Starbucks Unionization and Organizational Culture

Starbucks Unionization

• Starbucks prides itself on employee and customer-friendly policies, including benefits like life insurance, disability care, and tuition reimbursement.
• Recent years have seen increased attention focused on Starbucks' employee attempts to unionize.
• Starbucks opposes unionization, preferring direct employee relations.
• Unions can be public or private, with differences in focus (e.g., public unions often focus on working conditions).
• Starbucks' employee benefits may cause a gray area regarding the need for unionization, which could be related to concerns about working conditions, such as understaffing or poor management.
• A former Starbucks employee suggests that union protests are at understaffed stores.
• A study suggests that unionized groups may be less likely to endorse organizational culture norms than non-union groups, which could create challenges for management.

Organizational Culture

• Organizational culture is important for company success.
• Attraction-selection-attrition is a process for attracting and selecting individuals that fit with the company culture.
• Effective socialization helps new employees understand and adapt to the organizational culture.
• Hiring methods should emphasize cultural fit along with skills.
• Onboarding programs help new employees understand company values and behavior expectations.
• Reward and recognition programs boost employee motivation.
• Performance management programs clarify company expectations and provide feedback to employees.