Most barista training is ineffective.
The major reason for this is not because employees aren’t up to the challenge but because we who are doing the training are operating within a framework that makes mediocrity, miscommunication, and confusion an inevitability.
Let dive into this just a bit.
Most cafes set up their training to be done in intensely in the beginning of a baristas time of employment after which it just drops off and they have to fend for themselves. So an operator can be forgiven for feeling the need to cram a bunch of stuff into a small space of time because they know that the system is not set up for continued education.
Think of it this way the way we onboard people in the shop tends to be similar to how those of us int he West grocery shop. We make a big list of all the things we might need in a week or two weeks and we get it done as quick as possible. Contrast this to how a lot of people in Europe shop where the goal is not necessarily to stock pile and “get it done” but to focus on what you need in the short term and do so in a way that is stinkingly less stressful and chaotic.
It is not a perfect comparison but when it comes to training I would much prefer to set things up based on the latter ideal. Training based on need, and set up to be done more frequently.
Giving people a boat load of information in intensive sessions is overwhelming and leads a lot of the information just going to waste because the barista either does not have the capacity or opportunity to use it. Same thing happens when you think, “Hey let me try this new vegetable I have never used” and it ends up rotting in the back of the fridge.
The way we can set baristas up for success is buy creating systems that extend the training over the long term and focus on delivering to the barista the practical skills and knowledge they will need for where they are in their coffee journey.
If we want great coffee experiences for our guests and our staff then creating practical, long term training systems is a must.
Until then, a lot of what we communicate in these intense training session will continue to rot in the back of the metaphorical fridge.
-Chris
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