Starbucks Corp., facing growing competition for workers, plans to raise employee compensation by as much as 15 percent later this year.

Staff in its U.S. company-operated stores will get a bump in base pay of at least 5 percent on Oct. 3, Starbucks said in a statement Monday. The coffee chain also is doubling the size of its annual stock award to employees who have been with the company for two years. Combined, the changes will bring the compensation increase to as much as 15 percent.

“The range of increase will be determined by geographic and market factors and is intended to ensure Starbucks remains a retail employer of choice in all the markets where we operate,” Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz said in the statement.

Starbucks faces a tightening labor market in much of the U.S., as well as minimum wage increases in some states and cities. That’s pushed restaurants and retailers, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., McDonald’s Corp. and Target Corp., to boost pay in a bid to retain hourly workers. Starbucks said last year that employees who work at least 20 hours a week were also eligible to have full tuition covered for online classes at Arizona State University.

In addition to the compensation changes, Seattle-based Starbucks also is loosening its dress code, Schultz said.

“We’ve heard your requests for more freedom when it comes to bringing your ‘whole self’ to work,” he said. “Our latest dress code changes are designed to work well with the green apron while expanding your options, providing more room for self-expression, and allowing you to choose from items that may already be part of your everyday wardrobe.”

Details on that policy change will be released by the end of this month.