Published By:Blueprint Test Publisher
The Grind: Striving for Scheduling Fairness at Starbucks
A 2015 nationwide survey of Starbucks workers reveals that the company is not living up to its commitment to provide predictable, sustainable schedules to its workforce. Starbucks’ frontline employees bear the brunt of the management imperative to minimize store labor costs, which takes precedence over attempts to stabilize work hours, provide healthy schedules, and to ensure employees have real input into their working conditions.
In 2014, a New York Times investigation into Starbucks’ scheduling practices revealed a troubling disconnect between a company whose mission is “to inspire and nurture the human spirit” and work schedules that left its employees exhausted, stressed, and struggling to care for their families and get ahead. Starbucks responded quickly, committing to honor employee availability, deliver weekly schedules with greater notice, and ensure adequete rest between shifts.
One year later, Starbucks employees across the country report that little has changed for them. Many Starbucks scheduling policies fail to reflect the
company’s human-focused values, while other policies designed to promote sustainable schedules have been implemented inconsistently.
REPORT FINDINGS
Starbucks call its employees “partners,” yet this report reveals scheduling issues that call into question the effectiveness of its partnership between corporate leaders, managers, and employees.
UNPREDICTABLE WORKWEEKS
Nearly half of all surveyed partners reported receiving their schedule one week or less in advance, despite Starbucks’ stated policy to provide schedules at least ten days in advance. This practice prevents workers from being able to plan their lives, particularly when the timing of shifts and number of hours varies from week to week as surveyed employees reported.
INCONSISTENCY IN DAYS, TIMES, AND AMOUNT OF WORK
Employees reported that schedules that largely tracked their previous weeks’ schedules would allow them to make tentative future plans, but drastic changes week to week left them unable to budget or plan.
INSUFFICIENT REST – CLOPENS CONTINUE
One in four surveyed partners still had to work clopens (when they are scheduled to close one night and open the store early the next morning) or had coworkers in their stores who were assigned clopens. These Starbucks workers are at risk of sleep deprivation and exhaustion.
OBSTACLES TO TAKING SICK LEAVE
Starbucks partners do not earn paid sick leave in their first year. Forty percent of partners reported facing barriers to taking sick days when they were ill. Several partners reported that they face pressure from managers to work while sick.
UNDERSTAFFING AND INSUFFICIENT HOURS
Skeletal staffing stretches employees too thin to deliver the consistent customer-focused service on which the company prides itself. Many employees surveyed stated that they wanted to work more hours, but were denied by managers.
FAILURE TO HONOR EMPLOYEES’ AVAILABILITY
Starbucks, unlike some companies, has committed to honoring employees’ limitations on their available work hours. But many employees said that their managers regularly disregard their availability.
These survey results show that while some Starbucks partners do experience schedules that work for them and their families, far too many Starbucks employees across the country still struggle with unpredictable schedules, unstable,
inadequate hours, and retaliation and insufficient access to earned sick time. Starbucks should establish basic protections to ensure stability, adequacy and predictability of employees’ schedules. The company should work with their employees and incorporate their input to provide work schedules that are as reliable as Starbucks' dedicated customer base.
