Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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One of my managers stresses me out so much (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by dontcry2022
Let me preface this with the fact I have been diagnosed with anxiety. Also this is a rant post tbh
I have been working at Starbucks since summer. Most of my managers are pretty chill. They have trust that I understand what my core tasks are in different positions. They make me feel safe to ask questions to and I can be open with them about why I made a mistake or was confused about something and this means I end up learning more by being able to talk to them. I truly appreciate them correcting me when they notice I'm not following a standard and coaching me some when they see an opportunity for me to improve something.
And then there's this one manager. They aren't my store manager, my store manager is much more chill to open with. When I open with them, they put so much on my plate at one time. It's fine in general when the expectation is that I will take care of my core tasks and will multitask and try to work quickly. But it becomes a problem when they leave the floor for 15 minutes, aren't aware of how many customers have come in during that time, and then immediately they ask me if I've done one of the extra tasks (mainly making backups for bar) and again remind me of the 2 or 3 other extra backup things I need to do on top of helping with customers, doing my main opener tasks, and making coffees. And then they have the audacity to tell me "yeah I really need you to do all these things, I don't have the energy to tell you every time I work with you". When like - I haven't forgotten!!! It's just not humanly possible for me to do all of these things this quickly!!!!! And the whole "every time I work w/ you" thing is BS bc they never give me the chance to show I am very familiar with these various tasks, they are constantly telling me again and again without ever giving me any time to actually do them. And their demeanor makes me feel unsafe to explain my perception of this situation at all. I wish I could tell them - I'm not stupid, I'm not forgetful, I'm not lazy, and I am working my ass off as we speak. But I can't.
Like. There are even times they ask me about something on the list while I'm LITERALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF DOING ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO. It's like. Can they not see that I am trying?!
This isn't the only issue, they also will nitpick me about things they think I am going to fuck up, when I haven't even had the chance to fuck it up yet. An example of this is that I was in the middle of putting sugars in a coffee, and had dropped a couple of already emptied sugar packets on the counter right next to the cup. They grabbed the empty sugar packets and told me to throw them away immediately and not leave them setting there. Like. I WAS GOING TO THROW ALL 5-7 PACKETS AWAY AT ONCE INSTEAD OF TWO OR THREE AT A TIME. Since it takes multiple steps to get to the trashcan! Holy shit.
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Another example is them telling me to do something when I've already done it. And if they took 2 seconds to be aware of their surroundings, they would literally see that I've already done it. Or they could ask if I did it instead of assuming I didn't.
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Another issue is that they kept me on bar recently during the most hectic peak I've probably ever been on bar. Fine, whatever, I can push through. But they came over multiple times and were like "focus, don't freak out". Like !!!!!!! All these customers are staring a hole through me and you won't put someone on bar 2. If you can tell I'm anxious as fuck, maybe actually support me and don't micromanage my literal emotional response to madness. I am moving. I am making drinks as quickly as I can, and I am doing them to standard. I am helping customers as quickly as I can. I'm not making mistakes. If you can tell I'm freaking out internally and you think it is causing some issue with my performance, maybe ask how you can fucking support me better or get me out of this position. Because as someone with anxiety, it is literally out of my fucking control and I couldn't move any faster even if I wasn't visibly anxious.
Anyway. Send help. Nothing I do is ever good enough for them. My SM isn't like this and neither are any of the other managers so idk why tf they are. I've even worked at other stores multiple times and managers there aren't like this to any of their partners. I am afraid I'm gonna snap one day or at least be less than nice, I can only say "okay, thank you :)" or "yes I'm working on it" or "no not yet but I am getting to it asap" (and then have to listen to them reiterate how I need to do it) so many times
I have been working at Starbucks since summer. Most of my managers are pretty chill. They have trust that I understand what my core tasks are in different positions. They make me feel safe to ask questions to and I can be open with them about why I made a mistake or was confused about something and this means I end up learning more by being able to talk to them. I truly appreciate them correcting me when they notice I'm not following a standard and coaching me some when they see an opportunity for me to improve something.
