Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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partner care and what it looks like to you / what you would want done for your ssv’s/sm (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by Atakaii
celloqueer 11 points 10m ago
This might seem weird. But my personal experience from the couple of stores I’ve worked at is that a huge proportion of people who stay any length of time with the company are neurodivergent—a lot of adhd people are actually better able to tolerate the pace and multitasking than neurotypical people. Adhd also has heavy overlap with anxiety.
You might generate some ideas by looking into accommodations for neurodivergent people at work. Accommodating those needs is rarely a problem for neurotypical people—it usually either doesn’t matter or helps them too—but it can be a game changer for the NDs. For example, rotating between working positions is probably more pleasant to most people, but some of your adhd partners NEED that rotation and novelty to keep them from zoning out and making stupid mistakes. Establishing visual indicators for things needing done can help anyone, but it helps even more for people who forget to think about what is or isn’t out of sight in a cabinet or fridge. Not everyone is down to disclose to random people at work, so just assuming that a high percentage of your baristas have brains they work this way and setting up systems to help them keep on track will make life easier all around.
You might generate some ideas by looking into accommodations for neurodivergent people at work. Accommodating those needs is rarely a problem for neurotypical people—it usually either doesn’t matter or helps them too—but it can be a game changer for the NDs. For example, rotating between working positions is probably more pleasant to most people, but some of your adhd partners NEED that rotation and novelty to keep them from zoning out and making stupid mistakes. Establishing visual indicators for things needing done can help anyone, but it helps even more for people who forget to think about what is or isn’t out of sight in a cabinet or fridge. Not everyone is down to disclose to random people at work, so just assuming that a high percentage of your baristas have brains they work this way and setting up systems to help them keep on track will make life easier all around.
Atakaii [OP] 4 points 10m ago
omg as someone with adhd i never thought about this tyyyyyy
dlcksuck 2 points 10m ago
I just wanna add maybe ask baristas if they want to be rotated positions? I have adhd and for some reason I am the opposite. I like to stay in the same position my whole shift that way I can stay in one mindset. If I’m constantly being moved I cannot focus on what I’m currently doing.
celloqueer 1 points 10m ago
Yeah fair, like I’d be happy to only ever do hot bar as long as I work for Starbies 😂 but most people get fed up eventually
MungotheSquirrel 4 points 10m ago
I think I'm maybe reading the title wrong. You're asking what baristas want their managers/supervisors to do to make their lives as employees better? Is that right?
Atakaii [OP] 2 points 10m ago
yes!
MungotheSquirrel 6 points 10m ago
Full disclosure, I'm a SSV, so I consider some of this to be my job.
What I think is a good (but not simple to implement) answer:
I think managers should do the work to genuinely know their partners so that when they check in at the beginning of or during a shift, they can also understand more than just what a partner says out loud. Sometimes I'll ask someone to go to one position and what they'll say out loud is "okay," but I know them each well enough to tell that their body language or tone says that is a bad choice for them and can follow up and ask more questions to see what's really up with them that day. Then we can find a decent role that fits their needs. That's the partner care that I think really matters. Everyone in charge should be doing that.
I also think that SMs just plain doing their jobs well is what I need to feel cared for as an employee. Hire well. Staff the store well. Communicate clearly. Schedule people for reasonable shifts within their availability. Train new partners well. Write people up *appropriately* to discourage legitimately problematic behavior without being biased or a jerk. All of that would reduce my work stress enormously.
What I think they think is the answer:
I don't know how much of this is corporate pushing what they think will prevent unions or just my local management, but I need the pandering to stop. I have gotten so many green apron cards from my manager, and been asked to write so many green apron cards by my manager. We have literally been brought rocks to paint to express ourselves. I have been handed a wad of pins to put on my apron, I don't even know what that is supposed to achieve. There are things posted around our store suggesting that we make pro-Starbucks social media posts on our personal accounts. My manager wrote on a DCR last week that it was a part of my shift duties that day to "take a fun pic!"
I would feel 100% more cared for as an employee if all of those sorts of things stop. Immediately.
