Starbucks is #98 on Fortune magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For"

The coffee chain was #2 on the list in 2005, and has been dropping since. It was #93 last year. Read "100 Best Companies to Work for (2011)" || See the full list

Comments

[anon-girl]

Waltie is in the minority, that's just a fact. I know there are people out there who love to whine for the sake of whining, but as a five year partner, and someone who gives 210% when I'm working, I can say without hesitation that finding success is very difficult.

First of all, finding time for the barista to go tO the portal and read up is a pipe dream. Back in the day there was plenty of time, and enough people on the floor so that john or Jane partner could take 10 to 15 minutes and get up to date on what's going on. These days, when a paether clocks in, they have to come right on the floor, period, end of story.

I love my job, but it's increasingly harder to do. When i have my best days it's because it's very very slow and we actually have the time to do a little extra. I dont think star bucks is this evil corporation, rather, it's a corporation of which its upper management doesn't realize the vast disconnect between itself and its field partners.

Whats important when having a discussion is that we validate the feelings and experiences of others, which Waltie isn't doing. What you are doing Waltie is negating the experiences of others, unable to understand that not everyone is going to mirror your experiences, and it doesnt make them lazy whiners, just different.

[ncsm]

I don't for one minute believe that things are as perfect at his store as Waltie would have us all think! EVERY store (and I've worked at several) has plenty of opportunities for improvement. But you can't improve if you're unable to admit that you need to improve--and that's the problem with Waltie! The vast majority of partners that I've worked with are dedicated and hard working. They want to (and ARE capable of) doing a good job. They simply need to be given the resources from corporate to do so. So my advice to Waltie is stop throwing out personal slights towards other partners and in the future to post here in the spirit of trying to make life at Starbucks better for EVERYONE.

[Englebert Humperdinck]

Jesus, what a bunch of whiners. You are free to become unemployed anytime you wish should making coffee become too onerous a task for you. I'd really hate to hear what you all would sound like if you really had to actually work for a living.

Unemployment is at 10% nationally folks, in case your little hipster weekly free paper forgot to tell you. You have no idea how good you have it until you're on the other side of the counter and you can't afford coffee anymore because SB doesn't take food stamps or WIC cards.

Put that in your little hipster pipe and smoke it.

[Red cup]

I remember when I was arguing with waltie and he said he would make me give up, well guess who gave up?

Waltie has reached troll status on here.

I just don't get how someone with the amazing skills of waltie can't see when so many people disagree with him he still thinks he is right.

Waltie please get you head out of howards behind.

[Scared barista.]

anon-girl you said it so beautifully. Short and to the point with elegance. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Someone on here does understand me.
ncsm you also said it so well I thank you both!!!

[eekingby]

@ntnl-

Sounds like the situation that was going on in my district until partners started speaking up. Many partners across many stores called both the business conduct line and the PR representative. Someone even reported their own store to the health department as an "anon tipster" when they were forced to work sick. A few more "anon tips" from various partners resulted in a visit from a health inspector and the store was cited a critical for having an obviously sick employee working.

Things shook out soon after. If you get retaliated against for calling in sick, take it up the chain, involve your states wage and hour people, etc. They only get away with this because we let them. It's better now, and we don't let each other forget, and we keep new partners in the loop.

[ExSbuxManager]

@georgia latte... the online scheduling was a hoax. I was working very close with the ALS team in Seattle on a labor project I was picked for. Turns out, they wanted such a system, but they didn't even have a vendor lined up. This was shared at leadership 2008!

[CBK]

I'm not a partner, but volunteer with the IWW crowd from time to time to help my friends who have been co-workers try to bargain for a living wage. You do realize that the National Labor Relations Board has ruled favorably in the Starbucks Workers Union's suits over 6 times in the last decade - citing managerial abuse and rampant, illegal union busting. Trying to convince baristas of the obvious - that even employees at the nearby, non-unionized Shaws supermarket start at $10/hr, have much easier jobs and get some sick leave - can be like trying to climb Y2K with tennis shoes.

When you do meet someone who has put down the corporate Kool-Aid and who realizes there's a problem that a Union just might remedy (poverty wages, shit benefits, crazy work pace due to under-staffing, shit scheduling, employee abuse, illegal union busting, ignoring health violations like infestation, etc., etc., etc.), trying to get them to actually attend a meeting instead of watching TV or filing their nails is like trying to fly to the moon on a hang glider.

The water is boiling but the frog isn't jumping out. WAKE UP folks! Most workers at McDonald's have identical pay and benefits. Wal-Mart retail employees fare even better. This is your job and there aren't better opportunities on the horizon, as consumer spending continues to decline due to the continuing contraction of wages and concentration of wealth at the top (a 30 year trend). Economists for the labor department predict that most job growth in the next decade - you guessed it - will be on the low end, service sector level. Even if all of us had Ph.D.s or were highly skilled in the most practical, specialized vocations, the division of labor would change little: there'd be nearly as many baristas, clerks, housekeepers, janitors and busboys.

Therefore, if you ever want to retire, if you ever want to send your child - or even sibling - to a decent public school (let alone to college), if you ever want to make a mortgage down payment, if you ever want to get out of debt just for necessity purchases (rent and food), or if you want to safeguard the basic protections of the New Deal (the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Social Security Act and the National Labor Relations Act) join that rag tag bunch of activists at the Starbucks Workers Union and get moving - or if they suck, start your own damn Union! Either way, organizing at S'ucks or at your next low-wage job is the only option. Even if it is a part-time or temporary gig, a dollar more an hour helps better prepare for your transition to something greater (which is, increasingly, wishful thinking). And it's not just about you: every added dollar you make boosts aggregate demand (as you will be forced to spend it on basics), and with it, grows the economy (this is in contrast to the $ of wealthy individuals, a large portion of which is never spent or is not reinvested into American enterprises). Unlike apparel behemoths, Starbucks can't outsource, so pump a shot of Cairo into that cappuccino - ORGANIZE!

