Starbucks to award bonuses to baristas, expand tipping

A Starbucks barista fulfills an order in a South Philadelphia store. Mark Makela | Reuters Starbucks will award baristas and shift supervisors quarterly bonuses of $300 if their stores hit certain targets to aid the coffee chain’s turnaround efforts, the company said Thursday. The program will begin in July, with the first payout coming in…

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China’s emotional economy is on the rise

A giant inflatable Labubu toy floats on the water at Victoria Harbour on October 25, 2025 in Hong Kong, China. Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty Images 28-year-old Rebecca Zhou, born in China’s Sichuan province, owns an assortment of Moomin merchandise — bags, mugs, and figurines featuring the white hippo-looking cartoon character from Finland…

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‘It’s such a shortsighted strategy’

More companies are leaning into “peanut butter” pay increases this year, according to Payscale’s Pay Increase Preview Report. The term refers to across-the board raises “that are even and spread thinly, like peanut butter would be on a sandwich,” according to career coach Colleen Paulson. About half — 48% — of surveyed organizations said that…

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