Archived How to handle a team that doesn't care...

[BaristaChick16]

Working in a Starbucks isn't easy due to the limited amount of people trained (at least in my store) among other reasons.

My new stores has a problem when it comes to people calling out. I was deathly afraid to call out at my old store because they were so rude about it and I always felt guilty.
At this one I'm at now, no one cares

And that's a problem.

I work with people who are rude, condescending, and just mean. The clique issue is like being in high school all over again. The "popular" ones talk about going out and getting wasted while the others feel left out and alone. We have baristas that call out because they don't want to work.
I don't call out unless I'm throwing up so hard I can't get out of bed. Yet these people call out CONSTANTLY and nothing happens. Yesterday we had 3 people call out, and it's not the time of year for this. Two of the three just didn't want to work. It's hard on me when I go in to do my job and my mid just didn't bother to come in. This isn't the time of year for games, and I can't handle being around such immature kids (we range from about 18-25). I'm not sure who to talk to because my TL is buddy buddy with most of the team and I don't want to get anyone in trouble but I would like the problem resolved. I'm tired of leaving work crying due to the stress of not getting my job done because I was alone all night. Any suggestions on how to go about fixing this?

 

[DoWork]

If your TL cares, talk to them. If not, you may want to go outside of Target. The food ETL doesn't really care about Starby's and neither does the STL, in my experience.

 

[BackroomAlpha]

This is a job, not a social gathering. I personally steer clear of social nesting amongst team members and leadership. I come in, do my job to my best ability and go home. Ive dealt with TMs calling off or slacking off because they treat the job as a place to hang out rather than the primary focus being work. Ive learned to deal with it and just push the stress of it aside.

Just do your job and cover your own ass, dont worry about what they are doing. As long as you are working, youl be fine.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Talk to your etl or hr on your concerns. Spot will see it eventually. Those folks complain about small pay checks & no hours.

 

[qmosqueen]

Get 'em fired look for little things they do wrong and report it.

 

[Him]

This is a job, not a social gathering. I personally steer clear of social nesting amongst team members and leadership. I come in, do my job to my best ability and go home. Ive dealt with TMs calling off or slacking off because they treat the job as a place to hang out rather than the primary focus being work. Ive learned to deal with it and just push the stress of it aside.

Just do your job and cover your own ass, dont worry about what they are doing. As long as you are working, youl be fine.

I've been at several stores and this is a common issue. You might not realize what's going on behind closed doors. I would suggest as others have shared cover your own "ass" and continue to do your job. Unless they being present directly impacts you, focus on your job. As difficult as it may be to ignore (Trust me, I've wanted to call out many people on they shit) do it.

 

[HRZone]

Wow are you at my store? Our Starbucks girls are sweet but they have the drama of m.s. girls.

The CYA advice is right on, the next thing is you should NOT enable the people calling out. Unless you really need the hours do not extend your shifts or come in when people call out. What this will do is make your store feel the pain of their laziness.

(We had a hardlines tm always call out, never got in trouble for it. Then people stopped coming in for her and our ETL realized it might be time for her to go.)

Start with your TL, that way she wont feel you undercut her when you go to the ETL if he/she does nothing.

 

[graffiti]

The CYA advice is right on, the next thing is you should NOT enable the people calling out. Unless you really need the hours do not extend your shifts or come in when people call out. What this will do is make your store feel the pain of their laziness.

This entirely. Try not to worry too much about what you can't control, and don't break your back to cover the slackers' butts. When they're begging you to stay and close Sbux because the rest of the team called out, say you have plans. If guests aren't getting their coffee because they have to close it early, they'll start to examine the problems.

 

[Yetive]

Working in a Starbucks isn't easy due to the limited amount of people trained (at least in my store) among other reasons.

My new stores has a problem when it comes to people calling out. I was deathly afraid to call out at my old store because they were so rude about it and I always felt guilty.
At this one I'm at now, no one cares

And that's a problem.

I work with people who are rude, condescending, and just mean. The clique issue is like being in high school all over again. The "popular" ones talk about going out and getting wasted while the others feel left out and alone. We have baristas that call out because they don't want to work.
I don't call out unless I'm throwing up so hard I can't get out of bed. Yet these people call out CONSTANTLY and nothing happens. Yesterday we had 3 people call out, and it's not the time of year for this. Two of the three just didn't want to work. It's hard on me when I go in to do my job and my mid just didn't bother to come in. This isn't the time of year for games, and I can't handle being around such immature kids (we range from about 18-25). I'm not sure who to talk to because my TL is buddy buddy with most of the team and I don't want to get anyone in trouble but I would like the problem resolved. I'm tired of leaving work crying due to the stress of not getting my job done because I was alone all night. Any suggestions on how to go about fixing this?

