Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Sudden realization (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by KingBee204
So since joining Starbucks and this subreddit I realized something. People are complaining about how corporate doesn’t really care about us and that may be true but what big company really cares about each and every employee? I know corporate doesn’t care but I know my store cares about me and that’s enough for now. Idk why but I suddenly realized that the other day. Thought I would share.
StomachGullible 25 points 2y ago
Oh shit you are right. I guess it is time we all acquiesce and shut the fuck up about how miserable things have become.
KingBee204 [OP] -1 points 2y ago
I literally never said to shut up though? I was just saying that I know corporate doesn’t care. I know shits wack right now but I’m trying to make the best of it.
squishpolice 14 points 2y ago
Yeah, you’re right.
The problem people have isn’t typically with lower or even middle management— it’s that we see the people who treat us well and care about us struggle under the conditions they’re put under, and that struggle compounds onto us.
We get shortages of hours because SMs can only give so many hours, because the siren found out that they can staff us as little as possible to maximize profit. We’re hounded about drive thru times and connection scores because it’s what our direct management is judged on, it’s what determines whether our store is “successful” and shit.
People complain about the company not giving a shit about us because it doesn’t have to be that way, you know? Starbucks makes a killing, and we all know that (we know how much the up charge is for cold foam lol). What’s fucked up is that it’s the standard to treat us inhumanely (no/shit hours, no coverage on the floor, high stress, no support), and that we’re supposed to then be grateful, because at least we don’t work at Amazon where we aren’t allowed to piss on the clock. We have access to Lyra, have you tried that?
It’s like the benefits exist to silence any real complaints from baristas, and it’s not the fault of middle management that they’re forced to recommend these things.
It’s not just that corporate doesn’t care.
In my opinion, corporate’s negligence causes suffering and exploitation of the baristas on the floors of its stores. It doesn’t have to be like this.
I think that’s more what the complaint is about
I know this is disjointed rambling, but it really bothers me when we have to look at our job and say “hey it’s okay, every company is a pile of shit!”
Like that just shouldn’t be the standard, you know? It doesn’t have to be
The problem people have isn’t typically with lower or even middle management— it’s that we see the people who treat us well and care about us struggle under the conditions they’re put under, and that struggle compounds onto us.
We get shortages of hours because SMs can only give so many hours, because the siren found out that they can staff us as little as possible to maximize profit. We’re hounded about drive thru times and connection scores because it’s what our direct management is judged on, it’s what determines whether our store is “successful” and shit.
People complain about the company not giving a shit about us because it doesn’t have to be that way, you know? Starbucks makes a killing, and we all know that (we know how much the up charge is for cold foam lol). What’s fucked up is that it’s the standard to treat us inhumanely (no/shit hours, no coverage on the floor, high stress, no support), and that we’re supposed to then be grateful, because at least we don’t work at Amazon where we aren’t allowed to piss on the clock. We have access to Lyra, have you tried that?
It’s like the benefits exist to silence any real complaints from baristas, and it’s not the fault of middle management that they’re forced to recommend these things.
It’s not just that corporate doesn’t care.
In my opinion, corporate’s negligence causes suffering and exploitation of the baristas on the floors of its stores. It doesn’t have to be like this.
I think that’s more what the complaint is about
I know this is disjointed rambling, but it really bothers me when we have to look at our job and say “hey it’s okay, every company is a pile of shit!”
Like that just shouldn’t be the standard, you know? It doesn’t have to be
KingBee204 [OP] 1 points 2y ago
You are correct. It shouldn’t be the way it is. I guess I’m just kind of confused. I haven’t been working for the siren for very long but I’ve had nothing but good experiences so far. Sure there are crappy customers but not too many where I am. My coworkers are great, so is my SM. Then I saw people on here sharing these horror stories and I got scared. I’m just sad that not everyone can have the same experience I’ve been having. Maybe it’ll happen after I’ve been working there a a lot longer. I just want to keep my optimism however naive it might be. I realize that it might wear me down but rn I’m happy with what I’m doing.
squishpolice 2 points 2y ago
It’s also the work in general, you know?
