Starbucks Corp revealed new perks for its workers yesterday which include higher pay, samples of the first harvest from company-bought coffee farm in Costa Rica, as well as looser rules on wearing tattoos to work.
Looks like there's a lot in store for Starbucks workers this coming holiday season-first one on the list is the first harvest from Costa Rican test farm.
When Starbucks accomplished its first ever plantation purchase and bought the 240-hectar coffee farm Hacienda Alsacia, it pledged to give the first harvest to workers to commemorate the "historic" event.
"The first harvest from Hacienda Alsacia is a historic moment for Starbucks, and what better way to celebrate that than by giving it to our partners, Craig Russell, Executive Vice president of global coffee said in a statement in Bloomberg.
District managers were able to receive bags of whole-bean coffee at a leadership conference held in Starbucks' hometown in Seattle last week.
Aside from that, the company also revealed that workers including all supervisors and baristas will get an increase in their starting pay in all of the U.S. stores starting January next year.
Furthermore, as part of Starbucks' initiative to double its ventures and expansion in the next five years, café workers will also get one free food item per shift as well.
Moreover, Starbucks is also loosening its dress code. Workers can now enjoy wearing colored ties, black denim, scarves as well as tattoos and multiple piercings when going to work.
"We want to build a company where self-expression, empowerment and inclusion are nurtured," Chief Operating Officer Troy Alstead said.
"Tattoos are allowed, but not on your face or throat. Treat tattoos as you treat speech-you can't swear, make hateful comments or lewd jokes in the workplace, neither can your tattoos," the company's updated dress code read.
Starbucks rose 1.2 percent to $73.54 at the close in New York. The shares have slid 6.2 percent this year, compared with a 2.1 percent gain for the Standard & Poor's 500 Index.
