the cost of labor. In January 2016, IKEA raised local minimum wages again. The average minimum hourly wage is $11.87 and all IKEA stores have a minimum wage above $10 per hour. The average hourly pay rate is $15.45/hour.

IKEA U.S. has also been recognized by Glassdoor (October 2016) for Best Companies for Vacation and Paid Time Off; FORTUNE (December 2016) for 50 Best Companies to Work for Diversity and Inclusion; the Human Rights Campaign for 100% index which measures an LGBTQ inclusive workplace, and others.

"The 100 best workplaces are at the vanguard of an emerging movement," said Michael Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work®. "It's a movement of great workplaces for all—for people of all backgrounds, geographies and job titles. The 100 best and those that join them are enjoying better business outcomes even as they build a better society."

In his editor's letter, Alan Murray, Editor-in-Chief of Fortune, writes: "With each passing year, this list has become more popular and, we think, more important… In a world where companies are no longer measured by the size of their factories or the reach of their storefronts, human capital has become an ever more important determinant of value. The companies that make our list are there, by and large, by choice. They know their business depends on their ability to attract great people."

This year marks the 20^th anniversary of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list, and 2017 winners continue to show that a high-trust culture fuels better business results. Great Place to Work research shows that list winners keep outperforming the stock market, beating industry rivals when it comes to talent retention and demonstrating higher levels of productivity than peers. 
See the full list here: http://for.tn/2mJQvIB 

*Co-workers who have been with IKEA for over one year can take a combined three months of parental leave, receiving 100% of their base wage for the first 6 weeks of parental leave and 50% for an additional 6 weeks. Three or more years, co-workers can take a combined four months of parental leave, receiving 100% of their base wage for the first 8 weeks and 50% for an additional 8 weeks.

About Great Place to Work®
Great Place to Work® is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through proprietary assessment tools, advisory services, and certification programs, including Best Workplaces lists and workplace reviews, Great Place to Work provides the benchmarks, framework, and expertise needed to create, sustain, and recognize outstanding workplace cultures. In the United States, Great Place to Work produces the annual Fortune "100 Best Companies to Work For®" and a series of Great Place to Work Best Workplaces lists, including lists for Millennials, Women, Diversity, Small and Medium Companies and over a half dozen different industries. Great Place to Work® provides executive advisory and culture consulting services to businesses, non-profits, and government agencies in over 50 countries across six continents.

ABOUT IKEA
Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings of good design and function at low prices so the majority of people can afford them. There are currently more than 392 IKEA stores in 48 countries, including 43 in the U.S. IKEA incorporates sustainability into day-to-day business and supports initiatives that benefit children and the environment. For more information see IKEA-USA.com, @IKEAUSANews, @IKEAUSA or IKEAUSA on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.

SOURCE IKEA US