Speaking to employees in a recent forum, the newly-minted CEO of Starbucks, Brian Niccol said there would be no new mandates on a return to the office, according to an account released by Bloomberg, which carried out a transcript from the meeting. He urged staff to work from where they felt effective enough to do their jobs.
Special Working Arrangement
Special dispensation permits Niccol to stay in Newport Beach as he commutes nearly 1,000 miles on the company jet to reach Starbucks’s headquarters in Seattle. The coffee-house firm also announced it plans to open a satellite office in his hometown to be staffed by an employee of his choice .
Mixed Response to the Working Policy
The policy was initially opposed by corporate employees, who are subject to the three-day return-to-office requirement and live within commuting distance. While Niccol did not impose any additional on-site requirements, he did not modify the current mandate for on-site requirements, either.
Emphasis on Team Collaboration
While fully understanding the importance of collaboration in the office, in person, Niccol said he would not insist on a particular day that employees must be in the office in Seattle. “This is not a game of tracking; this is a game of winning,” he emphasised.
A Contrast to Competitors
Quite a contrast to the recent news out of Amazon, which said it will make corporate employees work in the office five days a week starting in January- with the added twist of sitting at designated desks in a once more relaxed space.
Promoting In-Person Collaboration
Niccol referenced several perks at Starbucks HQ-for instance, a day care and a fitness center-designed to get workers into the office as much as possible. He speaks genuinely about being together; “We should be together as much as possible. You need to figure out where you need to be to get your job done, then do that. We’re all adults here.”
