Talking about McDonalds boss not wanting to discuss historical abuse claims, Gemma McCall, co-founder and CEO of workplace harassment reporting software, Culture Shift, said:
“McDonalds’ CEO Lauren Schultz said she ‘didn’t want to talk about the past’ when questioned by the BBC today (22nd April) on allegations of abuse that were first uncovered in a 2023 investigation.
While it’s understandable that she wants to move forward, refusing to talk about and reflect on the issue will make it much harder to change things moving forward. Openness and transparency go a long way – poor cultures can’t be changed without really acknowledging and reflecting on what has happened so that leaders know exactly what needs to change.
Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes for McDonalds. It now has significant work to do, over a long period, in order to build back trust and create a culture where everyone feels safe to speak-up. Teams must be able to see that speaking up is genuinely encouraged, valued and respected. In addition, the root causes of abuse must be identified and addressed in order for any long-term change to happen.
While McDonalds have said repeatedly that extensive work has taken place since the initial allegations to tackle harassment claims, it must be teamed with genuine leadership accountability, cultural overhaul, regular updates, and public accountability to addressing reports and findings. Radical transparency – being open about what has been reported, sharing any sanctions that were applied, and accompanying this with a prevention action plan to stop it from happening in future – would go a long way in solving this issue and would be a sensible way forward if McDonalds is serious about changing its culture.
As this case continues to play out, it’s a stark reminder of the obligations employers of all sizes have when it comes to tacking sexual harassment, in line with the Worker Protection Act and the Employment Rights Act, which will go a step further in October this year and stipulate that employers must take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment.”
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