The past few years have seen new online trends emerging at breakneck speed.

From the ‘Great Resignation’ of 2021 to ‘quiet quitting’ in 2022, new terms are coming out to explain extremely popular employee movements.

Today we outline ‘coffee badging’, break down its meaning, and look at some of the ways it can disrupt workplaces. Solutions follow, so get into your comfiest chair with a notepad, and see if you recognize any of these signs in your workplace.

What exactly is ‘coffee badging’?

‘Coffee badging’ is the latest trend in workplace culture. The name is based on the idea of turning up to work and swiping your badge to prove you are there, then grabbing a coffee. It is the result of companies operating with remote and hybrid workforces, and an increasing number of workers are getting behind this movement.

According to a McKinsey study, 52% of employees surveyed prefer having the option to work remotely, at least some of the time. This trend is strongest among millennials, who like to express how working from home carries clear benefits. Further surveys show that 84% of respondents feel that having a remote or hybrid job would make them happier people in general.

So something isn’t quite lining up correctly. From the employee’s perspective, if their best work is done at home, why waste money and time commuting to the office, just to coffee badger? From the manager’s point of view, shouldn’t the employee just stay at home to be at their most productive? It’s a genuine conflict of interest and needs to be better understood.

That’s why we’ve outlined 5 causes of coffee badging and 5 solutions you can use to stop the negative effects that coffee badging can have on your teams. Here they are:

5 of the leading causes of coffee badging

Here’s what we see as 4 of the biggest contributors to coffee badging in the workplace:

Time and money: spending and saving

Coffee badging is becoming a calculated move for some staff who recognize the fact that it saves them time and money. New research has shown that in 2023, hybrid workers say they spend on average $51 per day when working from the office. That covers commuting, meals and care for family members.

These workers see that if they can limit their presence at work, they cut down on these costs. Commuting days are reduced, cooking is done at home and childcare costs drop significantly. This makes time and money a clear cause of coffee badging, with workers coming in only when they need to, and clocking out as soon as they can. 

Coffee badging makes sense for them, as it is aligned with company expectations for in-office presence, but leaving early and remote working some days. In truth, as the global cost of living increases, it becomes clear why more people are starting to coffee badge.

Preference for remote work

There’s no doubt, for many people, remote work carries new benefits they may have never experienced before. Their personal obligations like childcare or eldercare can certainly be helped by remote work, and many people are really starting to like that.

The fact that many staff prefer remote work shows that they feel it improves their work-life balance. The convenience of working from home has become a total dealbreaker for many younger employees. The advancements in virtual collaboration tools also mean more and more work can be done from home. 

All of this means staff who have the opportunity to work remotely, but must first show their face at work for part of the day, are going to coffee badge. The phrase “clocking in” starts to take a new meaning and coffee badging raises new questions about work culture and productivity. These new questions need to be addressed as the remote work revolution continues to unfold, which can be started by arranging employee work schedules to make the most of work-from-home policies.

A need to be recognized

One of the strongest drivers of coffee badging relates to a deeper need among staff, and that is to be seen and acknowledged at work. It relates to the longing for recognition and connection staff need with their peers.

Remote and hybrid work continues to grow in many industries, but the need for visibility at work is as crucial as ever. Workplace visibility often works as a morale booster and provides a crucial socializing activity that helps to establish employee connections. Try as we might, virtual workforces still sometimes feel this lack of socializing, so arriving at work to mingle at the start of the day becomes part of coffee badging culture.

Consider trying to look at the bright side of this need for your staff to feel recognized and get their socializing done. Make the most of a morning where your remote workers come in with some fun activities. More workplaces will have to adapt to coffee badging if the trend continues, which we feel it very well might.

The wrong kind of recognition

When it comes to coffee badging, one cause could be that companies or managers create an atmosphere where staff feel the only way to stand out and get appreciated is by constantly being on-site. 

Recognition is sometimes given for the wrong reasons when a company is becoming less in-office and more hybrid. A mistake is made when a manager values their employees simply for being physically present in the office. Visibility in the office should not be equal to productivity or dedication. Problems like ‘bare minimum Mondays’ start to arise when staff feel dragged to the office to do a job they know they can do better working from home. 

Giving out the wrong kind of recognition can lead down a slippery slope. Competition becomes more important than collaboration, and staff start to feel like they must show up in-office, even if the need isn’t there. Regardless of where your team works, you must assess performance based on real effort and tangible results. Valuing staff just for their physical presence can lead to some pretty wonky biases creeping in.

Resistance to rigid policies

Return To Office (RTO) policies that are too rigid are a leading cause of coffee badging in the workplace. As companies evolve further into hybrid and remote working, flexibility has become the name of the game for many people. 

