I've worked for Starbucks, here in London, United Kingdom, few years now. Anyway, there is this bonus system for baristas and supervisors. I don't have the leaflet with me, but the point is, that barista working full time can receive up to £250 of bonus per year quarter if the store achieve some previously set up level of sales. I have been always suspecting that there is similar system for ASMs and SMs.
Today I have read the new "Operations Bulletin" (internal "newspaper") and there was an information about some changes in this program. What was shocking for me, there was also information about this bonus for managers and theirs' assistants. Came out that ASM gets five times more bonus then a barista, and managers gets even ten times more money! I am serious and this is solid.
In case of the biggest sales and therefore bonus, barista will get £250, ASM will get £1250 and SM will be receive £2500! I understand the fact, that ASMs and SMs have more responsibility and all this kind of stuff... but please... they are already being paid two times more money then baristas (according to my knowledge, but I cannot provide you any proof, ASMs get £11 and SM £14 per hour). In my humble opinion, such big differences in bonus quotas are just not fair and unacceptable.
Your thoughts?
To be fair, in typical cases perhaps, the ASM and SM are also taking on a lot more risk. I don't know how the system works in UK, I'm really just assuming but...if your store doesn't make the sales quota, or even falls very below it, there should be little punishment doled to the baristas. Generally just a scolding speech or a slap on the wrist. ASMs and especially SMs on the other hand could have their Starbucks careers trampled by such a failure, probably even terminated. Since they take on the larger risk for failure, they get the larger bonus for success. Of course again this is going by assumptions and should-be's. We all remember the stories of baristas having their jobs threatened by SMs and DMs for not meeting Via goals.
Posted by: frapatte | May 25, 2011 at 09:42 AM
Sounds fair to me. You don't have the same job and you don't get the same compensation.
Posted by: Joe | May 25, 2011 at 09:51 AM
Quit whining and get promoted if you want the increased bonus.
Posted by: QuitWhining | May 25, 2011 at 09:56 AM
bigger risk= bigger reward
Posted by: fairisfair | May 25, 2011 at 10:31 AM
Are you new to how the corporate world works? This isn't just Starbucks, my friend. Time to get your head out of the sand.
Posted by: swag | May 25, 2011 at 10:51 AM
You make coffee for a living. Relax. If it's is so important for you to get a bigger bonus, then get a real job where you make a difference. Your hourly wage and weekly tips are more than most jobs offer as well as the ability to have benefits working only 20 hours per week. I understand that the baristas can make or break a location, but it is the ASM and manager's job to ensure their team members are representing the brand according to Starbucks standards. You should not get a bonus based on the store's performance. Bloody greedy bastard!!!!
Posted by: Bloody pissed | May 25, 2011 at 11:10 AM
Sad but true. The majority of the SM I've come in contact with don't deserve the pay or the bonuses they get. I know some SM's who make almost 60k a year and don't do squat--they make their ASM or SS do their work while they set pretty and reap all the benefits of a busy store.
Posted by: Petie | May 25, 2011 at 11:36 AM
Representing the brand = poor scheduling, laziness, backstabbing, lying...that is what a lot of SM and ASMs bring to the table in regards to the Starbucks brand.
Posted by: Petie | May 25, 2011 at 11:39 AM
I am grateful to get a bonus, however the distribution definitely takes morale down a notch.
Posted by: Sad Barista | May 25, 2011 at 12:43 PM
Here's my advice for anybody who wants to be happy and successful in their jobs, whether you work for Starbucks or somewhere else: Don't worry about other people's salaries, just worry about your own.
This person is going to worry herself right out of a job if she makes a big deal out of it. A bonus is just that: A bonus. Yeah, some people are going to get a bigger bonus than yours. That's life.
Posted by: waltie | May 25, 2011 at 01:22 PM
Didn't Marx write Das Kapital in England? Didn't the UK ban Michael Savage? Is it even legal to run a business in the UK?
Kiddng aside, class envy knows no national boundaries, but it is more noticeable to Europe for sure...
