News
Starbucks commits to protecting employee mental health
September 9, 2019
Starbucks is on a mission to protect the mental health of its employees — AKA partners — according to CEO Kevin Johnson, who published a letter Thursday talking about his dedication to breaking the stigma around mental health. About 12,000 of the chian's store managers and field leaders participated in the chain's leadership conference last week in Chicago, which included a Mental Health Matters session run by a clinical psychologist who discussed emotional first aid and what it meant to thrive and to develop self-awareness.
"This is just the beginning, and we are excited and optimistic about what we will do in this regard," Johnson wrote. "Look for meaningful changes to be rolled out over the next year."
Rossann Williams, executive vice president and president of U.S. retail, said the company had been on a journey over the last two years to transform the customer and partner experience in every store and in every community.
"From our conversations, I know we can do more," she said at the conclusion of the meeting, calling the mental health crisis a "complex problem" that affects one in five adults each year. "This week, we brought 12,000 store leaders together for an unprecedented session on mental well-being and emotional first aid. That was just the first step in a new long-term initiative to take a stand, help break the stigma around mental health, and get even more partners and their loved ones the support they need."
Williams said other coming changes included:
- An enhanced Employee Assistance Program co-created with partners and qualified mental health experts to connect more partners to quality care that meets their specific needs.
- Training for store mangers inspired by Mental Health First Aid in Q2.
- Partnerships with organizations such as the Born This Way Foundation and Team Red White & Blue to help break the stigma around mental health.
- An app solution for all U.S. and Canada partners to help promote mental wellness.
- Safer transportation, so employees feel like they can get to and from work safely. By the beginning of Q2, the chain will launch a rideshare option in 2,000 stores for baristas and shift supervisors opening and closing stores
- Starbucks 411: By the end of the year, the company will launch a single number called Starbucks 411 to help employees solve operational issues.
- Fixing things when they break: Starting in October, the chain will end deferred maintenance.
- Starbucks Coffee Academy to improve coffee education.
"We're only just getting started," she said. "We will listen to your feedback to make sure we get it right, so you can be the very best you can be in your role as store leaders. And as we do that, we will continue to lend our voice to the most important issues affecting our communities, while creating opportunities for you to lead.
