For as long as societies have existed, the pervasive “us vs. them” mentality shadows how we operate and interact. Sometimes, it’s instilled intentionally to enforce power dynamics. Other times, it sneaks into a company culture organically, especially between differences in positions, such as part-time workers, contractors, or employees in other locations or doing different types of work.
Small Giants companies know the “us vs. them” mentality stifles and damages company culture. We spoke with several companies with distinct employee types to learn how they maintain a cohesive and inclusive employee experience. These company leaders actively put forth efforts to recognize every employee’s important role on the team, regardless of position or tenure with the business. Whether part time, seasonal, intern, or working in a different physical environment, every employee matters.
To kick off this series, we turn to a trade we all rely on to keep us caffeinated and in community with one another: the coffee industry. While many of us see coffee shops as cozy spaces filled with beverages and good conversation, for those serving us, it can be a different experience. The industry is one of high turnover, largely due to taking on young workers looking for stepping stone jobs to build experience, or otherwise get burnt out from the long, intense shifts.
Lori and Carl Churchill, the founders of Alpha Coffee, are trying to change this industry narrative, one latte at a time.
Training is caring
Alpha Coffee was founded in Utah in September 2010 as an online purveyor of craft coffee in Lori and Carl’s basement. The business started with just themselves and their kids pitching in, and the company culture was organically positive. Eventually, they grew the business, first into selling wholesale, and then moved into their retail coffee shop. Now, they have two locations, and over 30 employees, half of them being part-time. 
Carl is a military veteran and has carried many of the values from his past career into the business. One of their mission statement principles,“be a warrior,” means you’re willing to grow by way of doing tough things and succeeding as part of a team. Service to others is a core part of military values and this also became central to Alpha’s culture. Alpha Coffee has committed to giving back a minimum of 10% of profits through its Grounds for Good program. Through this initiative, the company donates to organizations focused on veterans, planet, and community. Since their founding, they have sent over 22,000 bags of coffee to deployed troops, and donated over $120,000 to non profits.
The team at Alpha Coffee takes pride in their supportive and community-oriented culture, which is largely bolstered by their thorough training program. To them, training is a crucial component to culture, especially in their industry. Their training is structured to ensure each employee feels confident in their role, while also incentivizing employees to grow and advance to the next level.
“We really work hard in giving our team members the skills to build them up and be great at what they do,” said Lori.
Once an employee is hired for an Alpha Coffee shop, no matter the position, they undergo five phases of training. The new employee can move through these phases as quickly or slowly as they feel comfortable. On average, it takes several months to move through all five phases, from a rover to a barista. As they advance to their next phase, employees receive a 20% increase in their percentage of the tip pool, $50 bonuses, as well as gift cards to Alpha to celebrate and motivate their progress.
Lori handles the barista training herself with the goal to ensure each individual who trains with her is a craftsman of the trade. Once they pass their barista training, employees receive a $150 bonus, are 100% in on the tip pool, and receive a coveted Alpha Barista t-shirt, which was designed by a former employee-turned tattoo artist.
While incentivizing individuals is important for buy in and growth, bringing employees together as a team is also crucial to the Alpha culture. Lori and Carl aim to instill confidence in their employees by cultivating the culture of mattering, and by emphasizing they all belong to something bigger than themselves.
You cannot not communicate
At Alpha, training, tipping, and communicating are all structured to incentivize individuals, while also bringing everyone together as a team.
Tipping is a significant portion of hospitality workers’ pay, so Carl and Lori make sure they distribute gratuities as fairly as possible. As previously mentioned, each employees’ tip share is based on where they are in the training process. Tips are also equally distributed throughout the day at each of their two locations, rather than based on the specific shift. Carl explains that while team members who work the morning rush may be dealing with the busiest time and serving lots of customers, those who work later in the day are doing equally important tasks such as cleaning up after the rush, restocking, or making sure the shop is ready for the next busy shift. Everyone is working together to set each other up for success, and are compensated as such. This reasoning is shared with the team so they have pay clarity and feel supported by the team.
The team-based values help employees buy into the culture. Employees are not only encouraged to work as a team within their location, but across the entire company. Employees are able to pick up shifts at either location when the opportunity arises, and this overlap allows for familiarity and a sense of unity between the two shops.
Lori and Carl consistently communicate with the entire team, both to each store with relevant updates, as well as across the entire company. The owners make a point to visit both shops as much as possible and get to know each employee on an individual basis and also host company-wide events. The team takes this emphasis on communication to heart too, as they bond both on company time and through employee-driven initiatives. The couple shared that some of the employees have started a weekly volleyball night, and everyone on the team is invited to join for some fun, off-the-clock bonding.
Another aspect of communication for the Alpha team is reviews. Ongoing evaluation is baked into the culture and the training process to keep people on the right track and growing in the direction they want. During the training process, as well as during ongoing quarterly reviews, the leaders use a method of review inspired by the military, called AAR: after action review. During the conversation, it is discussed what did and did not go well, and what lessons were learned to improve in the future.
“When you have younger generation employees, they’re not willing to just get a job and trade time for money, “ said Carl. “They want to feel like they’re learning, they’re growing, they’re gaining something from it.”
Coffee, culture, and beyond
Lori and Carl aren’t in the coffee business to simply make money and retire. Right from the start, their goal has been to create a different kind of coffee company where they offer a superior craft coffee product, provide a space to bring people together and create community, give back to their community in meaningful ways, and offer team members a positive work environment where they can gain life and work skills.
By starting their employees off on the right foot with an intensive training program, and following through with constant communication, Carl and Lori aren’t only setting them up for success, but also showing each team member that they’re worth investing in. Whether an individual sees their job at Alpha Coffee as a part-time role while they figure out their future, or as a long-term career with an upwards trajectory, every employee at Alpha Coffee matters and is given all the tools to succeed. Just like a cup of Joe is a daily necessity for many of us, so is showing up to reinforce the positive culture at Alpha Coffee.