For the past 4 and a half years I have worked at McDonalds, I started when I was of legal age (14 and 9 months). When I first started working there I was treated like I was secondclass to all of those who had been working there for longer than I. I was given absolutely no proper training and was expected to know all of the McDonald's procedures and was yelled at for asking for help and/or assistance. However, needing the money and being a naive 14 year old, I soldiered on. Throughout the years I 'climbed the McDonald's ladder' and became a Crew Chief. Throughout my previous so-called 'training', crew trainers and chiefs were just people who sat out back with the managers and didn't do any work. I was determined not to become one of this kind of worker so I strived to actually train the staff and help them out etc...as well as fulfilling my own duties. The managers at my store were completely unqualified. They were incredibly young and saw their position of power as a way of exploiting others and making the workers 'below' them feel inadequate and useless. The store's 'training' technique was to yell and abuse the trainees until they were scared into doing exactly as they were told and QUICKLY. The word "hustle" at the store meant to go as quickly as humanly possible, usually resulting in burns and other injuries. I, myself was often called useless and other names that would need to be censored if I were to put them on here. Many of my shifts in my earlier years ended in tears, just as many of the juniors at the store still today. We've had customers walk out of the store because of the way the managers treated the staff. I've been pulled across the room by my collar by a manager who wanted me to 'hustle faster' while working on a CLOSE whilst disassembling a shake machine. Hustle on a close? Has anyone else ever been told to hustle whilst working on a close shift?Abuse of physical and verbal nature were frequent. Bullying is omnipresent. I was frequently asked to drop out of school so I my availability would widen, so that I could climb further up the wonderful maccas ladder. Great. And become one of THEM? *lol* In the last month, my old store has had to hire ***100*** new staff because of crew members resigning. I worked my last shift two weeks ago and I could not be happier to be out of that place. Sure, some stores may be different but the same brainwashing tactics are still there.
During the four years that I have worked at Maccas, my store has only had one 'rap' session. At this rap session we were screamed at...and then forced to watch those corny old 1980's training videos...Then after that we were given lollies, chocolates and free food vouchers and told that although we were valued, we were dispensible. What does this do for staff morale? Not much let me tell you, for in the following week after this rap session, half of our staff resigned. I consider myself a person who has a pretty thick hide, I can hack being yelled at, being called useless etc...but it does take its toll on anyone. To climb the maccas ladder you have to become chummy with the managers (this was usually done by the more 'flirty and attractive' crew members)
Sexual Harrassment was also very frequent. I suffered from it myself; many times have I had a particular manager 'push' me whilst 'hustling' in certain places and all the while being called names with double meanings etc...This particular manager was taken to court by another crewmember and was EVENTUALLY asked to leave by the store owners.
Rap sessions were also ways of finding out who the 'trouble makers' were. I remember from our singular rap session, two of the back crew spoke up about the filet vats being dangerous as some wires were bare and they could come in contact with water. These pleas for repair were ignored and the two were fired the next day as their 'uniforms were not ironed to the McDonald's Standard'. These two crew members had been working at this Maccas for 6 years and they were both crew trainers.
Quality and Cleanliness...I don't believe theres such things as those at the store I worked at. I often filled in at other Maccas that were owned by the same store owners. The standards of working conditions there were significantly better. A transfer however was out of the question.
After all of this, I only find it fair to warn young people wanting to work at Mcdonalds what they should expect...Disrespect, low self esteem, bullying, low pay, slave work conditions and the ability to run with an armful of very hot food. Oh and my personal favourite, burns from the grill and fry racks. I'm speaking from personal experience, do not be naive in thinking that McDonald's care about you.
McSpotlight:- sign me up *l* I'm willing to help you guys out, you're doing a great job! Two thumbs up! =) Just give me an email...
