Nov 9, 2023
'Coffee badging' is a new workplace trend where employees briefly show up at the office, grab a coffee, engage in short interactions with colleagues, and then leave, often as a response to returning to physical workspaces after a period of remote work.
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58% of hybrid workers in the United States have embraced coffee badging, highlighting its rapid adoption within workplaces as organizations transition from remote work back to in-person arrangements.
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It involves physically checking in at the office, swiping an ID badge as evidence of being on-site, and partaking in coffee with coworkers before returning home, symbolizing a form of 'presenteeism.'
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Coffee badging serves as a subtle way for employees to express their reluctance to return to the office without openly communicating their dissatisfaction with the changes in work arrangements.
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Millennials constitute the majority of coffee badgers (63%), followed by Gen Xers (54%), Gen Zers (43%), and baby boomers (38%), indicating that this trend spans generations.
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Employees engage in coffee badging due to dissatisfaction with office work, unproductive meetings, and unpleasant colleagues, using it as a way to avoid prolonged interactions in the physical workplace.
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Some employees believe that physical presence is overvalued by companies and managers, leading them to engage in coffee badging to maintain a semblance of in-office participation.
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Coffee badging concerns managers because it reflects negatively on the work culture, wastes resources that could be better used, creates divisions among employees, and undermines collaborative efforts within the team.
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Career experts warn against coffee badging, as it is unlikely to be acceptable in the long run and can hinder career progression, potentially affecting an employee's professional development and opportunities.
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