News

McDonald's employees to CEO: Invest in us

January 31, 2020

In what McDonald's calls its "global town halls," the brand's President and CEO Chris Kempczinski Thursday keyed in on the feedback received from a system-wide survey that garnered responses from more than 1,100 people. In that poll, Kempczinski said workers made it clear that the one thing leaders could do to help them feel more pride about working there is to invest more in the workforce. 

In this photo from McDonald's CEO Chris Kempzcinski's publicly shared Instagram account during Town Hall with employees yesterday.

"If I were to sum up all the different things that I heard in terms of what people were looking for from me as CEO to make them feel prouder, it's really about investing in our people. …" Kempczinski was quoted as saying in the meeting. 

"It's investing in our people, whether it's giving them opportunities to go to new markets … it's to make sure everybody feels included, and really to create a diverse and inclusive environment. You've got my commitment that that's going to be a big focus of what I do."

Kempzcinski also told the sprawling QSR's system of workers and franchisees that he believes the constant awareness and efforts by employees to "always place the customer first," was at the core of what the brand is all about. That, he said, also meant that stores have to have and show a commitment to the communities around them.

"Of course we have to behave ethically," he told the meeting. "We have to give back to our communities. Core to being in the McFamily is being integrated at the community level."

Kempzcinski took the reins at the world's largest restaurant brand last November after former CEO Steve Easterbrook left the job after admitting to a consensual relationship with another employee, which is against company policy. Kempzcinski has since held several systemwide "town halls" with employees to set what might be called a more collaborative tone between the brand's leaders and its rank and file. 

For instance, employees and even the press has been invited to follow the CEO and McDonald's President USA Joe Erlinger on social media, and Kempzcinski even took a selfie and posted it to his Instagram account at the end of Thursday's meeting.