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Coffee giant Starbucks recently announced a major change to its dress and appearance policy, allowing baristas to visibly display tattoos for the first time in its 44-year history. The company decided that the interests of employee retention and satisfaction outweighed its strict prior policy, which had required clean-cut and uniform appearance among all of its employees.
This decision continues a trend across the country where more retail and food establishments are relaxing their personal appearance standards for their employees; the question is: will your company be next?
This past August, Starbucks barista Kristie Williams started a Coworker.org petition to change the company's policy prohibiting any kind of tattoo whatsoever from showing to customers. Besides stifling individual expression, she and other baristas complained that having to wear long sleeves to cover tattoos was outdated and uncomfortable (imagine sporting long sleeves while making piping hot coffee drinks in the summer).
The petition was very popular and over 25,000 people signed up to voice their opinion and support the suggestion. The corporate office heard their message loud and clear; in fact, it announced that it had long been considering changes to the policy even before the petition was started, but obviously the petition provided validation. "We want to build a company where self-expression, empowerment and inclusion are nurtured," Chief Operating Officer Troy Alstead said in announcing the change.
So, what exactly will change? Starbucks' policy now says: "Tattoos are allowed, but not on your face or throat. Treat tattoos as you treat speech - you can't swear, make hateful comments...