Earlier this year Sara Phillips had the incredible opportunity to join members from the Disruptive Innovators Network (DIN) on a trip to Ikea in Greenwich.
We all know of Ikea. It is a global brand synonymous with innovation and functionality. Working across 63 different countries, it offers affordable home furnishing and delivers a consistent customer experience, each store presented the same and, of course, famous for their meatballs!
At first glance, a visit to Ikea might seem like an odd choice for a housing association like Bromford. We provide homes, they sell furniture – what possible connection could there be? Well, during Sara's visit, a realisation dawned: there are real parallels between Ikea's approach and our mission at Bromford. Beyond its global success, Ikea is actively working to be a more responsible company, striving to make a positive impact on people's lives.
Here’s what Sara had to say:
Meeting Jing Li
“At the start of the day, we met Jing Li, the Market Manager. Jing had enjoyed an extensive career at Ikea, working in many countries, Sweden, and Austria to name a few. Jing had joined the Greenwich store in late 2019. At this time, the store was shiny and new but worryingly it was losing money week on week. Then, in March 2020 Covid hit. Lockdown was difficult for us all and as we recall; the retail sector took an almighty hit. Facing a challenge, Jing saw an opportunity to support the community and so with creativity, the team took the decision to quickly change their operating model.
The Ikea team sprang into action, they opened their food market to provide access to groceries, organised community food deliveries, and over time implemented the click-and-collect service for customers. Jing's pride in the team's community efforts was clear. In the face of adversity, they delivered what no one expected, and since then the Greenwich store has continued to thrive and become a top performer within Ikea's global network.
Leadership is important in Ikea. We heard Jing say, “we set the tone by how we talk, behave, respond to others and treat people on a day-to-day basis.” Jing talked passionately about her “brilliant” team and how the transformation and success of the store was not down to one person but was made by the 400 co-workers who work together. Their diversity spans 42 nationalities and each co-worker is hired locally from the community through a values-based interview. They are encouraged to find roles that align to their passion because Ikea know
that if they are enthusiastic about what they do they will feel proud and make a difference.
As I listened, I reflected on our work on inclusive attraction methods at Bromford and how we are committed to supporting 1000 customers into work. Seeing how Ikea operate in a similar way, and witnessing its power, is crystallising for me the fantastic opportunity Bromford have to make a difference.”
Click the image below to connect with Jing li on LinkedIn and learn more about her journey:
Shared Values
“Throughout the day, we had the pleasure of spending time with some of the Ikea store co-workers. Through our conversations, it is evident that they feel a deep sense of ownership and dedication to their work, each brimming with passion for the brand and knowing that they were contributing to something greater than a retail store. There is a desire to create a positive impact on both their local community and the planet. This ethos of giving back resonated deeply with me and I couldn’t help but think about how this linked to our purpose and helping our customers to thrive.
One of the highlights of our visit was the guided tour of the store. What stood out was the layout of the store, which was meticulously tailored to cater to the needs and preferences of the local community. Each display room was curated with profiles of local customers in mind, ensuring that the products being displayed resonated with their lifestyles and budgets. We were told that by store location, the room designs you encounter as a customer are designed by local customers and created based on pricing ranges that are determined by customer profiles.
Ikea co-workers visit customers in their homes to understand their customers’ lifestyles and how they feel about their home. For Ikea, understanding what life at home truly means is a passion. Over the last decade, co-workers have reached out to customers from 40 countries to understand how they can make homes better. This is documented in their Life at Home report which articulates their discoveries and shows them how to make meaningful for the many people across the world. Ikea’s unwavering dedication to customer feedback is incredible. They listen to understand and then they act upon it.”
Community Spirit
“During the tour, we witnessed first-hand how Ikea continuously evolves and adapts its customer offerings based on their local customer insights and continual feedback. Ikea's responsiveness to feedback is hugely impressive and this most certainly feels like an iteration of place-based working.
Ikea has a guiding principle: "talk to the many people." This mantra acts as their ultimate test. If something doesn't resonate with a broad range of customers, it's unlikely to succeed. They translate this philosophy into a balanced scorecard that measures progress across four key areas: better homes, better lives, a better planet, and a better business. Ikea isn't just about profit; they're changemakers
who actively consider their social impact. By focusing on a limited number of key performance indicators (KPIs), they empower their employees to make decisions that align with this broader vision. Anything that falls outside these core principles simply doesn't happen.
Ikea's dedication to community goes far beyond the walls of its stores. Their commitment extends into real action. Partnering with charities like Shelter and launching focused initiatives, Ikea actively reaches out to their neighbours. They tackle social issues like furniture poverty, demonstrating a deep investment in the well-being of their local communities. This strong sense of corporate responsibility goes beyond just selling furniture; it's about promoting social good. By taking these steps, Ikea fosters deeper connections with the communities they serve and inspires customer loyalty through their dedication to positive change.”
Eco Focus
“Sustainability, a critical issue for both Ikea and the community, was another key topic of discussion. We were impressed by Ikea's innovative initiatives, from their use of eco-friendly materials to their remarkable fittings library. This library, spanning over three decades of products, ensures you can replace a broken 1984 Ikea kitchen door handle without needing to buy entirely new doors or handles! This not only highlights Ikea's commitment to sustainability but also demonstrates their understanding of customer budgets. Furthermore, their furniture buy-back program reinforces their dedication to a circular economy, a system that prioritises reuse and reduces waste. These initiatives showcase Ikea's commitment to environmental responsibility and responsible business practices.
As the day concluded, we discussed the familiar challenges we face delivering for our customers against an ever-changing backdrop of regulation, addressing the cost-of-living crisis, the focus on community investment, and responsibilities around sustainability.
Listening intently to the conversations and debate, I found inspiration in the power of collaboration and voice. It is ever clearer that by joining forces, we can drive meaningful change within our respective organisations.”
Reflections
“As I reflect on our experience at Ikea Greenwich, I am reminded of the profound impact that listening to customers, acting on their feedback, and supporting our communities can have on fostering meaningful connections. Sometimes we don’t need the big innovations, we can make big impacts on customers and colleagues with smaller incremental steps and delivering on what we set out to do. By prioritising both customer feedback and community engagement, Ikea exemplifies a model of corporate responsibility that goes beyond profit margins, creating lasting value for all stakeholders involved.
The synergies between Ikea’s neighbourhood approach and our Bromford strategy are incredible. Be it increasing customer access to better homes, opening pathways to decent and meaningful employment, enabling the many people to participate, or continuing to think about our impact upon the environment by exploring and delivering on sustainable initiatives, I really believe we can deliver amazing things in our communities. Our shared thinking, resource, and expertise give us the opportunity to transform the landscape of housing for our customers and create thriving communities.”
Cover image property of HouseBeautiful.com