McDonald's Griffith and Leeton are on the lookout for 50 staff members

McDonald's Griffith and Leeton, both owned by former Newcastle Knights player Matt Gidley, have seen a shortage of staff in recent months as a national labour shortage continues and companies vie with each other for employees.

Mr Gidley said that their situation was similar to most, with greater numbers of employees falling ill compared to years prior to the pandemic.

"Talk to any employer in our community and they'll say the same thing -it's challenging across the country right now, we're no different," he said.

"COVID has brought more challenges, but we're hoping in the warmer months people will remain well."

While many companies simply hire as needed, Mr Gidley explained that McDonald's tried to keep options open for anyone at any time.

"We're always hiring, always looking to attract and develop the best people available - We've got lots of opportunities across both our stores," he said.

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Across Leeton and Griffith, there are currently 50 jobs going - with more on the horizon as a second location opens in Griffith - jobs ranging from baristas, kitchen staff to customer-facing roles and management.

Mr Gidley especially pushed to promote development opportunities across the company, something he's been a strong supporter of.

"The vast majority of licensees, even the CEO, all started at 14 so you can work your way up - McDonald's is renowned for their development pathways and plans."

He said that he particularly would be looking for staff with three key elements, and that anything else could be taught.

"I just think it needs to be someone that has a good work ethic, able to work well in a team, and a good attitude," Mr Gidley said.

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