According to Sapo news, this investment extends to all employees of the Ingka Group – the group that owns IKEA Portugal and is responsible for the retail operation (IKEA stores, Customer Support Centre and MAR Shopping shopping centres), reinforcing its commitment to promoting day-to-day life for most people, inside and outside the company.

IKEA Portugal has invested in improving salaries, benefits and working conditions for its employees. This path now reaches a new milestone, with an investment of more than eight million euros in salary updates and benefits guaranteeing an entry salary considerably above the National Minimum Wage (1000 euros x 14 months, plus food allowance), and applying a a significant part of this investment in improving the conditions of those who already worked in the company.

With this, IKEA Portugal intends to reward and reward the daily contribution of those who have worn the company's shirt over the years. The value of the food allowance will also undergo a net increase of one euro per day, complementing IKEA's current offer for its employees, with an exclusive restaurant at reduced prices.

Other benefits will also be updated and improved, such as life and health insurance for permanent employees, the extension of parental leave periods (for both mothers and fathers), the in-house medical support service and the social support program for emergency.

Following the positive financial results recorded in the previous fiscal year, all eligible IKEA employees will receive an annual performance bonus – One IKEA Bonus – corresponding to approximately one month's salary (between 85% and 145%, depending on the performance of each unit).

The Ingka Group will also allocate a total of 103 million euros to the global pension fund “Tack!” (“thank you” in Swedish). This fund is distributed among all countries where the Ingka Group is represented. In each of these markets, all eligible employees who have worked for the Group for five or more years will receive the same extra contribution to their pension fund, regardless of the role or position they occupy. Part-time employees will receive a proportional contribution, adjusted to the number of hours worked.

At IKEA Portugal, the compensation and benefits policy is part of a long-term strategy, with more than 90% of employees on permanent employment contracts, and without any pay gap between men and women.

"IKEA has become a close and familiar brand for many Portuguese people, being an integral part of their life at home and their daily lives. What many people may not know is that working at IKEA means being part of an absolutely unique team and culture. Over the last few years, we have made a great effort to ensure better compensation, benefits and working conditions for our employees. We are committed to creating a work environment where everyone feels at home and where everyone feels that working at IKEA is more than just a job", says Eliska Novotná, Country People & Culture manager at IKEA Portugal.