The fast-food empire of McDonald’s just temporarily closed its U.S. offices to prepare for layoffs as part of their restructuring plan.
Last week, U.S employees as well as some international staff received an email asking them to work from home Monday through Wednesday as the company performs virtual layoffs.
McDonald’s did not indidcate how many employees will be let go.
“During the week of April 3, we will communicate key decisions related to roles and staffing levels across the organization,” the company email read, which was obtained by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
The email explained that the layoffs would be done virtually since the week would likely be busy due to spring break and Easter.
“We want to ensure the comfort and confidentiality of our people during the notification period,” they added.
Breitbart reports:
The wave of layoffs comes after McDonald’s Chief Executive Officer Chris Kempczinski said in an interview this past January that the company will be making “difficult” decisions to restructure its corporate staff.
“Some jobs that are existing today are either going to get moved or those jobs may go away,” Kempczinski said.
Between its restaurants and corporate operations, the company employs roughly 150,000 people globally, according to the WSJ. McDonald’s is also far from the only company laying off staff this year.
“Companies across industries are reducing head counts amid concerns about a slowing economy. Layoffs that began in the tech sector last year have spread to retailers and manufacturers.
Last month Amazon.com Inc. said it was eliminating 9,000 more jobs, following previously announced layoffs,” WSJ added.
I can’t say this surprises me much considering McDonald’s has been heavily updating and working on their restaurants being more automated.
For example, every McDonald’s that I have been to in the last year or so have required you to order on a touchscreen computer. No employees were taking orders.
In December of last year, McDonald’s launched its first fully automated restaurant operated by robots in Fort Worth, Texas, as a test for future locations. The restaurant reportedly requires no human contact for orders or meal pickup in the dining room and the drive-thru.
McDonald’s said the location will be for customers in need of a meal on the go by featuring an “Order Ahead Lane” where people can receive orders on a conveyer belt. The new location is part of the company’s “Accelerating the Arches” program to improve customer experience.
“When you step inside the test restaurant concept, you’ll notice it’s considerably smaller than a traditional McDonald’s restaurant in the U.S. Why?
The features—inside and outside—are geared toward customers who are planning to dine at home or on the go,” McDonald’s said in a statement at the time.
“Inside the restaurant, there’s a delivery pick-up room for couriers to retrieve orders quickly and conveniently. There are also kiosks, where customers can place their orders to go, and a pick-up shelf for orders,” it added.
“Outside the restaurant, there are several parking spaces dedicated to curbside order pick-up, as well as designated parking spaces for delivery drivers.”
Things may be advancing in the technology world, but that makes it tough for humans in need of jobs. Our economy is quickly crashing, and the more people are out of work, the quicker it is going to go.