Posted by: Pike is here to stay | May 25, 2011 at 01:44 PM
It may be different in UK, however Store Managers in US do NOT make twice the dollar amount a Barista is paid....
Posted by: Lortte | May 25, 2011 at 02:27 PM
anyone know what the base salary is for both asms and sms in the us?
Posted by: morningbecomes | May 25, 2011 at 04:31 PM
Where the heck can I make 60 000$/year as SM? Sign me up!
Posted by: soyweird | May 25, 2011 at 04:40 PM
Actually SMs do make more than twice what a baresta makes. Bonuses are earned for meeting and exceeding goals. And baristas who complain all the time usually suck ass at their job. Whiz is a great place to work if ur surrounded by the right people.
Posted by: store manager | May 25, 2011 at 05:43 PM
Twice what a barista makes ain't all that great.
Posted by: Barista Ben | May 25, 2011 at 06:52 PM
60000 plus ly in california!!!! obviously this isnt every sm. but if you work hard you can.
Posted by: ca | May 25, 2011 at 07:12 PM
Yep. The majority of the SMs in California make nearly 60k a year plus bonuses, and the ASM pay starts at 34k plus bonuses. A barista's yearly pay is about 18k a year.
Posted by: Petie | May 25, 2011 at 07:38 PM
60K excluding bonuses? You must be an external hire.
Posted by: mnmsr4me | May 25, 2011 at 07:39 PM
You'd be surprised what managers make and how little work they do to earn it. Of course, the cost of living is higher in California so the wages are higher, but managers still make a good wage.
Posted by: Petie | May 25, 2011 at 07:40 PM
60k is not very competitive... At least we get alot of time off for side projects :)
Posted by: Anon | May 25, 2011 at 08:30 PM
I am an asm in California. I don't want 34k.
Posted by: Barista Ben | May 25, 2011 at 08:40 PM
Also, my SM doesn't make 60k. He makes about 10k a year less then that. We are the busiest store around so I imagine the other ASMs and SMs make less or about the same.
Posted by: Barista Ben | May 25, 2011 at 08:42 PM
Oh and the biggest red herring? This is the UK. US barista's don't bonus.
Posted by: Barista Ben | May 25, 2011 at 08:43 PM
60k as a manager? I believe that is the MAX a manager can get paid anywhere in the country. (give or take a few thousand). In NYC I was making a measly 48k. Though my bonus was about 10k a year (minus taxes, waaa) I know some managers were making more, and some were making much less.
Any who, US baristas don't get bonus, so 250 sounds just fine to me.
Also, I don't know how it works in the UK, but in the US SM's are salaried, not hourly (with some exceptions like cali) so their bonus can be more justified.
Posted by: Hipsterdufus | May 25, 2011 at 11:07 PM
I work in a Canadian store...we dont even get yearly bonuses unless you're a SM or DM.
Posted by: Karla | May 26, 2011 at 12:45 AM
60k is not the max for SMs, I know many, including my own who make considerably more than that.
Baristas and shifts here in the US aren't entitled to bonuses in the first place so it sounds like the reader has it pretty sweet.
There are also some very talented ASMs and SMs out there who earn both their paycheck and their bonus and no, I don't think it's unfair that the ASM's bonus is 5 times the barista's, or that the SM's is so high. There is considerably more responsibility being in management for this company than being a barista.
Posted by: Starbucksfiend123 | May 26, 2011 at 05:42 AM
according to http://pay.lifeatsbux.com/portal.jsp;jsessionid=v2ixlz1b31?context=PORTAL_LOGIN a SM in NYC minimum is 41,300. the midpoint is 51,600 and the max is $61,000.
NYC has the highest pay in the country. There are of course some exceptions to this but this is the standard guideline. This is before bonus.
If you work at starbucks you can access all US pay grades at lifeatsbux.com (or whatever the website is now).
Posted by: hipsterdufus | May 26, 2011 at 05:55 AM
The sense of entitlement just astounds me. "I don't know why I don't get the same bonus as the person who is responsible for everything that happens in the store, their fault or not. The person whose job goes far beyond my simple responsibilities of showing up and providing manual labor. It's not fair! WAAAH!"
