IKEA case study: How to increase customer data literacy among employees

Customer data literacy is the link between knowing about a problem or gap in strategy and fixing it. As a result, it is vital to growing a business today. Data and analytics is among the top trends of 2025, according to respondents of the latest CX Network Global State of CX survey. In addition, creating actionable insights from data is among the top challenges influencing the role of CX professionals with 16 percent of respondents citing it. Clearly, CX leaders must train employees to better understand data, so they can get the most of what's available to them. 

IKEA emphasizes customer data literacy

Recently, at the CX Network's All Access: Customer Insights & Data Analytics webinar series, Olivier Maugain, data governance & activation manager at IKEA, shared his best practices for learning and development. 

"Data literacy empowers employees to read, understand, create and communicate data as information," says Maugain. "At IKEA, fostering data literacy is essential for building a data-driven culture that supports better decision-making. It enables employees to process and analyze data, articulate problems that can be solved with data, and become more effective in their roles."

IKEA has worked hard to improve data literacy across the organization. As a behemoth of retail, the company must grapple with reaching hundreds of thousands of employees and keeping up with continuously evolving technology. Still, Maugain says the biggest challenge is the skills gap. 

"While many recognize the importance of data literacy, few feel fully confident in their abilities," says Maugain. "Another challenge is reaching all employees - at IKEA, with 150,000 employees, it's not feasible to upskill everyone at once. There's also the need to make data literacy programs attractive and engaging to drive participation." 

Learning and development efforts 

To train employees appropriately, IKEA has taken a multi-level approach. These strategies have helped overcome some of the challenges. Maugain describes this in category: 

• Reskilling programs - Intensive, year-long programs for select employees, teaching critical thinking, data basics, Power BI, SQL and Python. Graduates return to operations to disseminate their new skills. 
• Light data and AI literacy courses - Short courses (20 to 60 minutes) for a broader audience, covering data basics, privacy, jargon, visualization and storytelling. 
• Community building - Establishing a "data champions" community where employees mentor each other, share case studies and demystify data topics. 

However, putting these initiatives together is not the same as getting people to take advantage of them. Ensuring engagement and participation in any learning and development program is a challenge. 

"IKEA makes programs exclusive and attractive, creating a 'fear of missing.' For example, the reskilling program is competitive, with limited spots and a selection process," says Maugain. "Marketing campaigns, including fun and 'geeky' elements like Matrix-themed videos, help generate excitement and engagement." 

Indeed, Maugain brought the Matrix to the CX Network audience to demonstrate how clever delivery can ignite attention and draw people to learning. He had more advice for organizations starting their data literacy journey: 

• Gain executive sponsorship - Secure support from senior leaders and make them look good by tying program outcomes to business benefits. 
• Start small - Target specific countries, functions or teams first, then expand. 
• Make programs exclusive and attractive - Limit participation initially to create anticipation and ensure high engagement. 
• Don't neglect the fun factor - Use creative campaigns and storytelling to make data literacy appealing.

A data-driven culture with continuous learning

Fun is important, and it helps create a community around learning. This is how cultures of L&D are built. 

"Community is crucial," says Maugain. "IKEA's data champions group brings together employees at different skill levels to mentor, share experiences and support each other. This peer-driven approach helps demystify data, encourages continuous learning and spreads best practices across the organization."

Once organizations have all the tools in place to improve customer data literacy, they can focus on helping employees become more proactive in their data use. Traditionally, businesses have been reactive to data. But today's technology enables predictive analytics. Leaders have an ability to see into the future that is unprecedented. 

"Practivity comes from building skills and familiarity with data tools and techniques," says Maugain. When employees know what's possible with data, they're more likely to seek it out and use it in decision-making. Creating a data-driven culture, where leaders routinely ask for data to support decisions, helps make proactive data use the norm. Achieving this requires time, the right environment and widespread upskilling." 

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