In an online article by NBC writer Martha C. White entitled: “McFail: McDonald’s debt advice to employees — return purchases, skip the takeout,” we are again introduced to another of McDonald’s missives to its workers. Did they intend to be demeaning? I don’t think so, but sometimes the best advice may miss it’s mark if the communication doesn’t seem genuine. A positive ethical intent? I suspect so…but the telling a lowly paid worker how to be more frugal often just 
challenges the frustration they feel. More times than not good business ethics and intent hits home with well thought out communication.
In this latest piece of advice McDonald’s issued on its employee website was to tell its lower wage workers that the best way to pay for holiday purchases was to sell those unopened things they bought and to bring a sack lunch! According to the article, the exact wording was:
“’You may want to consider returning some of your unopened purchases that may not seem as appealing as they did. Selling some of your unwanted possessions on eBay or Craigslist could bring in some quick cash,’” it continued. “’Consider bringing a brown bag lunch and skipping the takeout …. You might also consider a temporary part time job to dig out of debt quickly.’”
If you have been following the McDonald’s story you will also remember that in July 2013, the company issued what they called their finance guide, where they told their lower wage employees to set aside a monthly budget of $20 for health care, $600 for rent and $150 a month to pay off their automobiles (and to fill it up with gas, I suppose). Oh yes, I failed to mention that this amazing budget mandated a second job and a 60 hour work week.
McDonald’s, of course, felt the criticism of their site was taken out of context. Organizations protesting minimum wage predictably lined up to tell the fast food chain how ridiculous the numbers were.
Again, according to the article:
“’Although the spokeswoman said McDonald’s and Nurtur Health, which created the site, would ‘review the content and make any necessary adjustments,’ she defended the site. ‘The vast majority of the resources and information on the site are based on credible outside experts and well-published advice,’ she said.’”
Minimum wage does not mean minimum ethics
This post is neither to defend nor fight against minimum wage. It is to examine the arrogance of those at the very top of organizations and the way they perceive the people who work for them.
The company might wish to know that according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (April 2013), 42 percent of the restaurant and fast food workers who are over the age of 25 have at least some college education. More than 750,000 of these workers do have college educations. Only 16 percent of fast food workers are teenagers, down from 25 percent in 2003.
The next time you visit a fast food chain you may care to look at the workers. There are single moms and dads, people who were laid off because of their age, and others who are simply trying to survive in a gut-wrenching economy.
But I have a feeling you all ready know this. My readers are compassionate and decent people.
I think that despite what the PR departments for fast food companies might say in their carefully edited statements, they might like to know that their employees are not stupid. Telling a single mom with two kids or a 67 year old man that their health budget is $20 a month, or suggesting to a parent that they sell an “unopened” present from a child on eBay is, I believe, terribly arrogant. More than that, it borders on a very unethical way of viewing employees.
First, have an open heart
I cannot say if anyone at a fast food PR company has ever worked 60 hours a week at back-breaking minimum wage jobs. I am fairly certain I can answer the question without much research.
What I do care about is the attitude of “them” versus “us.” What I do care about is the message of condescension that comes from entitlement. A person who is out of work, who had no alternative but to settle for a low wage does not need to hear that $150 a month is enough to pay off (even) a used car plus buy gasoline.
Maybe the messages should instead convey how proud they are of their employees, how essential they are and even – how the company itself could never have risen to where it is had it not been for their lower wage workers.
In the end, PR spin is not essential; what is essential is to have an open heart.