Starbucks: Starbucks CEO announces new requirement for workers

Since taking over the role as Starbucks' CEO, Brian Niccol has emphasized the need to bring the company back to its roots by focusing on core products, personalizing the coffee shop experience like it once did, and preventing price increases. Over the last few quarters before Niccol's arrival, the company had been struggling with continuous sales declines and slower store traffic, which threatened the health of its finances. Niccol developed a turnaround plan to reverse these declines and return the business to growth. The plan aims to improve customers' overall experience by redesigning stores, optimizing efficiency, prioritizing coffee quality, and simplifying its menu to keep prices from elevating in 2025. Since announcing his growth plan, the company has made many changes internally and externally to reach its goals. However, this last change was one that came as a surprise to many. Starbucks imposes a new dress code on all its baristas in North American stores Starbucks ( ) has just imposed a new dress code on its baristas across all North American stores, which will take effect starting May 12. This marks the company's first time updating its dress code in nearly a decade. "The more defined color palette includes any solid black short and long-sleeved crewneck, collared, or button-up shirts and any shade of khaki, black, or blue denim bottoms," said Starbucks in the announcement. The company states that this change was made to enhance its iconic green apron by simplifying color options and allowing baristas to focus on crafting beverages and connecting with customers. It also creates a sense of familiarity with the brand, as it has been Starbucks' signature symbol for multiple decades. "Our partners are the face of our brand, and our iconic green apron has always been a special part of what makes us unique. Since 1987, the green apron has been the symbol for Starbucks Coffee Company, representing the hundreds of thousands of retail partners in North America who connect with customers every day," said Starbucks in the announcement. To help baristas adhere to the new dress code, Starbucks will produce a new line of company-branded T-shirts and provide its employees with two pieces at no cost. Starbucks changes its dress code for the first time in nearly a decade Before this year's announcement, Starbucks last updated its dress code in 2016. The company removed stricter rules that limited employees' personal style and instead allowed them more freedom of self-expression with their appearance. Starbucks removed policies like "only natural hair color" and "no visible tattoos," loosened its earring requirements, and allowed a wider range of colors to be worn. Nonetheless, as Niccol has stated multiple times, "This is back to the core of what makes Starbucks a unique experience." It could mean more changes are coming this year and, hopefully, the potential return of some of Starbucks' nostalgic merch.