Coffee Badging Sparks Anxiety Among Companies Adapting to Hybrid Work

NEW YORK, NY — The growing trend of “coffee badging” is causing concern among employers as they navigate the complexities of hybrid work. This term describes employees who come to the office briefly to swipe their badges and grab a coffee before leaving to work remotely. As the pandemic reshaped workplace norms, many workers now opt for this strategy to balance their time between home and the office.

Recent surveys have shown that coffee badging is not an isolated behavior. In fact, a significant number of American workers admit to engaging in it. According to data, nearly half of surveyed employees acknowledge having coffee badged at least once, indicating a widespread issue that affects various industries, not just tech.

Companies like Samsung are taking notice and have begun addressing the issue directly. Reports indicate that Samsung’s U.S. semiconductor division has implemented a “compliance tool for People Managers” to monitor in-office attendance. This comes amid complaints that some managers are having one-on-one discussions with employees to address their in-office hours.

While return-to-office (RTO) mandates were designed to restore productivity, it appears they have led to a silent rebellion among workers. Many employees are leveraging hybrid work policies to minimize their time in the office while still complying with company requirements. One survey highlighted that of those who engaged in coffee badging, a notable percentage were in positions where they could easily work from home.

Faced with these challenges, businesses are experimenting with different strategies to encourage genuine office attendance. Many companies are increasing monitoring of badge swipes, a practice that has surged since the pandemic began, while others like Amazon have set specific minimum in-office hours for employees.

Experts caution that coffee badging may indicate a broader disconnection between traditional office expectations and the reality of modern work styles. As long as employees can be productive remotely, organizations will need to rethink how their offices provide value to workers.

In today’s changing work environment, companies are discovering that understanding employee motivations may be key to addressing the coffee badging trend. As hybrid work becomes more prevalent, the conversation around workplace engagement will likely evolve.