Pros
Starbucks really is all about connecting over coffee! You can easily take 10-20 minutes a couple of times a day just to sit down with a peer, co-worker, anyone really, and just have coffee and connect. Coffee is everywhere in the office. Espresso machines are in each kitchen, coffee presses are everywhere, and the office is being refreshed to really look more like you're sitting in an authentic store.
Cons
Unfortunately, the company really has gotten to a place where you really can't go anywhere, unless you know someone, and âmanaging opticsâ is almost an important as being able to navigate your job function. While the company offers you many opportunities to develop, those development opportunities are seldom met with a new opportunity outside of your function. For example, you may be working to develop as a specialist, but are currently a coordinator. If you were to apply for the specialist role, even though you have been on a âstretch assignmentâ as a specialist for months, you are looked at as only having the experience of a coordinator. Additionally, the politics within the office have gotten to a place where it takes at least twice as long to get your job done as it needs to. You must schedule a meeting to sit down and talk with everyone, because since everyone is in meetings all day, sending an email, it will just get lost and youâll get no response. And because everything is so political, leaders are in place who should not be, they just knew the right person or had the right connection. Either that, or jobs are posted for an investor's conference, but are pulled before an offer is made (after the interview process), to make the company look like they're hiring, when they're not... Managing optics.