This paper examines how to improve employee motivation in the fast food industry, where high attrition rates and a predominantly transient workforce present unique challenges. Drawing on established theories — including scientific management, Mayo's human relations school, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and Herzberg's two-factor model — the paper identifies three core strategies: providing short-term financial incentives, fostering meaningful employee recognition, and increasing employee engagement. Each recommendation is grounded in theoretical evidence and tailored to the realities of fast food operations, where long-term career commitment is limited and job design tends to reflect a task-centric, dehumanizing approach. Practical implementation steps are outlined for each strategy.
It is well established that motivated employees bring a number of benefits to employers, reducing potential attrition levels while increasing productivity and innovation (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2011). For a fast food company such as McDonald's or Burger King, where attrition is high and many staff members are students who do not see the company offering long-term career opportunities, motivation can be particularly challenging (Kroc, 2012). This paper provides an outline of how to improve motivation in a fast food operation, taking into account the circumstances prevalent within the fast food industry. It considers the relevant theoretical basis before offering practical advice and implementation strategies specifically suited to fast food chains.
Motivation is an important consideration for employers, and understanding what does and does not motivate employees is essential when determining effective strategies. The following theories provide a useful foundation for identifying strategic approaches.
Scientific management, which treats employees as interchangeable parts of a machine whose individual needs are neither recognised nor satisfied, is likely to produce low motivation, dissatisfaction, and high attrition. This pattern was observed at the Ford factory and continues to appear in many fast food outlets due to their job design and associated culture (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2011).
Mayo, the founder of the human relations school of thought, identified that a key element in staff motivation is developing and maintaining a good employment relationship — one in which employees feel that they matter (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2011).
Maslow's hierarchy of needs outlines the different factors that motivate employees as they progress from lower-order needs to higher-order needs. Lower-order needs are those essential for life, such as physiological well-being and the need for food and shelter, while higher-order needs include love, recognition, and self-actualisation (Maslow, 2014).
Employee engagement has been shown to be directly correlated with motivation, improving overall organisational performance (Cook, 2008; Schaufeli & Salanova, 2007).
These theories provide a foundation for identifying and implementing suitable strategies within the fast food industry — an industry designed largely in line with scientific management. The critical factors for improving motivation therefore centre on these frameworks, with recommendations including the provision of short-term incentives, recognition of employees' value, and increased employee engagement.
With many employees intending to work for the employer for only a short period, long-term incentives may offer limited value. It is therefore essential to identify incentives that can stimulate increased productivity among those who do not envision a long-term career with the organisation. When examining the motivation of many employees — particularly students and part-time workers — a primary driver is financial remuneration (Autor, 2014). Since most fast food jobs are low-paying and do not require formal qualifications, those who are not students will also frequently be motivated primarily by financial concerns. According to Maslow (2014), financial security falls under the lower-order needs on the hierarchy, meaning financial needs that provide for food and shelter must be met before higher-order motivators, such as recognition, can become effective. However, according to Herzberg's (1968) two-factor model, money is a hygiene factor rather than a motivator — it will not provide direct motivation in itself, but the absence of sufficient financial reward can heighten dissatisfaction.
The provision of short-term incentives may therefore encourage short-term performance among employees who can see a tangible benefit in earning more money. This decreases dissatisfaction, reduces potential attrition, and can facilitate motivation through additional processes. Short-term incentives may operate over a single day or even an hour during busy periods — for example, offering one extra hour's pay to the most productive employee during a rush. Weekly and monthly financial rewards may also be offered; these not only deliver financial benefit but can simultaneously satisfy other motivational needs on Maslow's hierarchy, such as the recognition gained by winning an award. Such rewards might include financial prizes for selling the most additional non-standard products (such as apple pie) or the highest proportion of upsized items. Short-term financial rewards may also incorporate pay reviews, with small increases in hourly rate based on performance appraisal, supporting both immediate performance and the longer-term prospect of earning more through consistent effort.
However, when implementing this approach, the findings of Mayo's Hawthorne studies should also be considered. Although financial rewards appeared to stimulate production, the employment relationship was found to have the greatest influence on motivation (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2011). It is therefore recommended that short-term incentives be combined with support for the employment relationship, where praise and recognition are given to employees alongside financial rewards, potentially maximising the benefit of this strategy.
"Cultural shift toward meaningful employee recognition"
"Participative management and engagement programs"
Schaufeli, W., & Salanova, M. (2007). Work engagement: An emerging psychological concept and its implications for organizations. In S. W. Gilliland, D. Steiner, & P. Skarlicki (Eds.), Managing social and ethical issues in organisations (pp. 153–177). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
Seijts, G. H., & Crim, D. (2006). What engages employees the most or, the ten C's of employee engagement. Ivey Business Journal. Retrieved from
Taylor, F. W. (2012). The principles of scientific management. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications.
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