What Exactly Is Coffee Badging, Again?

Simply put, coffee badging is when an employee comes to the office, swipes their keycard to check in, spends some time chatting with coworkers at the coffee machine, and then leaves to finish work elsewhere, like at home or another location.

The term was first introduced in a 2023 study by Owl Labs, a company that makes videoconferencing devices. The study revealed that 58% of surveyed hybrid workers “coffee badge.” This year, that number has dropped to 44%, mostly in response to employers catching on and implementing ways to discourage the practice. Still, with almost half of employees doing these quick check-ins to the office, many employers are left wondering how to handle it effectively.

“Employees have become accustomed to the flexibility of working from home and may only come to the office when absolutely necessary. “It’s just too hard to put that genie back in the bottle.” – David Satterwhite, CEO of Chronus

Why Employees “Coffee Badge”

It’s easy to see why employees are coffee badging: people work more efficiently from home, where their workspace is personalized to their needs and free from office distractions. 

Last year’s Owl Labs report showed that full-time office workers experienced significantly more stress than their hybrid counterparts, at 59% compared to 55%.

Most work like video meetings, phone calls, and online collaboration can be done remotely, with little or no need for an office.

Another common reason for “coffee badging” is that employees want to save. According to our hybrid work statistics, the average hybrid worker spends $61 on an in-office day, a 20% increase from $51 in 2023. 

So when companies mandate a return-to-office, it makes sense for employees to make a quick office appearance and then return to their productive and cost-effective home routines. 

Solutions for Coffee Badging

Forcing people to be in the office for work they can do more comfortably at home can lead to burnout, mental fatigue, and even disengagement in the workplace. Here are expert-recommended solutions to deal with coffee badging: 

Outcome-Focused Management

Outcome-focused management is a modern leadership style that helps minimize the need for coffee badging by moving away from outdated 'presenteeism.' It empowers employees to excel without strict oversight.

The idea is simple: set and track clear performance goals. When employees know what  “good work” looks like, they gain motivation and a sense of ownership over their tasks.

Shifting the focus from hours worked to outcomes gives employees more autonomy at work, creating a positive, trusting work environment. This approach improves time management, work-life balance, and reduces burnout by allowing employees to concentrate on what matters.

Enhancing Office Design

To combat distractions and be attractive as a place to work, Janet Pogue-McLaurin, Global Director of Workplace Research at the design firm Gensler, says our offices need an upgrade.

The ideal hybrid office should be effective to get work done, and offer spaces for all employee need.This includes spaces for focused work, cocreation, informal and confidential conversations, hybrid meetings, and wellbeing. 

Use Technology 

People hate nothing more than commuting in, only to find an empty office where they do the same Zoom calls they do at home. According to FlexOS research, commuting is one of the biggest painpoints for employees.

Another study we ran showed what does bring people in: other people. Knowing when team mates will be in is a huge motivator. Modern hot desk booking and room scheduling software often include (AI) scheduling assistants, making sure people have meaningful and valuable in-office day. 

Coffee Badging: The Bottom Line

Coffee badging is often just a symptom of a bigger issue: employees may not find their time in the office meaningful and see working from home as superior.

As Tiffany Owlang Lam shared in our interview about Grammarly’s hybrid work model, in which it successfully created meaningful in-office experiences for their employees:

“It all comes down to communication and providing a clear purpose for coming in. Team members need to feel that their time in the office is meaningful, whether it’s for collaboration, problem-solving, or team-building. A meaningful time means there's a purpose to work or be with others - not just sitting in a phone booth all day to be on calls or working alone like what you can do at home.” - Tiffany Owyang Lam, North America Workplace Experience Manager, Grammarly

Factors like expensive and frustrating commutes, distractions of the office environment, and the fact that most work be done from home all contribute to why employees engage in coffee badging.

To solve this, ensure people have a good reason to show up. Create purposeful office days, in spaces that inspire and facilitate great work, with the people they love working with. That should put an end to coffee badging, and help restore the relationship between employees and their companies.

Hopefully this guide is helpful for you to tackle coffee badging among your team members effectively. If you have any insights or comments about this topic, feel free to reach out to me here.

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