Employees in focus - Our development journey

We don't believe that one management team has all the answers, especially at Espresso House, where our main operations take place in our coffee shops. In the past years we have therefore established a series of forums and channels where we listen, discuss and share each other's experiences to build a better Espresso House. Feedback from our employees is extremely important and we encourage it; feedback ensures we can create and develop a sustainable business that not only flourishes in the present, but also in the future.

Below are some examples of the initiatives we have taken in recent years to develop Espresso House as a sustainable place to work:

• Every day, our employees can give us instant feedback on how their shift has been through Barista Pulse. We simply take the pulse of the working day: green, red or in between.
• An Advisory Board with senior management. In this forum, we discuss ideas that come from our employees and turn them into concrete activities for the benefit of our guests and employees.
• Introduced a whistleblowing channel where our employees can anonymously provide feedback to management, both positive and negative.
• We have developed our direct conversations with employees through focus groups, in-shop staff meetings and the Facebook by Workplace platform where employees can share experiences, ideas and get direct answers to questions that arise in their daily work.
• Our leadership program for our young leaders is a top priority since we often give our employees leadership positions at a relatively young age. This is something we are proud of, but it also demands that we as an employer take a greater responsibility in ensuring that our young leaders are educated and prosper in their new role. In 2023, we strive to raise the knowledge and competence at Espresso House to ensure that our managers always have the opportunity to refresh or update their leadership skills.
• Introduced a focus group consisting of representatives from our operational organisation who discuss health and safety issues together with HR and the trade union.

Investments in 2023

In May 2022, Anssi Thureson took over as the new CEO of the Espresso House Group. His first 100 days as CEO were spent travelling and meeting employees. Anssi Thureson encountered a lot of passion and commitment, but he also saw the challenges that Espresso House employees face in their daily work.

“Employee well-being is my top priority. I want our employees to feel appreciated for the great work that they do. I see a clear correlation between employee satisfaction, quality towards guests and a sustainable long-term business, hence an investment of 81 million SEK in salary increases will be made in 2023" says Anssi Thureson.

Another lesson from Anssi Thureson's meetings was the complexity of our business. A complexity that has grown since the pandemic when we invested in digital sales channels. We offer over-the-counter sales, pre-order and third-party delivery. We partner with food saving services and offer coffee subscriptions. Much of our beverage and food is prepared on site.

“The daily work in a coffee shop can be very intense. This insight made me decide that in 2023 we will launch a program with the ambition to reduce complexity in our shops so that we can work smarter and simplify operations for our employees.” Anssi Thureson concludes.