Mark Hawthorne: Fast-food giant offers more than hamburgers and chips

Photo / Martin Sykes

You may have read over the past few weeks that McDonald's has renewed its partnership with Work and Income and is looking at ways in which we can work with the department to support our growth plans in New Zealand.

We are opening 30 new restaurants around New Zealand and recruiting a further 6000 staff by 2011.

You may have also read comments questioning why Work and Income would want to be involved with McDonald's. Some described the situation as the Government acting as a compulsory recruitment agency for us.

Others described a job with McDonald's as a dead end. As someone who started at the bottom in this company, I can truthfully say, far from it!

In my view, there are some critics who could do with a dose of self-reflection right now. Unemployment is 5 per cent, which equates to around 115,000 people. However, there are estimates that this could go as high as 7 per cent by 2010.

It doesn't take much to realise that the impact of losing a job is wider than just the employee - there's the impact on family, and wider social issues such as self-esteem and sense of self-worth.

In the present environment a job is a job. However, a job with prospects is better. And that's what we offer. I don't see many other organisations being as proactive as McDonald's on the employment front.

It's never been more difficult for Generation Y job seekers to find work. And for those who haven't worked before, experience counts.

The youth of Otorohanga, where there is zero youth unemployment, are a case in point. Having a job had brought the young people self-esteem, taught them punctuality and responsibility, and all in addition to the pay cheque.

Everyone has potential. I started on the grill at 15 while still at school and today head up a team of 8000. Right from the outset, I was made aware of the career opportunities and training available to me within the business and was encouraged to develop my skills as part of a successful career path. McDonald's is full of stories like mine.

The Department of Labour stats make depressing reading. The weak labour market has hit youth the hardest. The Household Labour Force Survey results for the March quarter identified an annual rise of 14,700 unemployed 15 to 24-year-olds. These are some of the youth that we can help.

But jobs are so much more than a vehicle to learn new skills and gain experience. Being employed and an active member of a community - notwithstanding those outside of paid work who are also actively involved - is also one way to identify and develop future leaders.

Good leadership is like a well-behaved GPS system - it steers you where you want to go, finds the best and most efficient route and avoids wasting time having to backtrack. Every successful business requires effective leadership to keep the compass steering in the right direction.

I define a good leader as - among other things - being able to motivate others and communicate effectively. Leadership is also about being "one of the people", which means being visible on the front line and treating the receptionist the same as you would treat management.

Leadership is also about being able to put yourself in another person's shoes. And in my mind this comes from having a wide set of experiences - a benefit of being employed.

McDonald's founder Ray Kroc had a few gems about leadership.

He said: "The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves." Lead by example.

We have a vision at McDonald's and that's to recognise and develop the potential of all of our staff. I ask each and every employer in New Zealand to consider what they can be doing to help in the current environment. To borrow again from our founder: "The two most important requirements for major success are: first, being in the right place at the right time, and second, doing something about it." As you can see, we've already started.

* Mark Hawthorne is managing director of McDonald's Restaurants (NZ).