Starbucks and SAP SuccessFactors: Brewing Up Success in HR

Starbucks is a global icon synonymous with coffee and uniquely focuses on employee experience and customer connection. But beneath the welcoming atmosphere and the perfectly crafted lattes lies a sophisticated HR infrastructure that powers its renowned company culture. That infrastructure is built, in part, on SAP SuccessFactors.

Let’s explore how Starbucks utilizes SuccessFactors to drive its people-centric model.

Key SuccessFactors Ingredients

• Recruitment and Onboarding: Starbucks understands talent is vital to its success. SuccessFactors helps them streamline their recruitment process, attracting top candidates interested in the company’s mission and values. New hires are then seamlessly onboarded with a smooth digital experience that integrates them into the Starbucks culture.
• Employee Central: Employee Central is at the heart of Starbucks’ SuccessFactors deployment. This module provides a centralized hub of core HR data. This ensures easy access to payroll, benefits, and essential employee information, empowering managers and employees with the necessary information.
• Performance and Goals: Starbucks’ philosophy centers on setting clear expectations and fostering growth. SuccessFactors’ Performance and Goals module allows for transparent goal setting, regular feedback, and alignment of individual objectives with the company’s larger vision.
• Compensation: Starbucks believes in rewarding its dedicated workforce. SuccessFactors’ compensation tools allow Starbucks to create competitive compensation packages, manage bonuses, and ensure fair and equitable pay for baristas, store managers, and everyone else.
• Learning and Development: Starbucks calls its employees “partners” for a reason. They invest heavily in training and development. SuccessFactors’ learning modules give partners access to a wealth of resources—from barista basics to leadership training. This continual development strengthens the workforce and creates pathways for career growth.

The Benefits: Beyond Efficiency

Starbucks’ adoption of SuccessFactors has yielded tangible benefits:

• Enhanced Employee Experience: SuccessFactors creates a smooth, user-friendly experience for partners from the first job application to ongoing learning opportunities. This boosts engagement and helps nurture the sense of belonging central to Starbucks’ culture.
• Data-Driven HR:  SuccessFactors gathers valuable people data, allowing Starbucks to analyze trends, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions about its HR strategies.
• Global Scalability: Starbucks is an expansive global enterprise. SuccessFactors’ cloud-based infrastructure allows the standardization of HR processes across all stores worldwide, ensuring consistency and operational efficiency.
• Focus on the “Third Place”: By streamlining administrative HR tasks, SuccessFactors frees managers to focus on what Starbucks calls the “third place”—the unique, welcoming environment at the core of the Starbucks experience.

The Perfect Blend

Starbucks’ success is more than just great coffee. It’s about fostering an environment where employees feel valued and inspired. SuccessFactors has become a key ingredient in that environment, providing technology to streamline HR and empower Starbucks’ partners to be their best selves. As new HR technologies emerge, we can expect Starbucks to continue innovating alongside its chosen technology solutions, always ensuring that its “people first” philosophy remains front and center.