Yes, working at Starbucks really is different. There aren't other tms who can just shift over to cover for sick calls. You will sometimes be the only person in the store who knows anything about Starbucks at all.

Unfortunately, the best person to start fixing the problem is the TL, and it sounds like she might be part of the problem. I would still start with her, however. She won't be able to tell you much, even if she is doing something about it, but it's a good place to start. Try approaching it like "I struggle to get everything done when there isn't any precloser there," rather than tattling on the call ins. Maybe suggest a groupme or Facebook group for swapping and picking up shifts. Works great at my store.

If that doesn't work, you may need to go to an ETL, either HR, or whichever one is in charge of Starbucks. Tell them you have concerns about your team's attendance. Tell them how hard it is to get everything done, and that you worry about failing Steritech. No need to mention names.

Please don't let the stress get to you. Your job is to make drinks, chat with guests and make them happy, and clean up. It is your Team Leader's job to worry about making sure things get done, and schedules get worked. If it becomes a pain point for her, it will likely start to get fixed.

Keep track of the times attendance impacts your ability to get things done, or provide great service. Have a copy of routines handy that you can show LODs and TLs when you are working. They are clueless about how much there is to do in there. If you need help because of call ins, ask for it. Keep hitting the assistance button. I would get a walkie if you can too. Anybody can wash his hands and get ice, do dishes, clean the lobby, or ring on the register (and let's face it--it can be a lot of fun watching an ETL try to ring and schmooze with that panicked look on his face ). Again, when it becomes inconvenient for them, they will likely do something about it.

I'm not sure what can be done about the girl clique thing. Take the high road, and support the others who are also on the outs.

 

[Kompa]

You don't. The best part about not caring is that you don't care. As long as the tms are doing their job, the TL/ETL don't care if you feel left out. I buddy around with my fellow brtm all the time, I know other tms don't like it Plano because tackle projects together.


But tough shit, our Etl doesn't care as long as the task we are assigned are done

 

[pfreshdude]

This entirely. Try not to worry too much about what you can't control, and don't break your back to cover the slackers' butts. When they're begging you to stay and close Sbux because the rest of the team called out, say you have plans. If guests aren't getting their coffee because they have to close it early, they'll start to examine the problems.

If you have any reliable or remotely decent leadership in the store they will also start putting this on the TL and the TL might be made to stay longer/later or have to make up cover for these people too. I cant imagine that shit would fly after a few times of the TL having to do this. How much do they value that friendship if they constantly have their plans interupted or have to cover these other peoples butts

And if nobody is ther to close enough times it will become a HUGE HUGE HUGEEEEEEEEEEEE Deal up the corporate ladder trust me. That is one workcenter that WILL be straightened up from that particular issue because of the partnership we have with Starbucks

Starbucks is kind of like Pfresh although even more specialized obviously. At least in Market they can have people come in and zone or check for out of dates even if they dont know how to process them they can still leave them in the back

 

[Coqui]

Wow I can't believe it. As a Starbucks TL, attendance is a HUGE pet peeve of mine and my team knows it and as a result we are the one work center with the least amount of call outs. Morale is definitely affected by peers that don't pull their weight or even bother to show up. I would bring it up to the TL and if they do nothing go to your ETL or ETL-HR.

 

[Midoninger]

if the TL is part of the clique ... NOPE! address the issue to your etl hr, and also ask if there are any works centers with openings that you can go to, in addition to starbucks keep track of dates and times for all these things, AS if you need to hotline the hell out of them you need as much evidence and recorded times of when you spoke on it, what you have described is typical retail but target prides itself on not being that way so use target brand as you shield and sword!

 

[Life201]

if the TL is part of the clique ... NOPE! address the issue to your etl hr, and also ask if there are any works centers with openings that you can go to, in addition to starbucks keep track of dates and times for all these things, AS if you need to hotline the hell out of them you need as much evidence and recorded times of when you spoke on it, what you have described is typical retail but target prides itself on not being that way so use target brand as you shield and sword!

I disagree here. If you approach this is a professional manner & don't start naming names, the TL should have a chance to straighten things out. It's likely, the TL doesn't even realize he/she has been sucked into these childish cliques and how out of hand things have gotten and will step up to the plate.

If the TL doesn't address the problem, then you go to the ETL and beyond.

But I do agree, you do your job and let those higher up worry about the other shifts. Once in a while it's okay to cover their butts but not every time.