1. Starbucks Training and Development Strategy
Andrea Markiewicz
HRM/531
July 3, 2017
Patrick Stapleton 1

2. Introduction Starbucks Training Needs Qualitative Training Methodology
Training and development is a very important activity for all organizations that ensure employees are trained before being assigned to any particular work project or assignment. Starbucks is one of those companies that oversees proper training for employees before they are fully absorbed into the staff body. Management believes that through effective training, maximum service can be offered to customers. A needs assessment is necessary for an organization like Starbucks to gather information on what training needs to be developed to help individuals accomplish organizational goals and objectives. This process tests the knowledge, abilities, and skills of the employees and the company.
A training objective Is generally a measurable way to describe the desired knowledge, attitudes and skills that the Starbucks corporation expects from their team members on all levels. With Starbucks using a qualitative training methodology approach, this can be a helpful procedure when it comes to training customer service skills and implementing new product introduction. Addressing the training that is needed for positions in store management, sales group, and baristas would be crucial since they are the first responders to the public and should be conducted at a training site. Offering training at an offsite location can allow management and their teams’ time to evaluate skills in customer service and to evaluate new product offerings without being disturbed by daily business. With training at an offsite location, this can reduce the introduction time and consumer awareness by bringing team members to the facility (Erthal, 1993). The success that has been earned by this company even at a time of economic downturn is because of the good training it offers to their employees at the point of entry. The company uses a variety of training skills and techniques to be able to enhance customer satisfaction.
© Starbucks Training, n.d.

3. Training Needs Assessment
Identification of Business
Performance Gap Analysis
Assessment of Training Options
Reporting Needs and Recommendations
With identifying business needs, Starbucks can conduct an analysis of where the organization requires quick training and then direct all their plans by training employees in that particular area of concern. This stage is very important because it forms the foundations of the company’s success or failure in the future. An organizational analysis can help to determine whether discrepancies and, specifically, to help identify the cause of discrepancies that can be resolved with employee training (Marano, 1984).
Starbucks can perform a gap analysis that is relevant for ensuring that current employee and skills are compared to those that are anticipated by the company. To ensure proper gap analysis, management can utilize the following tools; human resource records, surveys, individual interviews, focus groups, and observations made on employees. In addition to recruiting and hiring purposes, organizational analysis occurs when the company’s performance gaps happened in some area within the organization including productivity, market share, grievance levels, profitability, etc. (Marano, 1984).
With assessing training options, Starbucks can seek to oversee that the most appropriate options will consider details in their strategic goals and objectives. This stage considers issues such as the cost to be incurred, legal compliance, investment returns, the time to be taken and how fast it will solve the problem. Team members need to be assessed and placed into teams based off of knowledge of the company policy, technical skills, product skills, communication skills, and supervisory/management experience (Marano, 1984).
Starbucks can report training needs and recommend training plans to employ certain questions that need to be considered so that proper planning and recommendation can be exhausted. Some of these questions include; What is the current training methodology? Will the training be conducted externally or internally? Does the company have competent internal trainers or will they be outsourced? What style of learning are the participants familiar to? Can an online training be conducted?

4. Validation of Training Needs
Two-Week Training
On-The-Job-Training
Training Team Members
Starbucks will conduct a two-week training method that will seek to equip participants with the basic knowledge of the company that will involve the history and culture of the business and covers in detail the social responsibility programs the company offers to the public. This training process also incorporates a stage of learning on how to make coffee and other specialty beverages, including how to generate sales in offering products to customers.
This training method will be on-the-job training since it is the most common used of all the methodologies and seeks to ensure that appropriate skills are incorporated into the learner. Practical activity is very essential for quick learning and that is why a majority of individuals consider this method of training. This process allows proper coaching and requires competent individuals who will take the participants through the whole learning process (Van Buren, 2009).
Management must be trained to recognize team members who are struggling or who may need some added training and assistance in making a sale and include completing inventory for a new product. A barista must be trained on how to make the new product and what are the ingredients that go into the new product. They must also know how to add substitutions to a new product, for example, soy instead of whole milk or vice versa. The salespeople must be able to know what the new product’s special features are and also any other nutritional facts, like increased energy or immunity. In addition, when looking into another store franchise locations to expand within a certain demographic area, the salespeople must also be able to answer questions about Starbucks coffee products, other specialty beverages, food menu items and know their ingredients (Putri, 2013). This would be extremely critical since when it comes to sales, quite a lot of consumers are health conscious today of what they eat and drink, and then you would have others who do like the some of the sweet mixed coffee beverages and other specialty drinks, including the pastries offered.
© Starbucks Trainee Programme, 2014