[CBK]

...apologies - by "Y2K" I meant to say "K2". Way to drive home the point!

[star buck]

Wow, there are always disenting views, but some of them seem down right delusional.
Hours; are not what they could be.
Management; is a joke, ever have a manager that parties more with baristas looking for Mr/Mrs right and shows up drunk? Or lets hire all managers from outside sources, give them books and find out when they get a store they can't make a drink or call one? Yeah that is realty in some places.
Howard is sharing his book. Yipee! I would rather have my insurance go down, compentent people and not find out that we haven't lost the soul of ourselves.
Truth; I think that there are areas, and districts that function really well and are still meeting the company philosphy, but there are some and some regions too, that are so off base it isn't even possible to imagine that we are working for the same company.
Desire; I would love to have true, no fear of retribution, and yes it is out there, discussions with board memebers and Howard. It seems if he believes in what he rights and says he can do this even if the truth hurts.
and can we please not get our tips in coin from as is the new company policy. (or so I have heard, but communication from anything above a barista is long, lacking and usually misinformed or just not existing. Even when asking a direct question to a higher up.)
So where do I sit on the fence? More or less becoming disenchanted with a group that is losing sight of what was the glory and is now needing new paint.

[KandihaterinTulsa]

NO WONDER WERE ALMOST OFF THE LIST! THERE'S HARDLY ANY PROMOTION FROM WITHIN. NO INTEGRITY FROM DM'S ON UP SO IT TRICKLES ON DOWN!!!! NUMBERS NUMBERS BLAH BLAH BLAH ITS NOT REALLY ABOUT CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCE ANYMORE!!!!

[KandihaterinTulsa]

IN MY OPINION, IF YOUR LESBIAN OR GAY YOU CAN REALLY GO PLACES IN THE TULSA MARKET! YEA!!!! FOR GAY!!!

[Sabrina]

Hey scared barista,

In fact, let me readdress this to everyone who complains about Starbucks: GET A NEW JOB OR JUST SUCK IT UP BECAUSE YOU LOOK LIKE WIMPS FOR BOOHOOING ON THE INTERNET.

If you have time to read gossip, chances are you deserve to get paid like a high school student. Don't give me any excuses about job scarcity because you haven't looked yet. Any city will hire a janitor for a full package of benefits starting at $15.00 an hour depending on your civic location AND they do not require experience or skill. It's simple, go to your city's website for human resources, search for an open job, fill out an application and be competent on your basic reading skills to get the position. Or better yet, apply for a federal position at the post office -- they're always hiring idiots that barely know how to speak one coherent English sentence.

It's not hard to find a "better" job. You know, you all don't have it that bad for the benefits you get on top of tips.

[Deeply Disappointed]

Starbucks is by far the worst company I have ever worked for. Perks? Getting a discount on my phonebill doesn't really make a difference. Wages are insultingly low, you get treated like shit, and communication is the worst that I have ever seen. Shifts do not do their job, they just hang around, fill in their milk count and stand by while barista's are late, stoned, or just assholes. It is their job to correct and coach, but on ten shifts, I see one shift actually doing her/his job. I also know several shifts that deal drugs from their Starbucks, not because I buy from them, but because I catch them around the corner in some dark alley, (while they are supposed to be on the floor because they are on the clock), where they 'do their thing'.

I also see a rising statistic with who exactly they promote and who don't get promoted. Shut your mouth, just nod yes, be under 25, and you will be promoted. Shifts are allowed to fill in their own reviews, managers don't work weekends, and the good hard working employees are run down until they just quit out of frustration. Personal vendetta's are often part of that. I have been transferred around 8 times in 2 years, 2 of those times intentionally to a store that was gonna close down in two months. I did not receive my raise, and when I finally got a review it was completely unfair and unjust. I also had a manager that stole money from the whole team, filling in the wrong numbers on payroll. We never saw a cent of that, there wasn't even an apology. On two occasions I was told right before my transfer that they didn't have room for me, and I actually had to look for a store myself. Again, no income for awhile..

Once my manager decided to give me only a few hours (8 instead of my usual 28) for three weeks straight. We had to sell one of our cars, but there are no consequences for the manager. My husband is now homebound and had to look for a different job because of Starbucks.

Starbucks has done nothing but stand in the way of my professional development and has way too much influence on my personal life by their lack of keeping their word.

Starbucks is unprofessional and full of amateurism. Enriching the soul? More like killing your soul.

I would never advise anyone to work for Starbucks, they suck you dry and leave you hanging. Those are cold hard facts. Many people are severely unhappy at Starbucks, but in these days they don't really have a choice .. Jobs are not easy to find, but I got lucky; I found a job as a cleaning lady, that was all I was at Starbucks anyway. Except now, I don't get paid 8, but 20 cold hard bucks an hour and get treated with respect and acknowledgement.

If you are unhappy at Starbucks, don't waste your time working there or filing complaints. Even when there are witnesses to your conflict, in my experience they don't even check up on that.

I know that people are gonna react and say that I shouldn't be so negative. Yeah right, then you are probably a shift or a manager. I'm not saying that it goes like it went for me for everyone, but really.. how much amateurism can an adult take? It's so deeply insulting.

No wonder they are barely in the top 100 of 'best companies to work for', i don't think they will be there next year. In fact, they shouldn't be.

Last but not least: if you do quit, build a little fire with the pages of Howards book, then get your uniform and burn that too. It will make you feel better.