Starbucks is set to improve the mental health of its employees

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Starbucks Set To Improve Mental Health Benefits For Employees

As 12.000 Starbucks store managers from the U.S. and Canada descended on Chicago this week, the coffee chain announced a series of changes coming soon that will affect employees.

Starbucks’ Leadership Experience was the first conference for its employees since 2014 and CEO Kevin Johnson’s first since taking the reins as chief executive in 2017.

Addressing mental health will be the latest benefit the coffee giant will offer its employees.

This week in Chicago, Starbucks will bring around 12,000 store managers from the U.S. and Canada for a leadership conference. And in conversations and surveys with those employees, the coffee giant realized the need to put mental health on the agenda.

In an interview with Yahoo Finance, Johnson said that the company found that some employees were afraid to reach out to the Employee Assistance Program, so they’re working to enhance the program, which provides short-term counseling services.

“We believe this is a societal problem and we want to take steps within Starbucks for our partners to break the stigma of mental health, acknowledge that it exists, and do some creative things to provide services to those in need,”

the CEO said.

There will also be other announcements to come, Johnson added.

“Our store managers and field leaders will experience a Mental Health Matters session with a clinical psychologist that will introduce emotional first aid, followed by a discussion about what it means to thrive and develop self-awareness.”

Johnson said in a company wide memo.

He added: “This is just the beginning, and we are excited and optimistic about what we will do in this regard. Look for meaningful changes to be rolled out over the next year.”

Among the benefits currently offered by Starbucks are comprehensive healthcare for both part-time and full-time employees, equity in the form of stock options, college tuition assistance, and family leave benefits.

Source: yahoo.com