As companies wrestle with creating policies to bring everyone back to the office, some employees are raising their eyebrows at the idea of being chained to their desks again. Coffee badging is their way of showing resistance and saying, "Hey, let's rethink this whole '9-to-5 thing.” It becomes a silent protest against the return-to-office mandates that don’t offer them the perks of flexible work arrangements.

As staff start to show more resistance, perceived differences can grow between office staff and those working from home. If someone feels forced to stay at the office while their peer gets to work from home, they might start to feel a sense of favoritism. It’s crucial that you deal with this perceived difference to solidify morale in your teams before their heads start to drop and conflicts occur. 

5 of our best solutions to coffee badging

So now we’ve laid out what causes coffee badging, here are some solutions to make sure you’re adapting to the rising trend.

Flexible work arrangements 

To help solve the issues arising from coffee badging, make sure you dive deeply into the parks of offering flexible work setups to your team. Open up conversations on letting employees decide where they work best.

Spend some time really getting into the products and services offered by companies that produce virtual collaboration tools. This allows new work arrangements and hybrid team setups. There are plenty of new systems for hybrid team meetings at your disposal.

Getting flexible with work schedules slashes the need for coffee badging. There’s no need for staff to prove they’re present when they’ve got the freedom to work where they are most productive. Showing that you’re open to more flexible work arrangements proves that you’re here to create a culture of autonomy and employee well-being.

Outcome-focused management

Outcome-focused management is a great modern leadership method that will help reduce the negative effects of coffee badging. This approach says goodbye to the outdated ideas of ‘presenteeism’ and encourages staff to excel without constraints.

The principles are basic but clear. Keep crystal-clear goals to pump motivation. Make everyone accountable by measuring performance. When employees know they're being evaluated on what they accomplish, they feel a boost in motivation and a sense of ownership. They’re more likely to take pride in their projects and won’t be waiting to clock out as soon as they can. 

Take away the focus on hours logged and get into performance metrics. By giving employees the freedom to work in their groove, outcome-focused management sets the stage for a positive work environment and an atmosphere of trust.

Employees can manage their time better, leading to improved work-life balance and less burnout. With outcome-focused management in place, they can focus on what's important without feeling chained to their desks.

Improve the office

Improving the office environment can certainly help with the issues of coffee badging. We have spent time describing the mental ways of improving the workplace environment, so why not get into the physical side too?

Don’t overlook the importance of the office being a physically attractive place to be. A good-looking workspace goes hand-in-hand with a positive company culture. Make the office a more inviting and comfortable place for everyone, especially those who just want to pop in for coffee and leave as soon as they can. Think in terms of lighting, furniture, and office aesthetics. Don’t skimp on the comforts of the chairs and desks. Many younger workers find that standing desks and accessories like footrests get the best work out of them. Keep the office well-lit with natural light. Make sure plants, artwork and calming colors are used where needed, and give extra care to communal spaces where teamwork can flourish. Small improvements like these can lead to great results.

Employee engagement programs

One of the best ways to address some of the issues of coffee badging is by creating programs aimed at boosting employee engagement. We understand that some engagement programs can feel a bit like coffee badging, where people just show up to be seen rather than because they’re excited about the activities. But when done right, these programs are a wonderful tool to get staff engaged.

Create employee resource groups (ERGs) based on shared interests and backgrounds, helping to create stronger connections between team members. Wellness programs like yoga classes and meditation sessions help engagement levels too. Introduce some health-related challenges to support their physical and mental well-being. 

When done well, these programs go way beyond just superficial interactions. They create a genuine feeling of vibrancy and connectivity in the workplace. Help your coffee badgers feel more connected at work with tailored engagement programs. 

Get your teams to an environment they can’t resist. Try out one of our team retreats!

We know that coffee badging means clocking in and clocking out as quickly as possible. So why not switch up the environment to a place where everybody wants to be? A twice-per-year work retreat could be exactly what your coffee-badging staff are crying out for!

Let the office settings melt away on a sandy beach or take the time to appreciate nature on a countryside retreat, there’s no chance anyone will be looking at the clock to see when they can leave.

Like this idea but not sure how to put it all together? No problem, this is where Surf Office comes in.

We've had the pleasure of organizing over 700+ retreat experiences, including remote teams, for many different companies. Here’s what we offer:

• Stress-free transfers? We got you! ✅
• Quality-assured accommodations? Check! ✅
• Engaging team-building activities? Our speciality ✅
• Restaurant reservations? That's on us! ✅
• Expert retreat planning assistance? Of course, we have this covered! ✅
• Onsite support, tailored to your needs? Absolutely ✅

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Not only this but we also have access to 160+ locations around Europe, APAC, the US, Latin America, and now Africa, meaning the sky is your limit when it comes to choosing the right location for you and your team.

Coffee badging will be a thing of the past when staff feel so motivated from a work retreat that they can’t wait to come back. Get in touch today to organize a work retreat with us!