5. Ways of Meeting Training Needs
Desired Business Outcome
Trainable Competency
Determine How Training Should Be Done
Training Systems Under Employment Laws
Having a desired business outcome determination essentially calls for proper alignment of the company’s training needs for their strategic goals and objectives, which is well observed by Starbucks. This can be defined as an outcome statement that speaks to what knowledge, skills, and attitudes that a learner should possess upon completing the lesson (Whittaker, 1987). For barista training on new-hires, the program will provide customer service on how to greet customers, how to operate coffee machines and learn the variety of different coffee and tea beverage drink mixes, operate the cashier machine, and attract customers to buy more products by offering foods, snacks, or etc. (Putri, 2013). For Starbucks salespeople training, the program will detail on how to bring the Starbucks coffee experience to life in an entrepreneurial and innovative way in working with other retailers across the country and around the world to launch products in places like grocery stores, airlines and school campuses when it comes to business expansion (“Corporate Careers. An Opportunity for Everyone,” 2017). Also, present new drinks or food products to retailers so they would want to try it and offer their feedback. For Starbucks retail management training, the program will instruct on information for effective management practices and includes topics in motivation, delegation, problem solving, improving performance, managing the Starbucks experience, and maximizing profits. This training program will use a combined delivery method of classroom and in-store training, plus application methods (“Learning and Development,” 2016).
With trainable competency, Starbucks requires good marketers who are mandated with the training process to be marketing experts who can instill right marketing skills to the trainees. It is beneficial to have a learning objective prepared during the planning process for training because it will serve as a guide to create training material that coincides with the learning objective. In doing so, the training can be streamlined to cover only the material that is important to the learning objective and can avoid getting off track (Whittaker, 1987).
When it comes to determining the appropriate way training should be done, this process is very crucial in meeting the needs for training since in essence, it calls for prior decision making with regards to which method will be used and the most suitable (Whittaker, 1987). Starbucks employees are trained on the proper way to greet and take orders as well as deliver beverages/meals, and handle menu alteration requests. They must have knowledge of their job including menu items since customers will often ask for them to suggest something. If a customer has a complaint or a concern, the employee must be skilled on resolution efforts that will satisfy the diner and ensure a return visit (Putri, 2013).
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the training system at Starbucks ensure that any employees with disabilities are taken care of and that none are discriminated against in any way since all have to be given equal opportunity through the concept of reasonable accommodation to eradicate barriers against applicants and current employees defined under this law (“Americans with Disabilities Act,” n.d.). Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the training system at Starbucks is incorporated since they adhere by ensuring that the remuneration rates are quoted to the employees before deployment since the FLSA sets the minimum wage rate and different states have different minimum wages set for workers (“Handy Reference Guide to the Fair Labor Standards Act,” 2016).

6. Potential Barriers to Organizational Training
Resistance
Inadequate Leadership
Disregard to Team Group Work
Miscommunication and Short-Term Focus
Complexity
Some potential barriers that may result to organizational employee training can be resistance and a stubbornness to change among some employees. Whenever training is mentioned, change clicks into the mind of participants and therefore certain individuals may go against it (Adenle, 2011). Sometimes certain individuals by nature are stubborn and can make the training process difficult. People are not always accepting to new concepts and some don’t want to have to be retrained to do their job, or have a fear that others may do it better and will be released from their position.
Inadequate leadership training is another setback for the training process. Those who occupy leadership positions must be well trained so that they can train appropriately, meaning that if you have organizational leaders themselves who are not well trained, then nothing much is to be expected in return from employees (Adenle, 2011).
Having a disregard to team group work in a company when a training method to be used does not consider teamwork, then success will be history and not experienced at an organizational level. Working as a team can be far much better than to an individual, especially for a company like Starbucks (Adenle, 2011).
For miscommunication and short-term focus, proper training needs to take place and clear communication must be grounded; in essence the trainer must convey what is expected out of a job position after the training process in preciseness. Sometimes concerns arise when certain changes are not being communicated appropriately or having it leaked before it has the chance to be addressed (Adenle, 2011). The focus of the training should not be short-term, but rather long-term to accommodate all the company objectives.
And when it comes to complexity, a very difficult training program may also be a big challenge in ensuring excellent training is provided to the participants. For example, an issue that is faced by older employees can be due to technological advancements that require them to learn new areas of their trade. A very long training process may prove to be boring, while on the other hand, a very short one may not incorporate the necessary techniques required of the job position.
© Ruiz, 2013

