Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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My Partner Perspective Survey Response (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by AkteAkte
Nothing that corporate does to raise morale matters unless we spend more on labor.
There are simply not enough partners on the floor to do the work.
This applies to all day-parts, and all days of the week.
Partners are underpaid.
Turnover is way too high because of these facts.
Any other "benefit" or "perk" that corporate introduces is a waste of time and money simply to obfuscate these truths.
All partners at the store level are overworked.
​
(I am a 7-year partners, with 5 years as a Shift Supervisor. It used to be better. A lot better)
There are simply not enough partners on the floor to do the work.
This applies to all day-parts, and all days of the week.
Partners are underpaid.
Turnover is way too high because of these facts.
Any other "benefit" or "perk" that corporate introduces is a waste of time and money simply to obfuscate these truths.
All partners at the store level are overworked.
​
(I am a 7-year partners, with 5 years as a Shift Supervisor. It used to be better. A lot better)
Schweddy_Bewbs 98 points 3y ago
Yup. Pay us more. They've turn Starbucks into fast food. We don't have the time or energy to connect with customers when front register has to get brewed coffee, do warming, and somehow brew. Its nutty.
Kaywin 26 points 3y ago
>They've turn Starbucks into fast food.
Plus the emphasis on 'customer connection.' My SM is currently obsessed with the fact that we are, Idk, halfway down the list in our district for customer connection score. I've worked at the #3 best store in the district for this score, and it is a cafe whose customers are largely extremely regular customers. Think the same people who go every single day to that same particular location. By contrast, mine is a growing, busy drivethru off a busy freeway in a big city, and many of the people we get we will never see again. At minimum 66% of our sales are at drive through, and probably more. Given the sales volume we are expected to crank out, the amount of time a person in DT or ordering mobile generally spends in the store (5-30 seconds,) and my own incredibly chaotic and irregular schedule; frankly, I just don't have the fucking spoons to think about "customer connection" with every last individual customer. Not to mention, I don't really think that every customer we get is reading the survey question as literally as my SM is.
Plus the emphasis on 'customer connection.' My SM is currently obsessed with the fact that we are, Idk, halfway down the list in our district for customer connection score. I've worked at the #3 best store in the district for this score, and it is a cafe whose customers are largely extremely regular customers. Think the same people who go every single day to that same particular location. By contrast, mine is a growing, busy drivethru off a busy freeway in a big city, and many of the people we get we will never see again. At minimum 66% of our sales are at drive through, and probably more. Given the sales volume we are expected to crank out, the amount of time a person in DT or ordering mobile generally spends in the store (5-30 seconds,) and my own incredibly chaotic and irregular schedule; frankly, I just don't have the fucking spoons to think about "customer connection" with every last individual customer. Not to mention, I don't really think that every customer we get is reading the survey question as literally as my SM is.
Schweddy_Bewbs 11 points 3y ago
This is eerily similar to our store. Slammed with freeway tourists, in a very summer tourist destination area. Cafe and DT are both busy but DT is nonstop. And the mobiles. My god. I wish the corporate spies that probably read this figure out how to put limits on some of the mobile ordering (like shut it down when we are swamped in the cafe and DT).
Kaywin 1 points 3y ago
No idea how they'd metric that but it'd be nice. Fortunately we don't get nearly as many mobiles as some other places (The store with the good Customer Connection score that I mentioned is also one of the highest in the district for mobile orders.) But the way our cafe is set up the cafe register person is often also the only mobile/cafe bar person so things can get backed up juggling mobiles with cafe tasks.
joinjimpickenscult 4 points 3y ago
ikr
feels like working for McDonalds without the foods and pancakes.
at least give us a chair to sit on dammit
feels like working for McDonalds without the foods and pancakes.
at least give us a chair to sit on dammit
S50013563g9 37 points 3y ago
i’m just gonna copy this and the next time the survey has a fill in answer, i’m going to paste this
dont_blame_yoko 35 points 3y ago
So I'm just going to copy and paste all this on mine. Maybe if they get nonstop surveys with the exact same information, something will click for once. I know, I dream big.
foolishcomputer 8 points 3y ago
This isn't dreaming big! It's a form of direct action :*) We need more people to speak up instead of just 'dealing' with the 'reality' of the situation ((how long can someone deal with not being appreciated in an intense line of work?))
agentdouble1s 22 points 3y ago
I'm tired of being told that "it's not about the pay, it's the lack of morale and training."
