Starbucks tells workers to return to the office

Starbucks will begin an “accountability process” in January, requiring corporate employees to comply with its three-day-a-week office mandate or face possible termination, according to an internal message obtained by The Wall Street Journal. Starbucks’ new chief executive, Brian Niccol, has a hybrid work arrangement himself. The company has said Niccol would meet or exceed its in-office mandates. Some workers have expressed skepticism of Niccol’s arrangement, The Wall Street Journal notes. The move aligns Starbucks with other major companies like Amazon and JPMorgan Chase, revisiting remote work policies from the pandemic. Starbucks’s decision comes amid a strategy overhaul, as recent earnings reports show a 6% drop in U.S. same-store sales and a 10% decline in transactions, prompting the brand to refocus on growth and customer experience.