7. One-Year Anticipated Training Budget
Costs Incurred
Totals
Direct Costs
Labor Costs
$26,500
Materials
$13,450
Travel
$20,650
$60,600
Indirect Costs
1. Office Costs
$45,750
2. Equipment
$15,750
3. Administrative Costs
$36,250
$97,750
Total Expenditures
$158, 350
Starbucks one-year drafted budget is set to cover a twelve month period. The labor costs are meant to pay the instructors who will take the employees through the whole process of customer service and learning how to make the various coffee and specialty beverages on the menu. The process will also include sale techniques and suggestions being made regarding products. The costs of materials will include worksheet training material notebooks used during the learning sessions in the form of print-outs and pens offered for taking notes for groups of applicants who are scheduled to attend from various franchise store locations. Trainers will also be paid travel fees based on the number of locations across the country they have to conduct for the two-week sessions with Starbuck associates. The office costs will cover the rents for the premises used for training and the equipment costs will be used for the computer-based training programs that Starbucks will use as part of their training course on their office computers and printers. And last, the administrative costs will consist of the Starbuck’s administrators who will be a part of the training to help carry out supervisory roles on behalf of the company when it comes to enhancing the customer experience and deliver consistently high-quality products to their base (Roberts, 2013).

8. Evaluation of the Training Process
Reaction of Participants
Acquired Knowledge
Behavioral Application
Return on Investment (ROI)
For an evaluation of a training process for the Starbucks organization, reaction of participants and their overall satisfaction can be very imperative when it comes to certain sections of the training that was not beneficial while in the training program, or perhaps what could have been satisfactory about the whole training process (Bhuyan, n.d.).This is usually achieved by the trainer giving a survey to the participants to say whether they were satisfied or not. In this type of formative evaluation, the instructor can identify the constraints and motivations to change the aspects of the target groups. It will help understand the underlying issues and address them fully. It will also help in ensuring success of the training projects by incorporating the views of the stakeholders.
In the stage of acquired knowledge, this area of evaluation usually incorporates a follow-up activity that seeks to ensure whether the intended skills were conveyed to the participants. This is vital in finding out whether the training should be repeated or not (Bhuyan, n.d.). This analysis will be focused on important factors such as employee learning and achievement, including trainer effectiveness and learning materials used both hands-on and used in class. The evaluation will help identify any factors that hinder how teaching takes place
With behavioral application, this can be important in making sure the participants are able to deliver in accordance to how they were trained and that they are able to work under minimal supervision, or rather alone can be important since it helps in finding certain employees who do not learn well and need some improvement. The trainer can go ahead and recommend better learning objectives or suggestions in which the instructor can use this type of evaluation to determine whether the new learning materials need to be improved upon in the long-run (Bhuyan, n.d.).
For return on investment, this evaluation process can seek to ensure that the trained employees deliver appropriately what is required of them and especially for the benefit of the company both in the short and long-run. Stakeholders are individuals that have interest in the success or failure of a given project of a company, especially when it comes to training employees (Bhuyan, n.d.). Stakeholders sometimes go beyond a target group and some can contribute towards the project or program being developed. This type of evaluation as well can include people from marginalized areas if a certain area of business will affect them.

