A McDonald’s employee has expressed concerns about the company’s workplace culture, stating that there is still progress needed in cleaning it up completely. The employee, known as Matty, mentioned that discussions about personal matters, particularly regarding sex life, were common among managers and others at McDonald’s. However, he noted that there has been noticeable improvement recently, describing the current atmosphere as more normal. Having been with McDonald’s for several years since starting as a student at 16, Matty advised potential employees to think carefully before joining.
Another worker, who wished to remain anonymous, reported that the work environment had only slightly improved before they left for a different job earlier this year. When asked if the situation had gotten better, the response was negative.
These observations coincide with the recent announcement that McDonald’s has reached new agreements with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in Britain to protect its employees from sexual misconduct. Initially, a legal agreement was signed in 2023 to address concerns about how staff complaints were handled in UK McDonald’s restaurants. This agreement, originally set to expire in 2025, has now been reinforced and extended for at least another year.
In response to these developments, the EHRC sent a letter to McDonald’s UK franchise owners in March, warning of potential legal consequences for non-compliance. The EHRC emphasized the need for stronger actions from McDonald’s, acknowledging the progress the company has made so far.
Earlier this year, over 750 individuals who were under 19 when employed at McDonald’s enlisted the law firm Leigh Day to pursue legal action on their behalf. Allegations included discrimination, homophobia, racism, ableism, and harassment in more than 450 McDonald’s establishments by February.
Kiran Daurka, an employment law partner at Leigh Day, highlighted concerns about the lack of progress at McDonald’s despite the initial agreement in 2023. Daurka called for increased scrutiny of the relationship between the corporate entity and franchises to address issues like sexual harassment effectively.
Baroness Kishwer Falkner, EHRC chairwoman, mentioned the updated legal agreement with McDonald’s to combat sexual harassment effectively. The new measures require McDonald’s to collaborate with external experts on safeguarding vulnerable workers, investigate complaints against managers externally, appoint an external auditor to review the new complaints handling unit, and enhance training for managers and franchisees on social media and grooming issues.
With over 170,000 employees across 1,450 restaurants, McDonald’s is one of the largest employers in Britain, with an average employee age of 20. The recent legal actions follow a BBC report in 2023 that exposed instances of sexual assault, harassment, racism, and bullying within McDonald’s, prompting the company to engage PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) consultants to audit its restaurants.
A spokesperson for McDonald’s highlighted the company’s efforts over the past three years to ensure a safe working environment through various initiatives and collaborations with franchisees. The spokesperson welcomed the formalization of these measures in the latest EHRC agreement, expressing confidence in the positive impact on the current workforce of 148,000 employees in the UK.
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