When discussing motivation at work, we refer to the process by which people perform specific activities to satisfy their needs. Indeed, maintaining a stable level of motivation in the workplace is not easy and is one of the key goals every company seeks.

Motivation is affected by various external factors such as mood or monotony, the frustration of feeling stuck, and the lack of new professional challenges, which are important in understanding employees' work motivation. It is true that we cannot always dedicate ourselves to our passions, but we do know that it is the best stimulus for a professional. As Confucius said, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."

IKEA's founder, Ingvar Kamprad, did this in 1943 at the age of 17. In his early years, he sold stationery products such as pens, pencils, and picture frames. Beginnings are hard, but today IKEA is a multinational company that sells home products and makes life easier for people. IKEA wants to send us a message that, although the path is tough and success was hard to come by, the company's mission and vision remain the same: to improve peoples' lives.

Below, a graph is attached showing the evolution and progress of workers at IKEA in Spain.

Year	Number of Workers
2011	5,576
2012	5,526
2013	5,426
2014	5,923
2015	6,482
2016	6,904
2017	7,672
2018	8,184
2019	8,403
2020	8,942

Source: Statista

Indeed, performing an activity you enjoy has a positive impact on long-term psychological well-being and even benefits the company, as improving psychological well-being makes you more productive and simultaneously attracts potential candidates by highlighting the company's development opportunities.

To discover what we truly enjoy, we need to ask ourselves basic questions such as what we enjoyed doing during our childhood, who we admired, and what goals warranted an extra sacrifice. As humans, we tend to avoid anything that jeopardizes our safety and prefer staying in our comfort zone, but this also has its drawbacks, leading to long-term personal and professional stagnation that becomes increasingly difficult to overcome.

According to a study by Forbes and Sigma Dos, IKEA ranks as one of the top ten companies to work for. What its employees highlight is the positive work environment, flexible hours, and work-family balance.

The IKEA subsidiary in Spain employs around 7,500 people, with its main markets and headquarters in Catalonia, Madrid, Murcia, and Levante. The Swedish furniture manufacturing company is highly valued as a place to work, and some reasons are that its teams mention having free coffee, up to 15% discounts in restaurants, medical insurance, savings plans, pension plans, and relaxation and games rooms.

In the previously mentioned study, it is noted that this might be due to the company's policies or the selection of specific profiles with certain traits and competencies, such as open-minded individuals with high motivation and interest in everything related to home life.

They also prioritize those who show a willingness to learn and advance, including geographical mobility, as IKEA offers endless development opportunities nationwide and internationally.

A novel practice that many other companies should adopt is digital disconnection. IKEA Spain's division notes that workers have the right not to answer emails or respond to calls outside their working hours.

Another important aspect is that they aim for equal opportunities for men and women, hence promoting that 59% of the workforce are women and 51% hold managerial positions. The executive committee consists of 60% women and 40% men.

Regarding rest, IKEA Spain shows that it grants two days off every week of the year, resulting in more weekends off than the average for other company employees. Other benefits to highlight include 224 working days per year.

IKEA's Director of Human Resources, Enrique Puig, states that extending paternity leave or developing a specific protocol for women victims of gender violence, as well as reviewing policies to eliminate any bias, are inherent in the company's values and are implemented to an exceptional degree. Looking back at some of the human resources initiatives promoted by IKEA, we have Project Lykta, IKEA Cable, and Viking Limited Edition. Project Lykta shows us that a social worker observes, identifies, and acts on the different social needs employees have in each IKEA center nationwide.

On the other hand, the IKEA Cable project is based on financial aid for social emergency situations that occur among the staff. Last but not least, Viking Limited Edition is a program targeted at women aspiring to managerial positions in the short-to-medium term and includes training for this.

In conclusion, after reading the case, we can say that employee motivation is something innate in each individual, but the company plays a crucial role in enhancing or diminishing this motivation.

QUESTION 1

1. Do you think work motivation is the most effective way to increase productivity? Justify your answer.

QUESTION 2

1. What would you highlight about IKEA's employee motivation management plan?

QUESTION 3

1. Is internal communication a decisive factor when discussing work motivation? Justify your answer.

QUESTION 4

1. Which motivation is more important, extrinsic or intrinsic?

QUESTION 5

Routine leads to a disheartening personal and professional stagnation. Yet, accepting new challenges increases personal stress. Do you believe it would be feasible for all companies to work with high-performance teams?