9. Managerial Survey Questions
1. How likely would you recommend this training course to a friend or colleague?
A. Very much often as it ensures there is improvement among the participants.
2. How well did the content delivered match what you were promised when you registered?
A. Very well since by the end of this training strategy presentation, it seems to personally ensure that Starbucks employees can expand more upon training methods needed in order to help their personnel expand upon better acquired skills for success.
3. How much new information did you receive in the training course?
A. More than enough since this training session seemed to inculcate new skills and information that I had not learned before when it comes to training efficiently.
4. How was the training presentation and was the instructor engaged?
A. The presentation was beneficial in learning since the presenter was significantly engaged involving the employees in a question and answer mode strategy, whereby the trainer required employees to provide important feedback concerning their reactions to this presentation when it comes to areas of lessons learned and improvement needed.
The following four questions were formatted based on my training and development strategy PowerPoint presentation discussion at my local Starbucks coffee shop in town where I went through and took notes over based on my slide presentation topics. I talked to one of the manager’s I know and a team lead supervisor that was working a late morning shift to review over my presentation and answer the questions. The answers provided to these questions was a summary based on their responses I received back. They also shared with me how employment training to them can be very helpful for developing skills and improving behaviors of their employees through opportunities provided. By gaining certain skills working as a barista, a salesperson, or even moving on up within a supervisory or management position in a store franchise location at Starbucks, there is a better chance to gain employment within or out of the company.
The first question seeks to identify whether the baristas, salespeople, and management were happy about the training and further points out how the barista, salesperson or manager would be loyal to the company services. The second question seeks to find out whether the training met the expectations of the company according to the previous information relayed to the Starbucks employees during training. The third question is geared towards ensuring that quality information is available to the employees so that the training is made of much value when new things are brought on board. And the fourth question seeks to find out the competency of both the training presentation and the instructor, especially if it’s an existing employee from the company. These questions were formatted because they help to test a variety of Starbucks employees intelligence in the retail market field industry.
© Pixabay, 2017

10. Conclusion Protocols To Be Followed Training Needs Utilization
The training and development strategy is very essential for any particular organization. For a company that does not consider a proper training and development program for their employees may never experience the intended success that any organization would want to achieve and is recommended that all the protocols be followed to the latter, meaning that not a single area should be skipped over or ignored.
To ensure training needs for Starbucks employees, they need to establish the proper educational and training programs since the company will see this as an investment into their investment. Necessary training assessments such as validation of the training itself, ways in meeting the training needs, discussion of the potential barriers, and the anticipated budget will help Starbucks in taking the time to spend their money for the appropriate training programs for their employees needed.
When It comes to utilization, these activities can make a training session complete, therefore, none should be avoided at all costs and it has experienced exceptional success when compared with its competitors. Starbucks desire to see their employees grow and prosperous over time. The investment Starbucks is willing to make for their employees, by establishing a durable training program that will stand the test of time, will prove to their employees, past, present, and future, that their company believes in them and wants nothing but success for them and their families for years to come.
© cyberenglishadvanced, 2017

11. References
Adenle, C. (2011).12 Reasons Why Employees Resist Change in the Workplace. Catherine’s Career Corner. Retrieved from Americans with Disabilities Act. (n.d.). United States Department of Labor. Retrieved from Bhuyan, S.N. (n.d.). How to Measure the Impact of Your Training Program. Mind Tickle. Retrieved from Corporate Careers. An Opportunity for Everyone. (2017). Starbucks Corporation. Retrieved from Erthal, M. J. (1993). Management Training Program Evaluation: Evaluation Methods, Use of Results, and Perceived Barriers (Order No ). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. ( ). Retrieved from Handy Reference Guide to the Fair Labor Standards Act. (2016). United States Department of Labor. Retrieved from Learning and Development. (2016). Starbucks Corporation. Retrieved from Marano, T. A. (1984). Needs Assessment Practices Used In Supervisory Training Programs Of Selected Forbes 500 Organizations (Order No ). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. ( ). Retrieved from Putri, F.A. (2013). Training at Starbucks. Everything you need to know about Starbucks Coffee Company HRM. Retrieved from Roberts, J.S. (2013). 6 Budget Planning Steps to Professional Project Estimates. Envato Tuts. Retrieved from Van Buren, S. N. (2009). Moving Beyond Show and Tell: Implementing Structured On -The -Job Training for Apprentice Electric Utility Lineworkers (Order No ). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. ( ). Retrieved from Whittaker, B. J. B. (1987). Identification Of Training Needs And Providers In Selected Business And Industry (Order No ). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. ( ). Retrieved from