Hiring during covid times is not easy, and business owners are coming up with new and innovative ways to incentivize employees. MacDonald’s restaurant in Illinois is giving a free iPhone for employees who stick to their job for atleast six months.

The McDonald franchise has put up a signboard that reads, “Now hiring. Free iPhone.” It is accompanied by terms and conditions that require the candidate to meet specific employment criteria. One of the criteria is that the employee should not leave the job for the next six months.

The fast-food industry, in general, is currently facing a staff crunch. Analysts attribute this to poor wages, health concerns, childcare requirements, and, most importantly, unemployment benefits. It looks like the employees would prefer living on employee benefits instead of working at the fast-food chain and risking their lives without any healthcare.

An iPhone is a good reward for employee loyalty. It could motivate workers to stay longer and show a better commitment to the workplace. The advertisement shows an iPhone with a Touch ID. This leads us to believe that the reward might be iPhone SE or even the iPhone 8. We feel it would have been better if the employer had mentioned the make of the iPhone.

Yet another McDonald’s outlet in Tempa offers $50 for anyone ready to attend a job interview. Some outlets are forced to reduce work times and shut down dine-in service due to lack of employees. Furthermore, restauranters are holding off expanding their menu until they can hire more staff.

Our Take

Across industries, employers are luring employees with incentives, bonuses, referral bonuses, and much more. Even Foxconn is offering a bonus to new recruits considering they work for 90 days. The company is working overtime to meet the increased demand for iPhones.