While I think I should make more than I do as a shift, I definitely don't deserve the pay my boss gets. When I'm sick, I can call off and so long as I show up with a doctor's note, how the store ran that day, etc. isn't my problem. He on the other hand needs to show up no matter what because who is going to cover for him? Even if someone can, if something goes terribly wrong that day, it's still him that's ass gets put in a fire.
Any hourly employee that believes that their particular job making drinks, stocking and cleaning has a greater impact on the store's success than how it's managed needs to go to school and/or seek help for the god complex.
Posted by: shocked shift in ohio | May 26, 2011 at 11:11 AM
Seems pretty fair to me. A barista isn't going to get canned if the store's revenue isn't meeting targets, either.
At least when I was a barista/ss, there was no US bonus system for hourly workers, though we did get tips, to which SM's were not entitled, of about $3000 a year, for a full-timer.
A pittance compared to real tipped service employees, but it was nice.
There were 40-odd baristas, 5 shifts, 2 ASM's, and the SM. If the numbers above were used, and SS got the same as baristas, there'd be 11,250 paid out to baristas, and 5,000 to management.
Hey, wait!
I rememebr the bonus we got as baristas for making a target one time: a pizza party.
Come on, big spender!
You're complaining about a 2:1 pay ratio, for a job that's achievable to a motivated, successful barista?
Seriously, SERIOUSLY everyone, the solidly middle-class salaries of store managers are hardly riches.
If you want to complain about inequality, look higher...
Posted by: Argentius | May 26, 2011 at 12:25 PM
Welcome to capitalism. Many baristas - less bonus. Few managers - each one gets more. Simple. If you want everyone to be paid the same try forming a communist system ;) Baristas work hard and I respect the good ones a lot however it is still an entry level job.
Posted by: Justin | May 26, 2011 at 01:33 PM
When you get to be a store manager, you will understand why. Oh that's right, you won't, cause you are a pro socialist, pro "barista union" goon. Get your head out of your........the sand. Agreed Justin, form a communist system and make your own rules.
Dumb dumb dumb
Posted by: NoMan | May 26, 2011 at 02:12 PM
Barista's get tips on a weekly basis. ASM's and SM's don't and rely on their bonuses. Get promoted or quit... Whatever is going to make you shut your bitching face.
Posted by: Da Boss | May 26, 2011 at 03:12 PM
No doubt. Baristas have absolutely no clue what it really entails to be a store manager. Assuming the manager cares about what they are doing and does it well, and they have a DM who doesn't allow them to skip out on their duties, then managers earn every single dollar of their bonuses.
Being an effective store manager is WORK.
Posted by: Clark Kent | May 26, 2011 at 05:21 PM
Question: why is it that UK baristas can receive an annual bonus if the store hits or exceeds its sales target, and US baristas only receive a bonus once every few years based on the profits of the company (and not the individual store)? I think it's great that they get a share of the rewards, but I'm more bothered by the inconsistency than the proportion of pay distributed.
Posted by: ex-baristamclane | May 26, 2011 at 10:24 PM
I think it is amazing that company is offering baristas a bonus at all. Most retail business only share profits or success with the upper management. 250 quid is over 400 USD, if that is a quarterly payment = over $1,600 per year in bonus - Bravo! Im thinking about quitting my job and becoming a barista in the UK...
You should be grateful for getting anything. If you want more - then work hard and become a store manager yourself!
Posted by: Joachim | May 27, 2011 at 03:28 AM
In the US..if you are an SM and not reaching full potential on your bonus..you are barely making a competitive wage.
Posted by: javagirl666 | May 27, 2011 at 03:27 PM
I agree with most all the sentiment in this thread - Store managers get more because they have so much more responsibility. Some of the inconsiderate/nasty-toned replies in this thread are disappointing. I think people can effectively say what they need to say without that. :(
Posted by: Melody | May 27, 2011 at 06:28 PM
It's true that manager's have more responsibility, but a lot of the time the credit truly belongs to those on the front lines. It's fair to acknowledge them with some form of incentivized bonus as they do in the UK. It doesn't have to be large, 250 quid is pretty decent. Think of how much even a token bonus would go towards boosting morale and rallying a team around store goals. Seems like a no-brainer to me. But Starbucks is a pretty stingy company. It's probably only does so for hourly's in the UK because it has to legally.
