McDonald’s South Africa recognised as a top employer

McDonald’s South Africa is pleased to announce its certification as a top employer for 2026 by the Top Employers Institute. This recognition acknowledges the company’s ongoing commitment to prioritising its people and fostering a workplace environment in which all employees can thrive. This marks the third consecutive year that McDonald’s South Africa has received this accolade, coinciding with three decades of the company’s presence in the country.

The recognition underscores the strength of McDonald’s South Africa’s human resources practices, particularly in the areas of employee development, leadership excellence and cultivating a values-driven corporate culture. The certification was awarded following an independent and rigorous assessment across six key HR domains: Steer, Shape, Attract, Develop, Engage and Unite. Receiving the top employer status enhances the company’s external reputation as an employer of choice aligned with its values.

Internally, it bolsters employee pride by demonstrating the organisation’s dedication to growth, development and overall employee experience. McDonald’s South Africa’s commitment to talent development is exemplified by its impressive 71% retention rate within its learnership programme, as well as the existence of Hamburger University, the company’s dedicated training institution. Employees who did not remain with McDonald’s after the learnerships pursued other career opportunities, which reflects the quality of development provided.

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Additionally, the CATHSSETA programme engaged 1 400 learners, with notable outcomes: 476 learners were permanently absorbed into McDonald’s South Africa, approximately 658 transitioned to careers elsewhere, and around 200 declined job offers to explore other options. During the assessment, McDonald’s South Africa’s leadership approach, employee engagement initiatives, and talent acquisition strategies were evaluated. The results reaffirm the company’s dedication to fostering a supportive, inclusive, and high-performance organisational culture rooted in people-centric leadership.

Looking ahead, McDonald’s South Africa recognises that its next opportunity for growth and continued excellence lies in further investment in automation, integration and advanced digital HR platforms. These enhancements will support a seamless interface between the various role players across the employee lifecycle, strengthening operational efficiency while enabling an even more connected, data-driven, and employee‑centred HR ecosystem.

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