IKEA throws world's largest pyjama party with over 2,000 employees in veggie ball sleepwear
Turning up to the office in your pyjamas may sound like a nightmare you once had, but for IKEA it was just a regular Wednesday!
Proving that work can be all fun and games, 2,051 IKEA employees came together to break the record for the largest gathering of people wearing two-piece pyjamas.
The retailer’s employees donned matching blue short-sleeve tops and pants with yellow trim – a direct reference to their logo colours.
Shown on the pyjamas were veggie balls with lingonberry jam and gravy motifs — a tribute to the iconic food hall staple we all know and love.
The limited-edition pyjamas were made fully from recycled plastic.
Paying homage to their roots, the gathering took place in Älmhult, Sweden where IKEA started.
It’s home to the first store, office, and the only IKEA hotel in the world.
According to IKEA, Älmhult is a small town and it’s hard to find anyone not connected to the retail store.
The record is to celebrate the kick-off of their new year-long campaign dedicated to improving the public’s quality of sleep.
Initially wanting to open the attempt to the public, the team chose to keep it for internal employees across the company.
The demand was definitely there with hundreds signing up on the first day!
Preparations at the location started bright and early at 7 a.m.
At the venue, there was fresh bed linen and a few dozen mattresses with pillows and sleep masks – tempting for a quick nap.
Participants were let into the venue and counted using unique QR codes.
Due to the large crowd, stewards were used to count participants in specially numbered zones.
Official Adjudicator Glenn Pollard confirmed the total number, and the Guinness World Records certificate was presented to Managing Director, Frederika Inger.
“We are thrilled about this collective effort, coming together to highlight the importance of sleep. Good sleep benefits everyone, and we believe that by prioritizing it, we can genuinely make a big difference. Small adjustments, like choosing the right pillow or lighting can lead to big improvements. Our goal is to make these improvements accessible to everyone because good sleep should be something everyone can achieve,” says Fredrika Inger, Managing Director of IKEA of Sweden and Tolga Öncü, Ingka Retail Manager (COO) at IKEA Retail (Ingka Group)
With the record confirmed, it was time to have some fun.
IKEA employees were entertained by a DJ and a visit from mascot The Fabler bear, modelled after the loveable soft toy teddy.
The retailer hopes that this record will be a ‘wake-up call’ to the public and promote the widespread importance of a good night’s sleep.
