Perfectly Able to Serve

For Nor Hidayah Mat Zin, being diagnosed with Down Syndrome and learning difficulties is not a deterrent for living her life to the fullest. For the past one year, she has been working as a full-time lobby crew at McDonald’s, helping to make customers happy by keeping the restaurant clean and comfortable for their dining experience.

Hidayah’s efforts and diligence did not go unnoticed as she was recognized with the ‘Best Lobby Crew’ award by her restaurant in 2015. This wonderful achievement proves that having a drive for excellence and performing to the best of one’s abilities is not dependent on being born with perfect faculties.

When asked about what motivates her at work, Hidayah credits her team members and superiors for being very understanding and extending every support that they could to help her adapt and perform her job well. She hopes to continue working for as long as she’s able to be of service.

As a company that champions diversity and inclusion in its workforce, McDonald’s Malaysia employs more than 100 staff with disabilities including those who are autistic, hearing-impaired and speech-impaired. McDonald’s partners with various organizations including the Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti (PDK) centres under Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat, to help provide employment opportunities to those under their care. McDonald’s also has three certified internal job coaches to supervise suitable job placements and smooth transitions for people with disabilities at its restaurants.

Hopefully, these efforts would attract more people like Hidayah to join in the workforce and prove that everyone has the potential to succeed in their own special way.

Check out the full story here