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Case Study: Flexible Working - McDonalds Restaurants Ltd
The McDonald’s Family Contract allows employees from the same family, working in the same restaurant, to share and cover each other’s shifts (with no prior notice required) to best suit their family arrangements. This benefits mothers juggling childcare and work, students with last minute deadlines, and people caring for a parent or relative. The initiative was based on feedback from employees.
The pilot scheme was launched in January 2006 and is now under review As many as 1000 of McDonald’s 67000 strong workforce are family members. Several families were involved in the trial, including two sisters with young children at a restaurant in Stoke-on-Trent.
Pairs made up of parents, children, grandparents, stepfamilies, adopted families, married couples, siblings, cohabiting partners and same-sex partners are all eligible to apply for the contract. The scheme has been so successful that the company has recently extended it to include friends and extended family members.
Achievements/Lessons learned
Responses to the annual employee survey were overwhelmingly positive: 92% of employees thought that their requests for time off were handled fairly and 85% agreed that their work schedule fitted their current needs.Responses to the annual employee survey were overwhelmingly positive: 92% of employees thought that their requests for time off were handled fairly and 85% agreed that their work schedule fitted their current needs.
The scheme was recently recognised by the Working Families organisation who gave McDonald’s its Innovation Award 2007.
Contact Point