And then there's this one manager. They aren't my store manager, my store manager is much more chill to open with. When I open with them, they put so much on my plate at one time. It's fine in general when the expectation is that I will take care of my core tasks and will multitask and try to work quickly. But it becomes a problem when they leave the floor for 15 minutes, aren't aware of how many customers have come in during that time, and then immediately they ask me if I've done one of the extra tasks (mainly making backups for bar) and again remind me of the 2 or 3 other extra backup things I need to do on top of helping with customers, doing my main opener tasks, and making coffees. And then they have the audacity to tell me "yeah I really need you to do all these things, I don't have the energy to tell you every time I work with you". When like - I haven't forgotten!!! It's just not humanly possible for me to do all of these things this quickly!!!!! And the whole "every time I work w/ you" thing is BS bc they never give me the chance to show I am very familiar with these various tasks, they are constantly telling me again and again without ever giving me any time to actually do them. And their demeanor makes me feel unsafe to explain my perception of this situation at all. I wish I could tell them - I'm not stupid, I'm not forgetful, I'm not lazy, and I am working my ass off as we speak. But I can't.
Like. There are even times they ask me about something on the list while I'm LITERALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF DOING ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO. It's like. Can they not see that I am trying?!
This isn't the only issue, they also will nitpick me about things they think I am going to fuck up, when I haven't even had the chance to fuck it up yet. An example of this is that I was in the middle of putting sugars in a coffee, and had dropped a couple of already emptied sugar packets on the counter right next to the cup. They grabbed the empty sugar packets and told me to throw them away immediately and not leave them setting there. Like. I WAS GOING TO THROW ALL 5-7 PACKETS AWAY AT ONCE INSTEAD OF TWO OR THREE AT A TIME. Since it takes multiple steps to get to the trashcan! Holy shit.
​
Another example is them telling me to do something when I've already done it. And if they took 2 seconds to be aware of their surroundings, they would literally see that I've already done it. Or they could ask if I did it instead of assuming I didn't.
​
Another issue is that they kept me on bar recently during the most hectic peak I've probably ever been on bar. Fine, whatever, I can push through. But they came over multiple times and were like "focus, don't freak out". Like !!!!!!! All these customers are staring a hole through me and you won't put someone on bar 2. If you can tell I'm anxious as fuck, maybe actually support me and don't micromanage my literal emotional response to madness. I am moving. I am making drinks as quickly as I can, and I am doing them to standard. I am helping customers as quickly as I can. I'm not making mistakes. If you can tell I'm freaking out internally and you think it is causing some issue with my performance, maybe ask how you can fucking support me better or get me out of this position. Because as someone with anxiety, it is literally out of my fucking control and I couldn't move any faster even if I wasn't visibly anxious.
Anyway. Send help. Nothing I do is ever good enough for them. My SM isn't like this and neither are any of the other managers so idk why tf they are. I've even worked at other stores multiple times and managers there aren't like this to any of their partners. I am afraid I'm gonna snap one day or at least be less than nice, I can only say "okay, thank you :)" or "yes I'm working on it" or "no not yet but I am getting to it asap" (and then have to listen to them reiterate how I need to do it) so many times
5AV1OR 2 points 9m ago
Talk to your SM about this, this is an extremely inappropriate way to manage a shift. They should be delegating tasks to everyone not giving you a list and say do it all now. I’m so sorry you have to deal with this. Also maybe I’m reading into it too much but it kinda sounds like they are spending way to much time off the floor/in the back. Our stores could have a variety of factors that could impact this but I’ve just recently promoted and I finish all of my pre peak shift stuff within an hour and a half (give or take) and the only time I give my baristas who I know know how to open something to do is if I notice too much standing around. And even then I try to stick to one or two things for each person. I will ask someone “hey can you start some prep for peak between customers” and a different person “hey can you work on the opening-11 CSR cards” and at that point I have to as a SSV trust that they will do those things when they have time to. If I notice continually a specific barista not getting things done when I KNOW (not assume) they had time that is when I’d decide it’s time to have an off floor conversation with them. And if I notice things aren’t getting done but no one’s standing around I ask them if they need support and I’ll step away from shift stuff to help them for a bit.
dontcry2022 [OP] 1 points 9m ago
I'm kinda nervous to talk to my SM since this manager has worked at this store for SEVERAL years but I really want to just because I've started dreading shifts when I know I have to work with them, or when I leave after working with them it takes me like an hour or two and a lot of venting to my partner to really decompress.
