McDonald's happy meal servers might be very unhappy hearing what's coming for them!

Source: Jagran

McDonald's, headquartered in Chicago, is reportedly in the process of conducting discussions with all its corporate employees this week, not just those who are being let go. The company is also said to be reassigning or promoting employees into new or higher roles in addition to the separations.

This approach by McDonald's follows similar actions taken by other companies during recent layoffs. In November, Twitter Inc. closed its offices before conducting mass layoffs under its new Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk. Similarly, in December, PepsiCo Inc. also adopted a similar approach, as reported by Fox Business.

The practice of virtual layoffs became more widespread during the COVID-19 pandemic when businesses were forced to downsize rapidly due to lockdowns. However, now that many companies have returned to offices, executives have the choice of conducting layoffs in person or remotely.

Virtual layoffs, though more efficient in terms of logistics, have faced criticism and backlash from employees and experts alike. For instance, Better Holdco Inc., an online mortgage lender, had to publicly apologize after firing 900 workers over Zoom, an incident that went viral on social media. Employees at Alphabet Inc.'s Google have also voiced dissatisfaction with the company's recent mass layoffs, calling for future job cuts to be conducted in person to allow for proper goodbyes to colleagues.

Although remote layoffs may be more efficient, some experts argue that the norm should still be to deliver the news in person whenever possible. Sandra Sucher, a professor of management practice at Harvard Business School who studies trust between employers and employees, notes that in the past, companies would gather employees together for large-scale layoffs, followed by one-on-one meetings with managers for processing the news and addressing questions.

Sucher argues that while delivering the initial news of a layoff remotely may be quick, the follow-up questions about timing, severance packages, logistics, and benefits require thorough and careful handling. She describes the process of laying off employees as a personal and difficult conversation that requires human respect and accountability.

Sucher emphasizes that the most significant action a company can take is involuntarily separating someone from their job, which impacts their ability to support themselves and their families. She acknowledges that the privacy argument in favor of remote layoffs has merit, but believes it is outweighed by the need to have face-to-face interactions with affected employees.

In addition to the ethical considerations, there are also practical challenges associated with remote layoffs. For example, virtual communication may lack the nuances of in-person communication, and employees may find it harder to process the news and ask questions. Furthermore, remote layoffs may lead to feelings of isolation and lack of closure for affected employees.

On the other hand, proponents of remote layoffs argue that it can be more efficient and less emotionally taxing for both employees and employers. Remote layoffs can be conducted quickly, and there is no need for employees to physically travel to a location for the meeting. It can also provide a level of privacy for employees who may not want to discuss their layoff in a public or shared setting.

Companies like McDonald's may also argue that conducting layoffs remotely helps maintain confidentiality and prevents leaks of sensitive information. It can also allow for flexibility in scheduling and minimize disruptions to ongoing work.