Fast food chain McDonald's has launched an innovative new scheme allowing employees to job share with family members.

Called The Family Contract, it allows husbands, wives, children over 16, parents and grandparents to swop shifts without any prior notice to management. Co-habiting partners can also apply for the contract.

McDonald's estimates that, in the UK, up to 1,000 people out of its 67,000-strong workforce are family members while 60 per cent of its employees are 16 to 21-year-olds and are predominantly students.

McDonald's vice president of people, David Fairhurst, said: “By giving our employees the freedom to manage their shift commitments, we will increase their motivation and enjoyment of work.”

Under the contract, each worker clocks on and is paid separately through their own bank account.

The contract is the first of its kind in Britain and is being trialed in six cities around the country. If successful, McDonalds would consider extending the scheme to include less immediate family, such as cousins, and even friends.

Commenting on the new contract, Bob Cotton, chief executive of the British Hospitality Association (BHA), said: “We support any idea that opens up the industry's employment opportunities and this seems a very imaginative scheme. Clearly, there are training and administrative issues and not all members of a family would necessarily have the right skills, but schemes like this are positive ways of tackling the industry's staff and skills shortage.” Details: www.mcdonalds.co.uk

Photograph: Cardiff The Family Contract employees Rita Cross with daughters Laura and Natalie