07 Jun 2023 00:00:00 AM Breaking News
UAE: Public holidays announced for National Day, Commemoration DayCoronavirus: UAE reports 1,491 Covid-19 cases, 1,826 recoveries, no deathsUAE health alert: Can you cope with masks for long hours? Should mask breaks be introduced?Breaking: UAE lifts all movement restrictionsLife after COVID-19: Retail Industry witnesses shift towards e-commerce globallyCOVID-19 impact: Yes, it’s time for Dubai business to restartCOVID-19 response: DIFC to gradually reopen businesses from WednesdayCOVID-19 response: DIFC to gradually reopen businesses from WednesdayDubai 22K gold price touches Dh200 a gram for first time in nine yearsCoronavirus: UAE announces 624 new cases, 11 deathsCOVID-19: UAE announces 462 new casesCoronavirus: UAE announces 549 new cases, 9 deathsSmall group of employees behind fraud at NMC Health, says B.R. ShettyCOVID 19: UAE announces 4 deaths, 518 new coronavirus cases and 91 recoveriesUAE announces 490 new coronavirus cases, three deathsCoronavirus: UAE announces 432 new Covid-19 cases on WednesdayCovid-19: UAE announces 300 new cases of coronavirusCOVID-19: Disinfection drive extended to 24 hours in DubaiUAE announces recovery of two new coronavirus patientsPanasonic CEO vows to ‘eradicate’ money-losing businessesEmirates to carry over 6,500 passengers to Dubai for Amway’s largest leadership gatheringTrading of Emirates NBD Bank’s rights issue to take place this NovemberSelling pressure on Emaar drags DFM 1.3% lowerEmirates NBD hires Standard Chartered's Patrick Sullivan as CFOWorld Bank chief asks India to reform financial sectorEarly settlement charges on home loans in UAE reducedBreast Cancer Awareness: How to do a self-exam and why it is a mustDFM surges 4.8 percentageas Emirates NBD hikes foreign stakes limitMcDonald’s enlists Alexa and Google to help with its hiring84-year-old Indian man goes skydiving in DubaiUAE in Space: Have questions for Hazza on the ISS?Indian minister seeks direct flight between Bhubaneswar and DubaiExpo 2020 dome now complete, marking new milestone for UAEEmirati astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri undergoes final test as lift-off nearsSoftBank triples net profit in Q1Microsoft 'listens' to conversations, but only with permissionChina warns India of ‘reverse sanctions’ if Huawei is blockedStocks, oil edge higher as trade-war panic easesTens of thousands losing jobs as India's auto crisis deepensSerena again tops Forbes list of highest-paid sports womenDubai equity traders get a reason to cash out ahead of holidaysRight time to invest? UAE equities attractive on low valuations, positive indicatorsIndian rupee hits 19.21 vs UAE dirhamHumid and dusty weather in UAE until Eid weekendHeathrow airport strike: Emirates issues travel advisoryEid Al Adha 2019: Four-day holiday in UAEEid Al Adha to be celebrated on August 11 in UAENissan, Renault eye restructuring for Fiat merger: report Nissan controls 15 per cent and has no voting rights in Renault

McDonald’s enlists Alexa and Google to help with its hiring

McDonald’s using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to let new workers apply by voice

Want a job at McDonald’s? Just ask your smartphone.

Starting Wednesday, McDonald’s Corp. will let job seekers start an application by using voice commands with Amazon’s Alexa or Google’s Assistant.

If users say, “Alexa, help me get a job at McDonald’s,” Alexa will ask which country they want to work in and play McDonald’s catchy “I’m lovin’ it” jingle. After that, users can share their phone number and get a link to continue the application process. Alexa also shares some facts about working for the company, such as how it can lead to jobs in other fields.

The function is available in the US, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. McDonald’s is also exploring adding the feature in other markets. It’s not yet available through Apple’s Siri.

The move is an unusual one. While some job recruitment companies have built voice-recognition systems on Google and Amazon’s platforms, but both companies say McDonald’s is the first direct employer to use its platform in this way. McDonald’s developed the technology itself.

For McDonald’s, voice-initiated hiring is a way to stand out in a tight job market. The US unemployment rate of 3.7% is near a 50-year low. Unemployment is also below 4% in the UK and Germany.

McDonald’s employs 2 million people at 38,000 restaurants worldwide, and its needs are constantly changing based on turnover and seasonal demands. Over the summer, the Chicago-based company said it was hiring 250,000 people in the US alone. McDonald’s is currently seeking 338 part-time crew workers in the New York area and 414 in Toronto, according to company hiring sites.

Applications by voice — dubbed McDonald’s Apply Thru — are also part of a broader effort to use technology to streamline every part of the restaurant, said David Fairhurst, McDonald’s executive vice president and chief people officer. For customers, that means digital ordering kiosks and mobile ordering” for employees, it means online scheduling and virtual reality games to train store managers.