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With the yellow-blue logo for the two-week paternity leave: No, we are not talking about the PPE, the furniture company Ikea has been involved in the voting campaign since Monday. The Swedes are launching a campaign on paternity leave. Ikea wants to say yes on social media and with ads to “make the country more familiar,” as the company says.
In typical Ikea style, of course: this is the name of the campaign “VÅTERSKAFTSURLÅUB”, and a yes to the paper holiday is made attractive to voters in the style of the assembly instructions.
The furniture store is on thin ice
It is rare for private companies to get involved in politics or even a voting campaign, mainly because they are often offensive. When Coca Cola announced the tightening of the anti-discrimination law in January with a rainbow-colored bottle of Coca-Cola, there was as much criticism as before the No-Billag vote when the SRG was ridiculed.
With the Papizeit campaign, Ikea is treading thin ice. But communication chief Aurel Hosennen is not afraid of criticism: “Today a company can no longer be apolitical,” he tells VIEW. Especially since paternity leave has long been a concern for Ikea. “The fact that the discussion about vacations on paper has now become political, we as a group do not have to repress our convictions,” Hosennen said.
Get the boys on board
Beliefs that bring certain benefits. Ikea’s main clientele is young people, and you want to be well received by them. “Of course, with this campaign we also created a space for identification,” admits Manuel Rotzinger from Ikeas Public Affairs. Younger generations, in particular, are making more and more demands on companies, demanding that they show their colors on certain topics. “The year 2020 with its many political movements has reinforced these expectations,” said Rotzinger.
The paternity leave campaign is not the first time that the furniture giant has spoken out on political issues. It was not until June that Ikea distanced itself from Mimi Jäger (37) because she complained about the “Black Lives Matter” demo in Zurich. And the former head of Switzerland, Simona Scarpaleggia (60), repeatedly expressed herself politically, for example on the issue of the promotion of women.
Ikea follows the example of its own country of origin
Additionally, paternity leave in Sweden, the home of Ikea, is being further subsidized by the state. There, parents have to take 60 days of paid paternity leave. The state funds a total of 480 days of parental leave, which new parents can share with each other.
In keeping with the Swedish mindset, the furniture store already offers its employees six full weeks of paternity leave. So far, the furniture store has only had good experiences with this – employees not only had the opportunity to organize with their partners within their new roles and responsibilities. But Ikea is convinced that they also returned to their workplace more motivated, relaxed and creative.
