Inclusivity in Coffee: Adapting Your Training and Workplace for Success
By Emma Haines
I wrote before about how and why inclusion matters in vocational training and it encouraged me to see it struck a chord with people. So, when the Barista Guild asked me to write a piece focused more specifically on the coffee industry, I was delighted!
Most coffee professionals have experience in the industry as a barista. Whatever job they do now, it’s likely that being a barista is what got them hooked into the industry so let’s focus there: It’s a demanding job in terms of physical skills & abilities as well as the mental challenges it throws up. It’s not a job for everyone, and that’s ok. But it definitely should be a job that is open to everyone, regardless of the experience, abilities, and personal challenges they bring to the role.
There is a lot of talent and potential out there lining up for the future of the coffee industry and it would be a travesty if we missed out on this promise because it didn’t look, act or move in the ways we’re used to. My point is that to be open to great things, we must be open to all people, inclusive of race, gender, neurodiversity, and physical disabilities.
So, how do we make this a reality in the average place of work or training for baristas? The truth is it’s difficult, and there is no simple fix. While I would be the last person to say that one method of inclusion would work for all (remember every person, even with the same learning style or physical disability, is completely unique) I would say that inclusivity is a mindset. Once you arm yourself with a little knowledge and adapt your thinking and your workplace; you will be more likely to spot potential pitfalls in the future, and considerably more comfortable having much-needed conversations around adapting your practices to attract and keep talented, diverse people into the industry.
I want to give some pointers and some knowledge to my colleagues in the industry regarding some of the diversity they are likely to encounter among the people they employ, train, or work alongside. I don’t mean to cover all bases or tell you how best to serve your colleagues (that’s for them to tell you) but merely get people thinking about all the little challenges we face on a daily basis, arising just from the fact that we’re all experiencing the world differently. Maybe it’s time to start talking to your colleagues about how they best learn, work, process information and access their workplace.
Neurodiversity
A neurodivergent person is one whose development or behavior are seen as atypical. Recognized forms of neurodiversity can be autism, dyslexia, epilepsy, ADHD, OCD, Tourettes, dyspraxia, and more.
In training: Recognise that individuals may respond to your training content in different ways. Accept that it’s ok if people fidget, draw, take breaks, make notes, tic, or choose not to participate in discussions while they learn. What an inexperienced educator may perceive as disrespect (I once taught someone with Tourettes whose tic was eye-rolling) could be normal, or hyper-focused behavior for the student.
In the workplace: Make it a safe space for people to be themselves, listen to their preferences about where and how they work & accommodate if it’s reasonable to. Model support and understanding in front of colleagues and customers who may initially misinterpret them and make reasonable adjustments to the environment, such as adapting music or lighting to help put staff at ease.
Learning Styles
A person’s learning style refers to the manner in which they best learn or process information. This is often mistaken for another form of neurodiversity, and indeed there are some crossovers, but it is subtly different. For example, I have a dyslexic friend who learns best by taking copious written notes. Fill a classroom with dyslexic learners and they will all have subtly different ways of taking in and retaining information. There are 4 main recognized learning styles (7 if you want to go further down the rabbit hole) which refer to an individual’s preferred way to process information: Visual learners take information best from pictures or physical representations; auditory learners prefer to listen to information, and may repeat facts or instructions out loud; reading/writing learners prefer to take in written information or may need to write things down before they understand; kinaesthetic learners learn by doing or moving they may fidget while you’re talking or not fully get to grips with something until they are physically participating or practicing.
In training: Present information in a variety of ways; provide notes, images, tactile elements for as much of the lesson content as you can. Allow plenty of time to practice practical elements or take notes. Don’t be offended if students draw, fidget, close their eyes, or scribble frantic notes. If you’re training adults the chances are by now, they’ve worked out what works best for them so keep an open mind as to what attentive learning looks like.
In the workplace: Think about how you communicate with your team or how new initiatives or changes are introduced. Look at your ordering or ticket system – is it reasonable to expect a barista to remember multi-step spoken instructions if they’re a visual or reading-type learner? Have the conversation with the team – see what variety of learning styles are present within your business and think about how you can best play to people’s strengths.
Physical accessibility
This is a tricky one to be concise about as physical accessibility will look different for everyone. From hearing or visual impairments to wheelchair users & people with motor control issues; the subject of physical accessibility in the workplace very much needs catering to the individual. And the best way to address this: Let your team tell you and don’t be afraid of raising potentially sensitive subjects, these are necessary conversations if true workplace inclusion is going to be achieved.
In training: Ask in advance if any students need adjustments made to the physical environment or materials provided in accessible formats. Practice a few alternatives ways to carry out physical tasks during practical aspects – how would you explain steaming perfect milk to a deaf person? How could you dose and distribute espresso into a porter-filter with limited use of one hand? Consider the safety implications of each alteration. Consider the effect on the end result – if a great-tasting coffee can still be achieved through unconventional methods; what’s the problem?
In the workplace: Be open to changes to the physical layout of furniture & equipment – the efficiency & wellbeing of your staff is more important than aesthetic or sticking to ‘the way we’ve always done things.’
The ongoing work
Inclusion in the coffee industry is important and highly necessary! We’ll miss out on incredible people if we can’t accommodate difference and diversity in our approach to training and employment.
My advice to employers and trainers alike is:
Approach your team & students armed with a variety of methods to help ALL people achieve their potential. If you’re already of the mindset to remove as many potential barriers, without knowing or assuming anything in advance you’re already onto a winner. Once you’re already in that mindset, it’s just a case of tweaking your approach & nailing the specifics of how to best serve the individual.
Think in terms of equity, not equality: Some people won’t need any adjustments made at all to achieve success – good for them. Others can reach the same heights but will need barriers removed first. This doesn’t make them less worthy of success, but we, as an industry MUST NOT make them less likely to achieve success through our lack of understanding and adaptation.
Be approachable, open, and willing to learn. I always start my training sessions with an opening statement letting my students know that their learning journey belongs to them. If they need to access the lessons in a certain way I am open to it & ready to listen to their needs and questions.
One size does not fit all. I’ve included some general points for consideration and tips for your training or workplace. These are not rules to be followed and what works for one person will not necessarily work for the next. An inclusion mindset is not a fixed approach, and while you may take pains now to adapt your teaching style on the back of this article; you can’t call it done forever. You need to be open to constant adjustment, learning and change in order to be truly inclusive.