IKEA Partners with Docusign To Fast-Track Onboarding for Multinational Workforce

If you've ever been on the quest for a funky dorm chair, stylish bedroom set, or the perfect Swedish meatball, you’ve probably found yourself at IKEA. Since starting as a small mail-order business in 1943, IKEA has become a global leader in affordable, functional furniture.

But IKEA isn’t just about innovative designs; it’s about people and values. The company’s commitment to sustainability and creating an open, collaborative workplace extends across its operations, including how it manages over 3,000 employees in Portugal.

“At IKEA, we’re all equals working together towards a shared mission,” said Joana Lopes, People & Culture administrator at IKEA Portugal. That mission includes caring for the planet—a value that inspired IKEA Portugal to rethink its paper-heavy HR processes.

With the help of Docusign, the company streamlined and completely digitised the employee agreement process to reduce waste, save time, and deliver a seamless onboarding experience—all while meeting strict EU compliance standards, such as the electronic identification, authentication, and trust services (eIDAS) regulation.

Saving time and costs with sustainable, hassle-free HR

Reducing paper use was a simple but meaningful way for IKEA to reinforce its commitment to sustainability. Before Docusign, onboarding employees involved printing, ink-signing, and manually archiving new hire documents—a process that was both time-consuming and inefficient. Signed agreements were stored across IKEA’s five locations in Portugal, which limited access for the head office.

“We’re constantly growing,” said Lopes. “We needed a more centralised way to handle signatures and archiving.”

Today, the People & Culture team is 100% paperless.

Time savings have been just as impactful. What used to take up to four days now takes an average of two, with some agreements completed in minutes.

Even during busy hiring seasons, like Christmas or summer, Docusign keeps the process running smoothly. The team has also simplified other parts of the onboarding process, like collecting uniform sizes and preferred names, through the Docusign workflow. Now, new hires arrive on their first day ready to start.

“Since we have everything we need, we’re able to focus on creating a positive and welcoming environment,” said Lopes.

Simplifying compliance

Managing a multinational workforce in Portugal can be challenging due to its complex legal and bureaucratic landscape—especially when it comes to digital transactions. As part of the European Union, IKEA Portugal must use advanced solutions like Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES), which are considered legally equivalent to handwritten signatures under the eIDAS framework.

This helps maintain the integrity and security of agreements across the region while optimising digital processes.

Docusign’s ID Verification for EU Qualified simplifies compliance by validating employee identities with residency cards, national ID cards, passports—including foreign passports—and securely storing key information in line with EU requirements.

“With Docusign, we can maintain compliance while simplifying our processes” said Lopes. “It allows us to manage documents remotely, centralise storage, and meet all legal standards with ease.”

For repeat signers, the Docusign Identity Wallet securely stores verified identity details to streamline future transactions, such as maternity or paternity leave forms, marriage updates, or tax documents. This makes managing ongoing HR needs simpler and more efficient for everyone.

A future-proof solution for a growing team

As IKEA Portugal grows, Docusign is scaling with it. The People & Culture team now processes over 800 documents annually, and Docusign's digital solutions have become a vital part of making this workload manageable.

By transforming a once convoluted onboarding process into a seamless digital experience, Docusign has freed the team to focus on what matters most: integrating new employees into the company's culture and mission from day one.

“For us, Docusign is a practical tool that simplifies our daily work and helps us stay available to everyone, anywhere,” said Lopes. “The efficiency gained with Docusign’s digital signature solutions allows us to spend more time with our employees, share our culture, and provide greater value.”