Ikea makes history by offering real-life jobs in Roblox store
Ikea’s upcoming virtual Roblox store will be the first to pay physical employees for working in the metaverse.
On Friday, June 24, 2024, the Swedish home and furniture giant launches "The Co-Worker Game," a new virtual experience on the popular Roblox immersive gaming platform. Applications for 10 open paid positions working for Ikea in its metaverse store are being accepted until Sunday, June 16.
Successful applicants will be able to help customers and get promoted to move departments, just like in a brick-and-mortar store. In addition to the paid employees, Ikea customers and members of the broader Roblox and gaming communities can work, explore and shop in Ikea’s Roblox environment.
This includes activities such as serving virtual meatballs in a metaverse version of the Ikea Swedish Food Market and Bistro, as well as arranging avatars of Ikea products in virtual showrooms. Participants have the chance to win exclusive user-generated Ikea content for use on the Roblox platform.
Virtual interviews for shortlisted applicants will take place for these fully remote virtual roles between Thursday, June 14 and Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Each successful applicant will be paid an hourly Ikea co-worker rate for their time on the game.
Ikea’s Roblox experience was developed by The Gang, a Swedish game design company.
"We’re excited to be the first brand to launch paid work on Roblox to showcase how we do careers differently, bringing our unique careers philosophy to life," said Darren Taylor, country people and culture manager, Ikea U.K. and Ireland. "At Ikea, there is no set route to career progression. Our co-workers are able to change roles, switch departments, and grow in any direction they choose, both in the game or in the real world. There are many ways to learn and grow at Ikea, and that's what Ikea on Roblox is all about."
Retailers open for business on Roblox
An increasing number of retailers are launching experiences on the Roblox platform, which is hugely popular with valuable Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers. Walmart, which initially debuted in the metaverse by launching two new metaverse experiences on Roblox in September 2022, recently made its own history by becoming the first entity to sell select "real-world" items on Roblox.
Other retailers that have rolled out Roblox experiences in the past few months include LensCrafters and Pacsun.