An employee at McDonald’s has expressed concerns about the company’s workplace culture, stating that there is still room for improvement.
Referred to as Matty to maintain anonymity, the employee mentioned that conversations about personal matters, particularly related to sex life, were common among managers and colleagues at McDonald’s. However, Matty acknowledged recent positive changes, describing the atmosphere as more “normal” compared to before. Having joined McDonald’s as a student at 16, Matty cautioned potential employees to think carefully before joining the company.
Another former worker, who also requested anonymity, noted little improvement in the work environment before leaving for a new job earlier this year, indicating that the situation had not changed significantly.
These observations coincided with the announcement of additional measures agreed upon between McDonald’s and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in the UK to prevent sexual abuse within the company.
Following concerns about how staff complaints regarding sexual harassment were handled in McDonald’s UK restaurants, EHRC initially entered a legal agreement with the company in 2023. This agreement, originally set to expire in 2025, has now been extended and reinforced for at least another year.
In March, EHRC warned McDonald’s UK franchise owners of potential legal consequences if compliance with the agreement was not met. EHRC emphasized the need for “stronger actions” with McDonald’s to address the issues, acknowledging the company’s recent efforts.
Earlier this year, over 750 individuals who had worked at McDonald’s while under 19 years old enlisted legal support from the law firm Leigh Day, citing instances of discrimination, homophobia, racism, ableism, and harassment across more than 450 McDonald’s restaurants.
Kiran Daurka, an employment law partner at Leigh Day, expressed concerns about McDonald’s practices, highlighting EHRC’s involvement as a sign of ongoing issues within the company. Daurka emphasized the need for McDonald’s to take responsibility and implement significant changes to protect its young workforce.
Baroness Kishwer Falkner, EHRC’s chairwoman, explained the decision to update the action plan with McDonald’s, focusing on specific operational aspects to address the raised concerns effectively.
Under the new agreement, McDonald’s is required to collaborate with external experts to develop a safeguarding plan for vulnerable workers, enhance investigations of complaints against managers, engage an external auditor for reviewing complaints handling, and expand training for managers and franchisees, including social media and grooming awareness.
As one of the largest employers in Britain with over 170,000 employees across 1,450 restaurants, McDonald’s emphasizes its commitment to a safe work environment and acknowledges the positive impact of the recent EHRC agreement on its ongoing initiatives.
The need for these measures arose following a BBC report in 2023 that exposed instances of sexual assault, harassment, racism, and bullying within McDonald’s. In response, McDonald’s engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers (P