Famed coffee purveyor Starbucks is making a few changes to its employee policies, one of which allows workers to have visible tattoos. Its workers will also receive a pay bump.
The coffee giant said it was increasing its pay scale for all US locations starting next year. Baristas and managers both will be getting pay bumps starting in January and will also be allowed to partake of one free food item per shift.
Another perk that some employees will start enjoying is a free sampling of the first crop from its new Costa Rican coffee plantation.
Starbucks bought the 600-acre coffee plantation in 2013, and the first crop is now coming through processors.
However, that new tattoo policy will likely excite employees the most.
According to Bloomberg, the company’s updated dress code now reads: “Tattoos are allowed, but not on your face or throat. Treat tattoos as you treat speech–you can’t swear, make hateful comments or lewd jokes in the workplace, neither can your tattoos.”
The company’s past tattoo policy was a sore issue for many baristas. In September, one Starbucks workertold Huffington Post, “The day I buy my first short-sleeved shirt will definitely be a great day. I know personally I could work better and faster if I wasn’t sweating and fussing with my sleeves all the time at work in order to hide my tattoo.”
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.