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March 23, 2023: Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan has pledged to work half a day each month at one of the company’s coffee shops to stay close to the culture, customers, and challenges facing the firm. Narasimhan joined the company in October 2021, taking the helm on Monday and leading its shareholder meeting on Thursday. He underwent barista training, including 40 hours of work, and wore the iconic green apron. Narasimhan stated in a letter to staff that he expected each member of the leadership team to stay connected to the realities of the company’s stores to discuss and improve them.
However, the pledge comes at a difficult time for the company’s relationship with its baristas. More than 190 Starbucks-owned locations have voted to unionize as of Friday, with workers citing unsafe working conditions, understaffing, and unreliable scheduling as reasons for their support of a union.
Before joining Starbucks, Narasimhan served as CEO of Reckitt, which owns brands such as Lysol and Durex, and worked at PepsiCo and McKinsey.
