News

McDonald's survey: QSRs teach soft skills essential to future career success

July 24, 2018

McDonald's new workforce preparedness study found that in the U.S. a large majority of people believe soft skills are not only key to career success, but those skills are often best developed in first jobs, a news release said. Since QSR chains are often career starting points, that's key information for fast food employers who want to both attract and retain quality employees, particularly those from the nation's youngest adults, which also happen to be the largest single adult age group.

McDonald's Workforce Preparedness Study was designed to get Americans' opinions on skills and job readiness across age groups. The chain commissioned Morning Consult to perform the May survey of more than 6,200 Americans, including 966 Gen Z-aged respondants and 762 people who had worked at McDonald's.

The survey found that all age groups identified so-called "soft skills," like teamwork, customer service and responsibility, to be of utmost importance in the workforce. In fact, such capabilities were deemed more important than the hard skills, like computing or accounting, for positioning individuals for overall career success at the beginning of their work lives.

"As the workforce gets older, our nation is facing a seismic shift in the workplace — one that will require all business owners to take a fresh look at employee training and development," McDonald's USA Chief People Officer Melissa Kersey, said in the release. "As employers, we should re-examine which skills matter most, especially for the next generation entering the workforce. We should lay that foundation for employees to build the soft skills they need that will serve them throughout their career."

Other key findings of the study include:

• Soft skills are seen as important by 88 percent of respondants and very important by 60 percent.
• First jobs are seen as more important to soft skill development than school or home environments.
• Surveyed former McDonald's employees had greater confidence in soft skills (48 percent) compared to other respondents (40 percent).

"This research validates the critical role employers and the right first job can play in training and preparing young people for their future," U.S.. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Senior Vice President Cheryl Oldham said in the release. "McDonald's and its franchisees understand that upskilling entry-level employees will not only support their own business needs but it also helps provide the youngest generation opportunity for long-term career success."

McDonald's recently tripled the amount of money employees at the chain can get to further education, and reduced the time needed to work to be eligible for the benefits. The release said McDonald's USA plans later this year to expand and create partnerships with organizations that can help the chain's employees develop skills and link to education and career advancement opportunities.