Starbucks calls corporate employees back to the office — or take a payout

The coffee giant said the employees will have to work in the office a minimum of four days a week — Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday — starting in October. The new requirement (up from a previous one of three days) applies to workers in Starbucks’ Seattle and Toronto support centers as well as North America regional offices.

In a letter to employees, Brian Niccol, the former Chipotle chief who took the reins at Starbucks in September 2024, said that the company was reestablishing its 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.“

For workers who decide to “opt out” and leave the company instead of meet the new four-day requirement, Starbucks is offering a “one-time voluntary exit program with a cash payment, Chain Store Age reports.

In addition, Starbucks, which in February asked all VP-plus leaders working remotely to begin relocating to Seattle or Toronto, is now extending the requirement to all support center “people leaders” who will be expected to be based in Seattle or Toronto within 12 months. Also, hiring for future roles and lateral moves will require partners to be Seattle- or Toronto-based.

In the letter, Nicole described the new return-to-office policy as part of its turnaround strategy.

“We understand not everyone will agree with this approach,” Niccol wrote. “We’ve listened and thought carefully. But as a company built on human connection, and given the scale of the turnaround ahead, we believe this is the right path for Starbucks.”