Future Technology Recommendations
As a global company, Starbucks is responsible for training more than just the baristas customers see at their local store. Starbucks employees “may have opportunities in:
- Finance
- Human Resources
- Information Technology
- Learning and Development
- Marketing
- Operations
- Real Estate and Store Development
- Sales and Business Development
- Supply Chain Operations” (Starbucks Corporation, 2005, Support centre opportunities, para. 1).
Regardless of the position, Starbucks training starts with a history of the company and an overview of different branches within the organization. Employees must complete trainings and demonstrate knowledge of products and processes before they receive any hands-on instruction. This training is detailed and extensive. Brooke Locascio (2004) describes her experiences leading new hires through rigorous training and explaining to them that before they start making drinks, they first must read a large written manual and pass written assessments to demonstrate comprehension of concepts presented in the book. She states that it would not be uncommon for an employee to spend two days studying prior to ever making his or her first drink.
The initial training prior to practical instruction is an area of opportunity for technology integration to improve efficiency. Adults may not all learn best at the same pace or through the same method. A new hire may be very intelligent and have the potential to prepare drinks quickly, but he may happen to be a slow reader or an auditory learner. The hands-on portion of training will likely appeal to tactile learners and the written instructions may work well for verbal learners, but where does that leave participants with other learning styles such as auditory or social? The Online Coffee Expert as previously mentioned is a more interactive, online tool and a step toward technology integration.
To appeal to auditory learners, trainers can provide new hires with audio versions of the manual or podcasts explaining processes such as the steps to make a certain drink. Visual learners may benefit from pictures and posted job aids or infographics such as the image below.
(Gube, 2009)
Starbucks can improve efficiency and build a sense of community by providing a Facebook page specifically for employees. The page can host training videos, announcements of current and upcoming promotional menu items, and polls to gain feedback from employees. The Facebook wall for the employee page would also give employees to network with one another and build a sense of community. One way of doing this could be to include an Employee Spotlight or Store Spotlight each month to tell the stories of employees and Starbucks locations across the globe. By doing so, Starbucks can help employees gain a broader vision of the company and its expanding reach across continents to serve millions of customers.
