I promised you no new articles until the first of the year, but I never can go too long without updating this site. It’s just not my style.
I was curious about the experience partners (Starbucks calls their employees ‘partners’) were having in stores on Christmas Day. I met Howard Behar this year (a former very top Starbucks executive from 1989 – 2007, as well as author of the book It’s Not About the Coffee.) He told stories that when the Starbucks was small, he remembered running around from store to store (in Seattle) with Howard Schultz and delivering pumpkin pies as a ‘thank you’ on Christmas and Thanksgiving.
I was just curious more than anything if partners felt appreciated or recognized. Since I already subscribe to JotForm, (it’s the submit a pic widget form on this site), I tried to use their forms to do a poll. I don’t have this down to a science yet!
Here’s the poll, which I posted on Facebook. (Here’s the closed group it’s posted in.). Please do not answer the poll unless you are a store-level partner and worked on Christmas.
One thing I learned from this poll is that for most partners, Christmas was just like any other day! As I write this, 39 out of 74 partners said that working on Christmas was not a good experience. (As of 10:05 am PST on 12-26-15). Also, as I write this, for most partners, they were not recognized by their store manager and it was just like any other day.
I know that I dropped by a few Starbucks on Christmas morning. I made a point of putting a nice tip in the tip jar! Hope all of you appreciated your local baristas working on Christmas!
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Sorry, but I don’t think a District Manager should have to “drop by” any stores on Christmas Day, or Christmas Eve either for that matter.
Delivering a pumpkin pie may seem like a nice gesture, but there is NO replacement for celebrating with one’s family.
Instead, I believe a MUCH BETTER solution is for Starbucks to just be CLOSED Christmas Day, and let employees decide if they want to work Christmas Eve…
This is after all a religious holiday that the majority of Americans celebrate, it’s not just a Santa moment.
Hi Melody,
I am so sad partners decide to take time from their day to serve others and be disappointed. I always go in one location on Christmas Day. I tell them Merry Christmas BEFORE I order and always drop $20 or so cash in the tip jar! My hat off to those who work that day! Thanks so much!
Hi Melody! I did my best to make Christmas a great day for my partners. Only those wanting to work were scheduled, and I made them a cake and brought homemade soup(by their request) both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at open in a crockpot to stay hot all day. I hope they know how much I appreciate them!
@starbuxgal Working on Christmas is volunteer only. Not everyone celebrates Christmas (I do not) and because my husband is active duty, we are both thousands of miles away from our families. Because he is active duty, he is generally working as well. I am THANKFUL that starbucks is open on Christmas day, and for the past ten years, I have volunteered. I do this to not only make extra money, but to be able to serve my other customers that might be working (nurses, police, etc).
@Lisa – As I’ve always said, you are a great store manager.
If I were a Starbucks employee, on most occasions I probably would volunteer for Christmas, because I don’t live near most of my family. But I understand that lots of partners are working at Starbucks on Christmas and Thanksgiving when they’d rather be elsewhere.
@Jocelyn – Thank you for working so that others in your store can have time with their families!
I’m not a big fan of the fact that all stores in my district were open for Christmas.
I volunteer to work Thanksgiving ever year because I won’t work Christmas. I have a little boy… and it’s just myself, my mom and my son. I will not put a damper on their holidays because I’m absent.
In my previous district, they used to open a Few stores (the busier ones) and it was much easier to find coverage because people from other stores would want to work.
But as long as customers keep Coming to the stores and spending money on the holidays, they will not close.
A big part of the reason there’s a lack of recognition all around, not just holidays, is that there’s no budget for it. I keep getting these “partner appreciation” messages via email that tell me there is to be no use of the p-card to support it. So I’m told to print out info and really talk up the total pay package and call it Partner Appreciation. Usually I just spend my own money on treats or meals when I bonus because my team helped me get it. Last year I spent a large amount of money to throw a themed post-Christmas party at my house. Remember when we used to have a budget for holiday parties?
@SbuxSM I completely agree! I wish funds were allocated for it as I have spent hundreds of my own money last year for recognition, when I can’t really afford it. Just forgo a meal or two that week, and pray I have a free reward or partner food benefit. This year, I was scheduled off but the opening shift supervisor was borrowed and needed to be let into the store, so I did come in for the first couple hours to help provide direction as well. Also did hear from my district manager which was sweet. Though I appreciate the sincerity from my district, I wish funds were allocated more for recognition so I could provide more than just a thanks when I can’t afford to front the costs from my own finances.
I am an ASM and I wish I had the extra money to acknowledge my partners for partner appreciation. I can’t afford to spend out of my own pocket as I’m a newly single mom and my SM said I was not allowed to do a paid out to recoup any money I spent. I felt terrible.
I brought them some food during Thanksgiving and I bring in treats when I can. A customer actually brought dinner for all the partners on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
When I worked at Starbucks, I was not married and did not have any kids. I gladly volunteered to work on most holidays so that the other partners with kids could spend time at home. My store always had shortened hours and my manager would work on holidays and we would have a mini pot luck and share treats. One year, my manager even brought in a waffle maker and everyone made waffles on their breaks. Even though I was at work, I had so many regulars that would come in and bring their families and tell us that we were part of their holiday tradition. It was also not unusual to earn $150 extra in tips on Christmas day.
Thank you to everyone that worked Xmas Day. I live in Nashville and only one out of around twenty local stores were open but everyone there seemed cheerful. I saw some police cars when I drive in and thought “uh oh” but then I saw one of them with a carrier and several big red cups. There were also a few families in line inside and some friends visiting at tables. I tipped big and thanked my drive thru partner for being there. I respectfully but adamently disagree with the poster who said they should all close.