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Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind

Full History - 2019 - 03 - 07 - ID#aycfrh
28
Dealing with a bad coworker (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by SpikeTops
When I say bad I don’t mean “bad working.” I mean “bad attitude.” She has always been super condescending to me. I can’t handle it. It reached a boiling point yesterday. Small context is that I’ve been working on myself a lot. I have Autism and I make it no secret. But I was able to prove myself by winning barista championship last year all the way to district level! So here is the story today: I walked in with a new haircut I really liked, and her first response was “hey I like your haircut, but I like (another coworker’s) more.” In front of customers by the way. How uncalled for. Way to embarrass me not thirty seconds into walking in before my shift. I got on the floor, trying to brush off what she says. Not ten seconds after I get on, “oh hey can you go on customer support? The condiment bar is in need of work.” She’s not a fucking shift! Even the shift needs to remind her that. I was getting her some cups and a few fell out of the sleeve. I have been working on my anger, so I decided to just calm myself. She wags her finger at me and just goes, “no no don’t do that!” I know she’s a nanny and that’s how they talk to kids with special needs (my girlfriend works with special needs kids so I know this.). She did this in front of a line of customers. It made me embarrassed. I didn’t want to talk to her. I had to get milks and she was back there and wouldn’t stop blaming my perception instead of her actions. I couldn’t hold myself I just said “I’m not happy with how you talk to me. You talk to me a nanny talks to a child.” She got upset and called my manager who I talk to tomorrow, and told all of our mutual friends. She tried to leave early. Our old coworker came in, and I told her how one of the people working at another store wanted to have me there, still in front of customers, she goes “you should go, this place would be better without you.” Why in front of customers? Even the shift and I talked on my ten and he saw it how I did. She has the chance to be the bigger person, being older and working with kids, but she chooses to elevate it and be hostile with me. I have to talk to my manager tomorrow. Is it bad to feel like I’m in trouble? What do I say to my manager? I just need advice because I don’t wanna be written up or in trouble for this.
tryveung 11 points 4y ago
Im sorry you are going through that. Just let your sm know what happened, they'll be understamding hopefully. Usually when there's a coworker like that everyone knows its not you. Stay strong 💪
nomad-kid 4 points 4y ago
It doesn’t sound like you did anything to purposefully damage the store or the feelings of anyone working with you. Keep your chin up, I hope your manager will be able to help you sort this all out.
OkayWhatSize 3 points 4y ago
Starbucks really cares about partners displaying Starbucks values, and I'm 100% sure you store manager would be appalled to hear this. I always feel like I'm in trouble when I have to speak to my manager, but I've always been happy and relieved when I stuck up for myself and made a complaint. I'm always proud of myself afterwards, because It's starting to become a problem for me at work sometimes because I never complain about how I feel to my boss, I don't know why I just can't mentally get the nerve to ever be comfortable enough with them, and it's subconscious or something.

Anyway, we all deserve a safe and happy work place and anyone who makes you feel differently will be fired. Starbucks is really serious about this kind of thing.
Narthithuth 2 points 4y ago
I also have autism, and when people like that behave so badly in front of customers it really gets under my skin. We of the autist sort definitely thrive on clear rules and hierarchies so when someone oversteps it can be hard to figure out how to react. In your case I would say 100% REPORT IT TO YOUR STORE MANAGER. You should NEVER have to deal with a fellow partner belittling you, in front of others or otherwise. You will absolutely not get in trouble for saying how it makes you feel. Starbucks is a team sport and it only works if everyone has each others backs. Who knows, maybe she isn't even aware that she's treating you in a way that upsets you... but you don't have to confront her about it directly if you're not comfortable. That's what your SM is for. I had a similar problem with a shift who micromanaged me half to death. She meant well, but when it came down to it she was making my job unnecessarily harder and others noticed that she treated me that way. Not only did my store manager totally have my back when I brought it up to her, but my whole team did and that just reminded me of how much I appreciate my partners. That support should absolutely be the rule, not the exception!
allywallycholalips 1 points 4y ago
I completely get this I’ve also dealt with a bad Starbucks coworker just today and it was really hard because she actually was the shift supervisor and she was so bossy and talked to me like if I was dumb just because I only have a month working there . Interacting with customers is one of my favorite thing to do but in the middle of my shift she pulled me aside and asked if i wanted to get off of register and if I was ok because I had a “resting b*tch face” and to “just smile a little” also the whole time I was on the floor she would just look at everything I would do just to correct me in some way . It really takes the joy out of working at Starbucks when there is that one bad coworker but all my other partners are so cool and helpful that the good outweighs the bad
kanodls 1 points 4y ago
I have a person at my store who thinks they are a shift. I was recently promoted to shift and this same girl (who has only worked there for 4 months) also asked for the shift job. Me being the most experienced for the store got the promotion. Now she blatantly doesn’t listen to what I tell her and straight up said “you aren’t the boss of me *insert sm name here* is. I think she was just mad I got the SSV job and I am younger than her kek. I know how you feel
TotesMessenger 1 points 4y ago
I'm a bot, *bleep*, *bloop*. Someone has linked to this thread from another place on reddit:

- [/r/starbucks] $1

 *^(If you follow any of the above links, please respect the rules of reddit and don't vote in the other threads.) ^\($1 ^/ ^$1)*
Brivera726 6 points 4y ago
Sounds like she’s threatening Starbucks values. I would tell your manager that
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