Starbucks Threatens Jobs Of Employees Who Don’t Return To Office

Starbucks is set to implement a new policy in January, requiring corporate employees to work from the office at least three days a week, with serious repercussions for non-compliance, according to the New York Post. 

In a memo reported by Bloomberg News, the Seattle-based coffee giant stated that employees who fail to meet this requirement could face consequences, including potential job termination.

The announcement comes just weeks after the appointment of Brian Niccol as the company’s CEO. Under the new policy, a “standardized process” will be established to ensure accountability among staff regarding the return-to-office mandate. 

Starbucks had previously instituted this requirement for its approximately 3,500 corporate employees at the beginning of the year.

In a recent statement, Starbucks emphasized its commitment to supporting leaders in enforcing the hybrid work policy. 

Niccol, who was previously CEO of Chipotle, had initially told employees they could work wherever necessary to perform their jobs effectively, although he suggested the office was the ideal setting.

Meanwhile, Niccol himself has been allowed to work remotely from a small office in his Newport Beach, California home — approximately 1,200 miles from Starbucks’ Seattle headquarters. This arrangement was part of his recruitment package, which included a private jet to facilitate his travel between the two locations. 

While Starbucks later clarified that Niccol would predominantly work from the Seattle office, he is still expected to utilize the private jet for visits to various company locations worldwide.

Niccol’s compensation package includes a $10 million signing bonus and a base salary of $1.6 million, with additional earnings tied to the company’s performance, according to Starbucks’ disclosures.