Thanks for making me feel valid. I understand a lot has to be done in the mornings to run the store, but it does feel like something is wrong when I'm working as quickly as I can and still constantly being talked at about how I need to work faster or being talked to like they think I just don't care or am not trying or am forgetting. And it's not just opening shifts either, as I mentioned above there are other things during the shift that get said that are nitpicky and/or not at all helpful but actually make me feel worse. And hhhh I work A LOT of hours - most of my shifts, even the busy ones with needy customers, do not make me feel so negatively!
But yeah, about delegating tasks - opening yesterday was HORRIBLE. Monday is our big delivery day and I had a ton of sandwiches to date and count and a lot to restock the areas in front of the register with, so I was naturally slower getting my stuff done than other days. I even had to date a box of egg bites, which I never have to do bc we usually have many trays prepped ??? We open at 4:30 and it was dead til 5 but after 5 it became a slow and steady flow of customers, and I was soloing. When our 6am barista came in, the manager didn't try to delegate any of the backups tasks to them, it was still all my responsibility. And there were more backups than usual because there was literally no whipped cream and no sweet cream when we came in. Even when (many more customers later) our 7am person came in and I was making some caramel drizzle like I'd been asked, they finally got them to help stock my front fridge since I hadn't been able to get to it, but made me physically walk over to the 7am barista and thank them for helping me. Like. Wtf. If you see I can't manage all these tasks....... why are you giving them all to me and shaming me for not being able to handle it even when I'm being as efficient as I can....... Why are you not just asking the 6am partner (who is not drowning in drinks) to help w/ backup tasks so I can finish my actual opening tasks....
I'm NEVER standing around, either. Literally never. I am always doing a task or transitioning to doing another one. And I do try to work quickly bc I know I have a lot on my plate etc
I noticed when opening for another store that they actually only expect the opener to do opening tasks, getting as much done as possible by opening time and then focusing on customers, and then when the 6am/6:30am barista comes in, one of us solos and the other does a restock (creating backups). And the opening shift manager is on the floor more often than the one I am complaining about while I'm doing opening tasks. The whole process works so much better and is less stressful, even with the stores being similarly busy. So yes. All of this is making me resentful lol.
Thanks for making me feel valid. I understand a lot has to be done in the mornings to run the store, but it does feel like something is wrong when I'm working as quickly as I can and still constantly being talked at about how I need to work faster or being talked to like they think I just don't care or am not trying or am forgetting. And it's not just opening shifts either, as I mentioned above there are other things during the shift that get said that are nitpicky and/or not at all helpful but actually make me feel worse. And hhhh I work A LOT of hours - most of my shifts, even the busy ones with needy customers, do not make me feel so negatively!
But yeah, about delegating tasks - opening yesterday was HORRIBLE. Monday is our big delivery day and I had a ton of sandwiches to date and count and a lot to restock the areas in front of the register with, so I was naturally slower getting my stuff done than other days. I even had to date a box of egg bites, which I never have to do bc we usually have many trays prepped ??? We open at 4:30 and it was dead til 5 but after 5 it became a slow and steady flow of customers, and I was soloing. When our 6am barista came in, the manager didn't try to delegate any of the backups tasks to them, it was still all my responsibility. And there were more backups than usual because there was literally no whipped cream and no sweet cream when we came in. Even when (many more customers later) our 7am person came in and I was making some caramel drizzle like I'd been asked, they finally got them to help stock my front fridge since I hadn't been able to get to it, but made me physically walk over to the 7am barista and thank them for helping me. Like. Wtf. If you see I can't manage all these tasks....... why are you giving them all to me and shaming me for not being able to handle it even when I'm being as efficient as I can....... Why are you not just asking the 6am partner (who is not drowning in drinks) to help w/ backup tasks so I can finish my actual opening tasks....
I'm NEVER standing around, either. Literally never. I am always doing a task or transitioning to doing another one. And I do try to work quickly bc I know I have a lot on my plate etc
I noticed when opening for another store that they actually only expect the opener to do opening tasks, getting as much done as possible by opening time and then focusing on customers, and then when the 6am/6:30am barista comes in, one of us solos and the other does a restock (creating backups). And the opening shift manager is on the floor more often than the one I am complaining about while I'm doing opening tasks. The whole process works so much better and is less stressful, even with the stores being similarly busy. So yes. All of this is making me resentful lol.
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