There’s a heartwarming sight at KFC stores nowadays. It’s like coming home to familiar surroundings with your tito or tita or lolo and lola serving your favorite comfort food.
True to its core values, the world-famous chicken restaurant is not just about providing the best-tasting chicken-and-gravy meals but also believing in equal employment opportunities to all age groups.
KFC Philippines is now hiring qualified housewives, househusbands and elderly individuals as part of their store crew because they believe that their experience will be value-adding and to make them feel that they are welcome in KFC to serve quality food.
One excited recruit is Ester Decena, a 73-year-old widow with three married sons.
“Enjoy na enjoy ako. Natuwa nga ako nung natanggap ako kasi matanda na ako. Akala ko hindi na pwede. Tsaka interesado ako eh. Gusto ko matuto pa kahit alam mo na ‘yung gagawin. (I'm really enjoying. I was happy when I was hired because I'm already old. I didn't think I had a chance. I was interested. I want to learn how to work.)" she shared.
“Hindi ako sanay nang hindi kumikilos. Sanay kasi ako nagtatrabaho. Bata pa lang ako nagtitinda na ako ng pagkain. Pagkain talaga ang hilig ko. (I'm not used to not moving. I'm used to working. I started working young selling food. Food is really my interest.)” Decena said.
A retired food vendor, going back to work at a fast-food restaurant seemed second nature to her.
“Ang KFC, sa akin pananaw, class talaga. Pero OK ang kanilang food so nakatatak sa isip ko na OK mag-trabaho sa kanila. Sila ang unang nag-handle sa akin, so para sa KFC talaga ako. (I always had a high opinion of KFC. Their food is good so I believe working with them is great. They're the first to accept me, so I'm staying with them.)”
Decena feels a new sense of purpose as well as enjoyment while working at a world-renowned restaurant. She is grateful for the livelihood opportunity as KFC embraces senior members of society like her.
With seniors like Ester Decena, KFC is wholeheartedly committed in the journey of making a more comfortable, safe dining experience for its community while providing additional income to qualified individuals.
“OK ang mga customers, ka-team at manager ko. Bine-baby nila ako. Maalaga sila. Lagi nila ako kinukumusta at magpapaalam pag-iiwan ako mag-isa. (The customers, team, and manager are great. They treat me with care. They're always checking up on me.)” Decena said.
KFC now employs 64 staff whose ages range from 41 to 77. They are part-timers who help assist the stores during peak hours. They work at least 2 hours a day or more based on how frantic a store’s busy hours can be.
The Colonel's search for qualified candidates has started this year and will continue until 2023. Tapping LGUs, referrals, and the power of social media, the recruitment team will reach out to enthusiastic individuals who will undergo screening, interviews, and orientation before they get to be assigned to selected KFC branches. The selected senior crew will undergo orientation and training before deployment. Their assigned duties are more on the front-of-the-house tasks. Besides giving respect and dignity to the new employees, KFC also provides them additional income with a work-life balance usually deprived of people of a certain age.
KFC Philippines takes pride in fried, freshly prepared meals, unrelenting quality control, and of course the hands and hearts behind making these all possible. We want to build a diverse and inclusive workplace, where a mix of generations are fired up to work together in serving the most finger-lickin' good food.