Many of the comments made about the culture created by Scandinavian companies applies to us at Ikea (Personnel Today, 21 June). However it is true that a lot of work time is now spent on new rules and regulations and how to comply with them.
‘UK Ltd’ seems obsessed with procedures, guidelines and compliance and not with creating trusting relationships or taking time to understand co-workers in a fairer and equal working society. We see this in the number and type of ‘individual industrial disputes’ reported to tribunals which could easily have been resolved in fair organisations.
I am convinced that a vision to reflect society more in the workplace can be found – without onerous procedures, paperwork, guides and threats of retribution for non compliance – and all our skills and abilities used to benefit the work teams, organisations and, ultimately, UK Ltd.
Steven Whitelock
Sales manager
Ikea
