Starbucks demands 4-day RTO but pledges some flexibility; Wells Fargo works to free staffer stuck in China

RTO memos are a dime a dozen these days. They tend to follow a fairly standard formula: an increase in days required in office; a need for employees, especially managers, to move near corporate HQs; an outline of the benefits of collaboration and proximity for both workers and shareholders; and perhaps some information on severance for workers unwilling to go back to the office full time. 

Starbucks’ requirement that corporate workers get back into the office every day but Friday, an increase from the current in-office requirement of three days, generally follows this pattern as well, but there are a few key differences. In the very first line of the memo, CEO Brian Niccol invokes “Back to Starbucks,” an overarching strategy to get more people into stores and staying a while rather than just cruising through the drive-thru. He reinforces this concept later in the memo, after outlining specifics of the RTO expectations: 

At Starbucks, coffee and human connection are at our core. We believe in the power of connection not just in our coffeehouses, but in how we work together as support partners.  

We are reestablishing our in-office culture because we do our best work when we’re together. We share ideas more effectively, creatively solve hard problems, and move much faster. Being in person also helps us build and strengthen our culture. As we work to turn the business around, all these things matter more than ever.  

In other words, this is part of an overarching, public-facing strategy that depends on physical presence of customers and employees to work. Just as baristas in stores are now being asked to draw on cups and make customers feel more welcome, corporate employees are being asked to come together. Connecting this to a broader business strategy may help workers better accept the change, even if they don’t agree with it. Additionally, Niccol takes a step that many other RTO memos leave out: acknowledging employees’ personal needs. 

We know your work may take you outside the office, including visiting stores, meeting suppliers, or other business travel. You should continue to go where you need to go to be successful. We also know you sometimes need to step out or leave early to attend an event at your kid’s school, see the doctor, or handle other personal matters. That’s expected and completely okay. But the default for support partners should be working in person, in a Starbucks office, alongside your team and cross-functional partners.  

Having a statement from the CEO that it’s “expected and completely okay” to sometimes handle personal matters during the work week is powerful. It shows a broader understanding of the concerns workers have about RTO and by codifying it from the top, it may allay fears about lost flexibility. 

The next key step is implementation of this flexibility. What will the actual policies look like? How will they be communicated? Even great communications are meaningless unless backed by strong policies. It’s time for comms to partner with HR to ensure these rules are fair, consistent and actually are “expected and completely OK” in Starbucks’ new culture.

Chinese-born Wells Fargo employee blocked from leaving the country after trip 

Chenyue Mao, a Wells Fargo investment banker, has been unable to leave the country after she traveled there on business. Born in Shanghai, Mao is now based in Atlanta, the Wall Street Journal reported. It’s unclear the exact reason of her travel to China or why she’s been detained. 

Wells Fargo is “closely tracking this situation and working through the appropriate channels so our employee can return to the United States as soon as possible,” the company said in a statement to the Journal. Additionally, the company has suspended all employee travel to China while the situation is resolved. 

While we don’t have access to Wells Fargo’s internal communications here, their external statements and the travel ban make it clear they’re taking the incident seriously. Often keeping a low profile in international incidents like these can be the best move while behind-the-scenes strategies are put in place to hopefully free Mao. For other organizations with workers who take frequent business trips to China, it may be worthwhile to issue proactive internal statements about the situation, steps your company has taken and how they’re assuring worker safety abroad. Hopefully they’ll never need the information, but simply having it can be a great relief. 

Majority of workers express anxiety about taking PTO 

A survey from LiveCareer found that 59% of workers feel anxiety about taking paid time off work. Their major concerns include seeming less dedicated to their work, falling behind on tasks, and a fear of missing out on opportunities. Forty-nine percent of workers said their company encourages the use of PTO, but their workloads mean they don’t feel they can take that time. An additional 33% say they feel at least some pressure not to use the entirety of their PTO benefit, while 9% say companies outright discourage PTO use.  

The survey found that the biggest ways to alleviate these concerns would be with more financial stability and better work coverage for vacations. Unfortunately, comms can’t do much about these items, but they can help address another insight: 18% of workers said they’re be more likely to take their PTO if they had supportive leadership. 

Communicators can act as advocates for employees and help leaders craft messages that truly encourage workers to take their paid time off to rest, recharge and enjoy the fruits of their labor. Sharing authentic messages can be the first start to a healthier workplace. 

And of course, lead by example: Take your own time off. 

How about some good news? 

• The Seine River in Paris is now safe enough to swim in after a century of pollution and progress.  

• A new species of ancient lizard was discovered after two halves of a fossil were reunited.  

• A German backpacker was found safe after spending 11 days alone in the Australian bush.  

• Ragan Training is great for communications pros to find inspiration and resources. 

• You should be rewarded for your work. Find out how to earn an award here! Our Video, Visual and Virtual Awards and PR Daily Awards close to entries today!. 

Allison Carter is editorial director of PR Daily and Ragan.com. Follow her on LinkedIn.