I don't know if that helps you at all. I suspect that you are not actually in a position to do any of the things I want to be done. I'm not mad about being given things like pizza or donuts or whatever, but they don't make my list of what makes me feel cared for as an employee. The really low effort pandering things make me feel trvialized and distinctly un-cared for, so I guess at a minimum, please no more of those.
What I think is a good (but not simple to implement) answer:
I think managers should do the work to genuinely know their partners so that when they check in at the beginning of or during a shift, they can also understand more than just what a partner says out loud. Sometimes I'll ask someone to go to one position and what they'll say out loud is "okay," but I know them each well enough to tell that their body language or tone says that is a bad choice for them and can follow up and ask more questions to see what's really up with them that day. Then we can find a decent role that fits their needs. That's the partner care that I think really matters. Everyone in charge should be doing that.
I also think that SMs just plain doing their jobs well is what I need to feel cared for as an employee. Hire well. Staff the store well. Communicate clearly. Schedule people for reasonable shifts within their availability. Train new partners well. Write people up *appropriately* to discourage legitimately problematic behavior without being biased or a jerk. All of that would reduce my work stress enormously.
What I think they think is the answer:
I don't know how much of this is corporate pushing what they think will prevent unions or just my local management, but I need the pandering to stop. I have gotten so many green apron cards from my manager, and been asked to write so many green apron cards by my manager. We have literally been brought rocks to paint to express ourselves. I have been handed a wad of pins to put on my apron, I don't even know what that is supposed to achieve. There are things posted around our store suggesting that we make pro-Starbucks social media posts on our personal accounts. My manager wrote on a DCR last week that it was a part of my shift duties that day to "take a fun pic!"
I would feel 100% more cared for as an employee if all of those sorts of things stop. Immediately.
I don't know if that helps you at all. I suspect that you are not actually in a position to do any of the things I want to be done. I'm not mad about being given things like pizza or donuts or whatever, but they don't make my list of what makes me feel cared for as an employee. The really low effort pandering things make me feel trvialized and distinctly un-cared for, so I guess at a minimum, please no more of those.
RyusuiJL 3 points 10m ago
Also a shift. And agree with all this. Especially the point of getting to know your partners. When I started the job, one of the first things I did was ask each barista what roles they felt the most comfortable in and enjoyed the most, and which they felt they could improve on. This helped me to identify my aces for peak play positions and where to move them during off-peak. And it also allowed me to know sooner than later who I could effectively cycle within the different positions.
Another thing I like to do is genuinely let my partners know they and their efforts are appreciated. I always thank a barista for tending to a task I assign them. If they proactively handle something, I let them know I'm aware of it and thank them. And my partners know this isn't just an empty, obligatory thanks. I make it a point to ensure each of them knows I appreciate their work. When I see improvements or growth, I acknowledge and commend them for it.
I also make sure they all know that I fully appreciate them coming to me to correct any errors I make. I want to be held accountable for my mistakes, and to be able to do things properly for my team and my store. They have a fully open line with me for anything.
Not a lot there, but hope some of it helps.
Another thing I like to do is genuinely let my partners know they and their efforts are appreciated. I always thank a barista for tending to a task I assign them. If they proactively handle something, I let them know I'm aware of it and thank them. And my partners know this isn't just an empty, obligatory thanks. I make it a point to ensure each of them knows I appreciate their work. When I see improvements or growth, I acknowledge and commend them for it.
I also make sure they all know that I fully appreciate them coming to me to correct any errors I make. I want to be held accountable for my mistakes, and to be able to do things properly for my team and my store. They have a fully open line with me for anything.
Not a lot there, but hope some of it helps.
MungotheSquirrel 2 points 10m ago
Oh yes! Fully agree about the genuine, specific appreciation of effort, it makes such a big impact. We need more of that and less of the general "thanks for all you do, Valued Partner!"
Atakaii [OP] 1 points 10m ago
Trying to really focus on this for my store i’m stuck after only 5 things i have came up with or done would love so help!
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