Posted by: SBsmooth | May 27, 2011 at 08:36 PM
I was making 34k/year+bonus as a manager in Mid-America. I quit when (among other reasons) I realized that my hourly pay was something like $14.50. I now make $12.50/hour+tips. That measly $2/hour wasn't worth the stress and long hours. Not in a long shot.
Posted by: erstwhile | May 27, 2011 at 08:59 PM
I should mention that I make $12.50/hour+tips as a shift supervisor. Sorry for lack of clarity.
Posted by: erstwhile | May 27, 2011 at 09:00 PM
Thats just it..if you work any overtime..there are some shifts making more than you do hourly.
Posted by: javagirl666 | May 28, 2011 at 04:17 AM
baristas make a bonus which is paid out weekly in the form of tips dispersed among them. SM and ASM only get a bonus if the stores reach their sales targets. Also, an ASM bonus is less than a SM bonus and they are equally responsible as the SM for the sales performance. An ASM's promotion rides on their store meeting goals. So an ASM really gets screwed when a bonus is made because it is less than the SM's. Also an ASM bonus made is usually equal to or less than the baristas paid out tips weekly added up. So having the illusion that baristas do not make a bonus is wrong. They get paid one no matter what. Ask any ASM it sucks.
Posted by: meme | May 28, 2011 at 04:32 PM
meme - asms are also hourly, they get ot, not equal to a store manager
they are not just as responsible
i've known plenty of asms who were promoted even though their store wasn't hittingtarget.
Posted by: hipsterdufus | May 29, 2011 at 02:52 AM
Outside of California (The only place time worked=time paid) My bonus as an SM is the only thing that makes my pay higher than a barista. If I do the math my 70 hours a weak salried at 40hours and no tips isn't much more than a long time SS or Barita!
Posted by: B | May 29, 2011 at 06:30 AM
hipsterdufus DM's do not allow ASM's to work OT at least not in my district they will pay SS and baristas OT first. Also, if you know plenty of ASM who were promoted even though their store were not hitting targets and doing well emphasizes how the degrading of the Starbucks business started and is still in process. Inadequate begets inadequate.
Posted by: meme | May 29, 2011 at 07:15 AM
well here its more unfair barista and SS get same salary sbx leb
Posted by: SBX barista | May 29, 2011 at 05:36 PM
erstwhile: your math is off. 34k is $16.35/hour not $14.50... may not be worth the stress, but certainly more than $2 more than a SS.
and canadian Karla: barista and SS in canada (and i think US) have actually gotten yearly bonuses for the past 4/5 years of either $150 or $250...
and lastly to B: if you're working 70 hours a week as a manage, you're doing something a little wrong. i don't mean once in a while when fit hits the shan - i mean as a usual occurrence - something you're doing ain't right..
my 2c.
Posted by: jj | May 29, 2011 at 07:00 PM
In UK we don't get tips, well maybe like 30 pound every 6month!!!!.Plus in some stores management is in charge of the tips and gets their share as well!!!!
Most of the SM are making so much that they don't even bother about their bonus, when we Barista do since we can hardly make ends meet!!!
Posted by: uk Barista | May 30, 2011 at 01:58 AM
meme, that's kind of my point. ASM's dont' work more than 40 hours a week. If they DO they get compesated for it.
And yes I have known plenty of ASMs who got promoted even if their store wasn't hitting target, but that's a fact of life when so few stores are hitting the rediculous and unbalanced targets corp. laid on the stores the last few years.
Should an ASM beable to speak to what part they are playing in an store hitting or not hitting target? absolutely. but are they ultimately responsible for it? no! The ASM position is a training position. Sorry if your DM/RD isn't using it correctly.
Posted by: hipsterdufus | May 30, 2011 at 03:42 AM