Hate returning to the office? This new workplace trend, coffee badging, is for you

Work from home is slowly but surely becoming a thing of the past. An increasing number of offices are calling employees back to the office. And this has led to a new work trend – coffee badging. In fact, a recent report revealed that 58 per cent of hybrid workers in the United States have “coffee badged” in the past, showcasing that it is fast spreading and quickly being adopted by many in the office space. Even HR managers have taken note of this trend and called it “concerning”. But, what exactly is ‘coffee badging’? And why is it a concern for HR managers? What is coffee badging exactly? Before we get into why and how of this workplace trend, here’s what it is. The term coffee badging sees employees showing up at their physical workplace, grab a coffee, socialise with co-workers, and then leave — earning a metaphorical “badge” for showing face. The practices specifically uses the idea of showing up at office, swiping your ID badge as proof you have been on site, and grab a coffee with your colleagues. Afterwards, workers will immediately ditch the office and return home. Liz Villani, founder of #BeYourselfAtWork and the #iAM global movement, told Stylist: “Coffee badging is the practice of turning up at your office to show your face briefly before escaping back to your default option of working from home. “It’s presenteeism in the most fleeting of methods.” [caption id=“attachment_13364952” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] A recent survey reveals that 58 per cent hybrid workers are coffee badgers and another eight per cent showed interest in coffee badging. Image used for representational purposes/Pixabay[/caption] Who’s coffee badging and why? With an increasing number of offices around the world mandating ‘ return to work ’, employees are opting for this practice. A report by Owl Labs showed that a whopping 58 per cent were practising coffee badging. In fact, the report also showed that eight per cent of respondents said they hadn’t tried coffee badging but would like to. The same survey also showed that only 34 per cent of respondents preferred a full day in office. Notably of the people engaging in coffee badging, 62 per cent are men, while 38 per cent are women. Age-wise, millennials (63 per cent) are the most likely generation to do so, followed by Gen Xers (54 per cent), then Gen Zers (43 per cent), and finally baby boomers (38 per cent). But why are employees choosing to engage in this practice? Coffee badging is a subtle form of protest where employees express their dissatisfaction and reluctance without openly communicating it. **Also read: What new research reveals about the future of work from home** As Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs told Forbes, “People don’t want to spend time and money on frequent office pilgrimages if they’re just going to be sitting on the same video calls they’d be doing in the comfort of their own homes or on tasks that they feel less productive doing from the office.” Another HR manager has another take on coffee badging. He notes that many employees constantly complain about the workplace, making it toxic. Hence, employees coffee badge so that they don’t hang out with disgruntled colleagues. Another reason why employees are coffee badging is because some companies and/or managers make employees feel like the only way to be noticed, recognised and rewarded is by being seen: If they don’t show face, they won’t get good performance reviews or be considered for promotions. Another reason for an increasing number of coffee badgers at work is that it’s easy. Anthony Nyberg, the director of the Centre for Executive Succession at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, in an hrmorning.com report said, “Employees have found a way to get paid for doing less work than is expected.” Why is coffee badging a worry for managers? And managers have taken note of this workplace practice and the impact it can have in the office. Villani notes that this practice points to a negative aspect of work culture; many now believe going into office is a chore and needs to be avoided at all costs. She further notes that coffee badging is a massive waste of time and opportunity. And it is. Think about it, one has spent time, money and energy just to get that metaphorical ‘badge’. **Also read: Mark Zuckerberg says ‘in-person work is better’: Are employees working from home less productive?** It could lead to creating a rift between employees; those who stay in the office for an entire day’s work may feel upset by seeing their co-workers take advantage of hybrid work policies and lose respect. Coffee badging can also reduce the time teams spend on collaboration and undermine attempts to build a cohesive work culture. Career expert Greg Giangrande also said that he wouldn’t recommend coffee badging to potential employees. “If you’re a coffee badger and you’re only showing up for an hour or two, your employer is going to know that. And I don’t think they’re going to accept that as showing up for the day for very long,” he told Fox 5 NY. Is there a solution to coffee badging? For companies that want to do away with this practice, there are a few options. One manager notes that seniors should resist from coffee badging, as it sends a wrong message to the employees. “When senior members engage in coffee badging, it sends a misleading message to newcomers, especially freshers, suggesting that being physically present in the office is more important than actual productivity,” Santhosh Nair, Director and COO of HR consultancy firm CIEL HR said to Moneycontrol. This can create a ripple effect, ultimately resulting in reduced employee engagement and efficiency over time, he added. Moreover, HR experts are noting that companies should offer more flexible work models and employees and employers should practice better and more open communication. Be honest about the flexibility you require so that you don’t have to come up with creative solutions to dodge return to work mandates. With inputs from agencies