CEO of Starbucks aims to work shifts

Starbucks’ new CEO Laxman Narasimhan says he plans to work a half-day shift once a month in one of the company’s stores in an effort to stay close to the company’s culture and customers.

Narasimhan said in a letter to Starbucks’ employees Thursday that he also expects the company’s leadership team to be connected and engaged in stores.

“While our performance is strong, our health needs to be stronger,” Narasimhan wrote. “We must care for the artists and the theater in the front of our stores, and the factory in the back.”

The CEO’s plan to work in stores is new for Seattle-based Starbucks, but not unprecedented among big companies. DoorDash CEO Tony Xu and his executive team make DoorDash deliveries once a month.

Narasimhan, 55, issued the letter prior to the company’s annual meeting. The former PepsiCo executive has spent the last six months immersing himself in Starbucks, earning his barista certification as well as visiting stores, farms and manufacturing centers across the world.