I want to make the best damn coffee I can, but I’m not working at a local coffee shop. I don’t get to take my time and make a beautiful milk texture for every latte, to fill every drink methodically or to really give much of a shit. I get to slap drinks together as fast as I can, while my coworkers pour their hearts out to customers who’ll probably just rate them badly on the connection survey because they’re wearing a pride pin.
That doesn’t have to happen, you know?
Starbucks could say “hey, we’re gonna go back to our roots. We’ll pay y’all more (we know we can afford it), we’ll make delicious coffee, and we won’t judge you on the times. Nah, we’ll just make sure that your stores are producing high quality beverages, and incentivize that by giving you the time to do so, and, hell, to having little store-wide competitions?
They stopped doing the coffee master thing, why?
That was awesome! We were incentivized to give a shit!
And, alright.
Truth of the matter is that Starbucks would never move in that direction. They wouldn’t decide to support this decision to move towards high quality by sufficiently staffing stores and easing off wait times.
They’ll keep maximizing profit, because that’s what’s best for the people with power.
It’s the problem inherent to companies, but it doesn’t have to be like that!
This is where all the people advocating for shit like a general strike are coming from
Hell, seeing companies like Best Buy raise their minimum wage to 15/hour is promising. The threat of a union improved conditions.
Am I saying this is the path to better conditions at Starbucks? No.
Am I even saying Starbucks as a company, as an ideology, can be better than this? I don’t know that anyone can know.
I just know that there’s a lot wrong, and I’ve got too much to say lmao.
I want to make the best damn coffee I can, but I’m not working at a local coffee shop. I don’t get to take my time and make a beautiful milk texture for every latte, to fill every drink methodically or to really give much of a shit. I get to slap drinks together as fast as I can, while my coworkers pour their hearts out to customers who’ll probably just rate them badly on the connection survey because they’re wearing a pride pin.
That doesn’t have to happen, you know?
Starbucks could say “hey, we’re gonna go back to our roots. We’ll pay y’all more (we know we can afford it), we’ll make delicious coffee, and we won’t judge you on the times. Nah, we’ll just make sure that your stores are producing high quality beverages, and incentivize that by giving you the time to do so, and, hell, to having little store-wide competitions?
They stopped doing the coffee master thing, why?
That was awesome! We were incentivized to give a shit!
And, alright.
Truth of the matter is that Starbucks would never move in that direction. They wouldn’t decide to support this decision to move towards high quality by sufficiently staffing stores and easing off wait times.
They’ll keep maximizing profit, because that’s what’s best for the people with power.
It’s the problem inherent to companies, but it doesn’t have to be like that!
This is where all the people advocating for shit like a general strike are coming from
Hell, seeing companies like Best Buy raise their minimum wage to 15/hour is promising. The threat of a union improved conditions.
Am I saying this is the path to better conditions at Starbucks? No.
Am I even saying Starbucks as a company, as an ideology, can be better than this? I don’t know that anyone can know.
I just know that there’s a lot wrong, and I’ve got too much to say lmao.
SSFF6B 2 points 2y ago
The honeymoon phase doesn’t have to end. If you’re happy at your store, that’s all that really matters. But please keep in mind that what your store is like is not how it is everywhere.
ghosteagle 9 points 2y ago
That's always been my attitude. IME there's really almost no companies that give a shit about you. If you can find a single store that does and/or successfully fight to get better working conditions then you should stay.
KingBee204 [OP] 0 points 2y ago
Exactly!
sp_c_g_d 5 points 2y ago
It’s the performative nature in which they “care” that drives me nuts.
KingBee204 [OP] 1 points 2y ago
And the way they call us partners, at the end of the day we are employees.
SSFF6B 3 points 2y ago
Because corporate puts on a big show to say they “care”. Which is a hell of a lot worse than what most corps do.
KingBee204 [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Yeah 😔
Chemical-Less 2 points 2y ago
I personally just find it extremely annoying that sbux tends to push the image that they're just SO progressive and that they care SO much harder than other corporations while not only holding us to unmeetable standards but also not giving a rats ass about us beyond pr shit. If it were another corp that obviously didn't care I would probably be less annoyed about it but it's the big stupid charade that they play that really gets me
rio8envy7 1 points 2y ago
Thank god someone recognizes this.
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