Coffee badging explained

In human resources, coffee badging refers to the act of employees clocking in for a brief period at the office, typically long enough to grab a coffee, before departing to work from elsewhere.^[1] This is done to fulfill office attendance requirements by hybrid and remote workers which arose following the return to in-person work following the COVID-19 pandemic.^{[2] [3]}

Coffee badging highlights that employers struggle with attractive, productive and stress-free office environments where employees willingly gather and reflects an erosion of trust between employees and their employers.^[4] Coffee badging has been described as a challenge to organic office participation.^[5]

Coffee badging has been criticized for incentivizing participation over productivity and contributing to empty office space.^{[6] [7] [8]} Coffee badging is a form of impression management in response to employee surveillance.^[9]

The term was coined in June 2023 by Owl Labs in a workforce management report.^{[10] [11]}

See also

• Absenteeism

Notes and References

1. News: Banerjee . Rohan . Three-minute explainer on… coffee-badging . 30 June 2024 . Raconteur . 5 March 2024.
2. News: Liu . Jennifer . Bosses want people back in the office, but employees are finding a workaround—it's called 'coffee badging' . 30 June 2024 . CNBC . 5 October 2023 . en.
3. News: Giacovas . Richard . 'Coffee badging' is new return-to-office trend . 30 June 2024 . FOX 5 NY . 23 October 2023.
4. News: Mayne . Mahalia . Another buzz phrase is brewing: so what is 'coffee badging'? . 30 June 2024 . www.peoplemanagement.co.uk . March 8, 2024 . en.
5. News: Jackson . Ashton . Why a CEO says bosses should embrace 'coffee badging': 'I don't hire people to watch them work' . 30 June 2024 . CNBC . 20 February 2024 . en.
6. News: Morel . David . Is 'Coffee Badging' A Legacy Of The Pandemic Or An Economic Threat? . 30 June 2024 . Forbes . April 30, 2024 . en.
7. News: McGovern . Michele . Who's 'Coffee Badging' -- and 6 reasons HR should worry about it . HR Morning . 7 November 2023.
8. News: Benson . Rhianna . Why 'Coffee Badging' can actually be dangerous as new trend takes over young people . 30 June 2024 . Tyla . 28 June 2024 . en.
9. News: Torres . Monica . In Defense Of 'Coffee Badging,' The Controversial New Office Trend . 30 June 2024 . HuffPost . 24 June 2024 . en.
10. News: Robinson . Bryan . 'Coffee Badging,' New Coping Trend To Get Around In-Office Mandates . 30 June 2024 . Forbes . en.
11. News: Stone . Lillian . Ten work buzzwords that took over in 2023 . 30 June 2024 . December 26, 2023.