McDonald’s Germany: Nuggets of Wisdom from HR Director Matthias Kutzer
So, hold onto your Happy Meals folks, because we’re diving into the golden arches of hilarity and human resources! McDonald’s Germany, the land of the Big Mac and apparently a treasure trove of employment wisdom, is home to 65,000 employees. Yes, that’s more people than most countries have!
The Man Behind the Magic: Matthias Kutzer
Meet Matthias Kutzer. He’s not just flipping patties—well, technically, he’s not flipping anything because he’s the HR Director *now*—but once upon a time, he had dreams of becoming a snow groomer driver. That’s right, while you were dreaming of world domination, Matthias was dreaming of smoothing out snowy slopes.
Fast forward to today, and he’s been with McDonald’s for over 17 years, initially strutting in as a labor law expert. Who knew that the path to success involved trading in your legal briefs for a rather snazzy McDonald’s uniform? All jokes aside, Matthias’s journey is one that says a lot about pursuing your passion. And let’s be honest, McDonald’s is probably more emotionally fulfilling than being a snow groomer—unless you have a thing for frosty environments of course!
Eight Tips from a Pro: How to Manage Like a McBoss
Director Kutzer isn’t just a talking menu; he’s cooked up eight priceless tips for those aspiring to be ‘better’ bosses in the people business. What could they possibly be you ask? Well, let’s just say they sound more substantial than a McMuffin.
- Be Authentic: This is his secret sauce, folks! Being genuine goes a long way, especially when you manage a crew who are literally flipping your ice cream machine.
- Prioritize Employee Well-being: McDonald’s isn’t just about burgers; it’s about people! Kutzer swears that happy employees are productive employees, which is basically HR 101 but sounds gushing when he says it.
- Embrace Diversity: A melting pot of cultures makes for a vibrant workplace. Let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to hear stories about why McFlurries are the lesser dessert from an intern who’s trained in gourmet desserts?
- Communicate Openly: Dialogue is key. No one likes a manager who communicates through sticky notes on the fryer!
- Grow Together: The company plans to create up to 30,000 new jobs over the next decade. That’s more jobs than bad McDonald’s puns we can make!
- Feedback is Gold: Don’t be the manager that believes they’re above criticism! Everyone loves a well-timed critique, like how to improve your fry technique.
- Invest in Training: Today’s crew is tomorrow’s management. If you’ve got a knack for champagne tastes on a beer budget, training is the way to go!
- Celebrate Success: Whether it’s a successful quarter or your congrats for hitting the 1,000th burger milestone, celebrating keeps spirits high and productivity sizzling!
In Conclusion: The McDonald’s Way
Let’s wrap it up with a little bit of wit and wisdom. Matthias Kutzer may have started out with political ambitions in labor law, but now he’s on an epic mission of people management in the realms of golden arches and all-day breakfast.
It’s a reminder that leadership is about more than just climbing a corporate ladder; it’s about building a better burger… um, workplace! So here’s to Matthias and the nuggets of knowledge he dishes out for the next generation of managers—may they never forget that behind every great corporate success, there’s a solid foundation of well-managed people!🍔
McDonalds Germany has 65,000 employees. The human resources director reveals what managers need to know if they want to work with people. Picture Alliance / Pexels / Mcdonalds, Kutzer / Collage: Business Insider, Frauwallner
Matthias Kutzer started out as a lawyer. 17 years ago he joined McDonalds Germany as an expert in labor law. During these years, the now 49-year-old has taken important steps in his career. A year ago he was finally promoted to human resources director. With BI+, find out his eight tips on how to ensure the success of a company at the personnel level – and what makes managers better bosses.
Matthias Kutzer (49) has been Human Resources Director at McDonalds Germany for a year. He started there 17 years ago as a specialist lawyer in labor law. Almost 10 years later he was already Director of Human Resources.
Kutzer is now responsible for the strategic direction of human resources policy. His company plans to create up to 30,000 new jobs over the next ten years.
He offers eight career tips for managers in the “people business” who want to become better bosses. He swears by authenticity.
In 2007, he was working as a lawyer when the employment lawyer position at McDonalds became available. Matthias Kutzer, 32 years old at the time, thought to himself: “Why not? The company is a global brand that almost everyone knows.” What was most important to him was working with people, and there were and are many of those at McDonalds.
He explained to Business Insider how he got to his leadership position – and what managers should know if they want to be good bosses.
He actually wanted to become a snow groomer driver
For more than 17 years, Kutzer has placed the well-being of employees at the center of his career in responsible leadership positions, he says.
