The new school year has started leaving parents up and down the country to consider returning to work now their kids are starting school or nursery. Now independent research has been commissioned by food giants McDonald's with the intention of finding out what mums today want from the world of work.
Parenting on Female First
The survey of over 590 mums across the UK found that flexibility to work around childcare and interests outside of work is paramount, a huge 86% of mums agreed this is key when deciding to take a job. Then 74% added that a friendly and sociable working environment is important to them and 76% of revealed they had made friends for life at work.
It's not just fellow parents they're looking to work with. 58% of mums surveyed said they want to work with people of different ages, 61% said they valued the opportunity to learn from an older mentor, and 65% enjoyed the opportunity to coach younger colleagues.
McDonald's UK carried out the study as the business begins recruiting 5,000 more people over the next 18 months. The company is already one of the country's largest employers with a workforce of 110,000, many of whom are parents.
To demonstrate what a job at McDonald's has to offer, McDonald's UK has partnered with Channel Mum vlogger Lisa Lum, inviting her behind the counter of a McDonald's restaurant to meet working mothers Sara Staniforth and Claire Potter and see first-hand it's like.
Commenting on the findings, Claire Hall, Chief People Officer, McDonald's UK, said:
"At McDonald's we welcome staff from all backgrounds and walks of life, including many parents. We know one of the reasons people join us is because of the flexibility we provide - flexibility that allows parents to take the school holidays off with their kids or work round childcare commitments.
"The skills we look for such as teamwork, time management and good communication aren't the prerequisite of any particular age group and appeal to people from every walk of life. There is also training and career progression available for everyone who wants it."
McDonald's employee, Sara Staniforth, Business Manager and working mother said:
"I first started working at McDonald's when I was 17 and have worked my way up through the business. As I've changed and grown over the years, my career at McDonald's has also evolved to give me new opportunities and meet my changing needs. Since I've become a mum this has become even more important and I love the flexibility working at McDonald's gives me when I need it. I was actually on maternity leave with my 3rd child when I was offered the job of Business Manager, which I saw as a huge vote of confidence in me and my abilities."
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