WHAT IT IS?
Before the pandemic, IKEA Utrecht introduced a new way of having job interviews. They give you the option to apply at home. The candidate can choose if they want to go to IKEA Utrecht or just be in their familiar environment. “People shows the best version of themselves when they feel at home” (IKEA, 2019). The choice is up to the applicant.
“People shows the best version of themselves when they feel at home.”
WHY IT´S COOL?
- This idea of having an online job interview was made before the pandemic. That shows that IKEA already saw the possibilities of using online technologies for job interviews.
- Home interviews also bring the benefits of cost saving, less traffic and less emission.
- It shows that we may have been pushed/forced by the pandemic to make this the new way of communicating. It was already the future; however, the future came earlier then we expected.
- This change could have a huge impact on women. They are more likely to adjust their careers for family than men.
- Scandinavian countries are known as well developed. This has been proven again. We should take Scandinavian countries has our role model.
WHY IT HAS FUTURE GROWTH POTENTIAL?
This way of using digital technologies, gives us the possibility to choose. Do we prefer to stay home, or do we prefer to meet face to face? This question won’t only be for job interviews but also for meeting and work in general.
“Long-term flexibility could be here to stay.”
With many people being forced to work from home, long-term flexibility could be here to stay. It also allows women to balancing their careers with family (Elise Gould, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute). This distant flexibility will also allow companies to “save money on the overhead cost of running these massive facilities” career coach Julie Kratz.
Connley, C. A. H. (2020, April 30). 13 ways the coronavirus pandemic could forever change the way we work. Retrieved May 13, 2020, from https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/29/how-the-coronavirus-pandemic-will-impact-the-future-of-work.html
IKEA Utrecht solliciteren bij kandidaten thuis. (2019, November 7). Retrieved May 13, 2020, from https://www.ikea.com/nl/nl/this-is-ikea/newsroom/07-11-2019-ikea-utrecht-introduceert-solliciteren-bij-kandidaten-thuis-pubf2ae7ea0
https://www.bngbank.nl/BG%20Articles/200902_Mulder_16-21.pdf
4 Comments
Hi Chantal, I really like that your blog post is short and clear. It is nice to read. I like the quote, “It was already the future; however, the future came earlier than we expected.’ It is amazing to see that seeds were made before COVID-19, but they already are corona-proof! I am curious what source you used for your quotes?
Your seed made me think that there are also disadvantages, such as that you can fake a lot online. Maybe that’s just my opinion, but I think it’s interesting to think about things like this as well. Then you see your seed from a different point of view and that is not always a bad thing. I also wonder if Ikea is really the first who did this? I hope you find my feedback helpful. I would love to read more from you.
-Melissa Claerhoudt-
Hi Melissa!
Thank you for reading my blog. The sources from the quotes are in de blog to find. I don’t think IKEA is the first to do the online job interviews but I think iKEA is the first with this intention. IKEA mainly plays on the value that someone should feel at home during a job interview. “People shows the best version of themselves when they feel at home.” They think in a different point of view. Quality of life above marketing!
Hi Chantal,
Great signal. I like that your blog is very clear and short. This makes it easy to understand and easy to keep my attention to it. Great that you related the pandemic to the signal you found.
I like what you say about the future growth potential: ”Do we prefer to stay home, or do we prefer to meet face to face?” This really gets me thinking of what I would prefer and how future communication will be.
Overall very well done!
Dear Chantal. Your Cool Signal is a bit shallow to me. The rise of home interviews is already a social fact – ‘thanks to’ the pandemic. The fact that IKEA used it already – for a nice reason – before the pandemic is nice to know but not per se need-to-know when it comes to exciting new traits of the future. It is nice-to-know but not too surprising. There is room for improvement and growth and you are welcome! Hope to see more of you. Carl