Well first of all, then give us more training and allow us to freely add labor to allow FOR morale.
And yes. Yes it IS about the pay. Why do more for x when I can do less for y?
Well first of all, then give us more training and allow us to freely add labor to allow FOR morale.
And yes. Yes it IS about the pay. Why do more for x when I can do less for y?
bigmike450 15 points 3y ago
Basically my responses to every question was pay us more or let us unionize
andrealeighannn 12 points 3y ago
So I’ve worked for corporate and licensed. It’s not much better on either side of the fence. Thank you for saying what all of us are feeling.
- A tired four year partner thinking of finally hanging up my dear embroidered apron for the last time.
- A tired four year partner thinking of finally hanging up my dear embroidered apron for the last time.
foolishcomputer 11 points 3y ago
I ran as fast as i could. I loved being a partner, I kinda loved my workload too but the company seems to be splitting at the seams. If I could copy paste this into a PPS I would, BUT I ENCOURAGE others to do the same.
It's highly labor intensive with little to no pay off, and tbh they need to do something about the weird caste system between partners. It's baffling to say the least.
It's highly labor intensive with little to no pay off, and tbh they need to do something about the weird caste system between partners. It's baffling to say the least.
cautiontape8 1 points 3y ago
Caste system?
foolishcomputer 7 points 3y ago
Forgive me, my phrasing is a bit off but I've noticed hierarchies in stores I've worked at personally. SSV's being generally dismissive toward newcomers, seasoned baristas shooting passive aggressive remarks at one and other, lots of individuals sucking up to older partners and GMs. I've heard other claims from a few baristas, once got a kid in my DM venting on what I can only chalk up to as bullying for not knowing how to do support because they were 1. Undertrained, 2. Didn't really get a sufficient amount of hours to gain confidence in that role.
cautiontape8 6 points 3y ago
Ah ok I understand. I feel like that happens in every store. I'm a 185 that's come and gone several times and am fighting to change that whole dynamic. It's ridiculous and we should all be working together, not getting into petty squabbles.
foolishcomputer 5 points 3y ago
Absolutely! And that's awesome. We're all working our hardest and are human at the end of the day, dealing with very similar situations. Whether someone has thicker skin than xyz or more expereince isn't so much the issue, as partners needing to unionize, show consideration and communicate more effectively with each other. Starbucks has made both customer and partner connection tougher, rather than making it easier. How can people effectively run a store if their ability to communicate is compromised? Amongst other downfalls out of their control?
foolishcomputer 3 points 3y ago
This may not be a case for your store or district, if so that's wonderful but from the many posts I've seen venting about exactly these scenarios- this seems to be a large issue.
I mean, it's a large issue in other workplaces as well but I speak specifically on Starbucks.
I mean, it's a large issue in other workplaces as well but I speak specifically on Starbucks.
greensocks098 11 points 3y ago
They get away with this by offering shitty health plans along with college opportunities and discounts than not even half of the employees qualify or need
theblackkeysweb 7 points 3y ago
They keep cutting hours like their out of money, when their just being cheap and corporate is just paying themselves more.
r1ker 6 points 3y ago
I’m the third generation of labor union sympathizers/members and my great-uncle (former president of a large union) keeps telling me “you must follow in the path of your ancestors and unite”
desertbb123 2 points 3y ago
WOW I love seeing posts that directly relate to me. I feel less alone. I am a 9 year partner with 5 year supervisor experience and stepped down because I was so tired of being unheard and seeing ZERO change. I worked my butt off to make a measly $2.34 more than brand new baristas. 3 other AMAZING long term partners just stepped down for the same reason. its so sad.
tseriesisdone 2 points 3y ago
I went off about how I don’t feel like we’re respected and how no one gives a rats ass. They don’t.
EmilyMStull2019 1 points 3y ago
I copied amd pasted this snazzy answer.
sadnessordeath 1 points 3y ago
!!!!
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