During the global pandemic, companies had no choice but to have their employees workinging from home. As restrictions eased, and companies asked their teams to return and work in a hybrid mode, a new trend sparked - Coffee Badging.

Such workers spend one or two hours in the office, have a cup of coffee, have warm talks with their colleagues over this coffee, and depart. A study by Owl Labs reveals that about 58% of hybrid workers have confessed to Coffee Badging.

What is Coffee Badging?

Simply put, coffee badging is not just about skipping work; it's about checking the "office presence" box without actually doing the work. Is it all about the new workplace fashion? Or is there something wrong with policies, fixed schedules, or maybe lousy micromanagement? Before we leap for "HOW," we need our 'WHY.' So, let's understand the "Why."

We are highlighting the potential origins of Coffee Badging and why it should be happening. On the one hand, employees deny themselves flexibility and work-life balance; they yearn for it. Second, it could be that they are in the stage where they believe that they have been undervalued or overmanaged.

However, what can an employer do to correct this? We have provided steps below which can be followed by employers to embrace these trends.

Key ways employers deal with Coffee Badging: 

There's nothing in this world that cannot be solved with focus and inclusion; here are some of key points through which an employer can deal with Coffee Badging:

Prioritize trust and autonomy:

• Hybrid Culture: Free your team from their cubicles! Provide mixed schedules and remote-first options, allowing employees to work where they are most effective. Always keep in mind that a happy team fosters an efficient work environment.
• Measure output, not hours: Ditch the presenteeism scorecard! Measure output, not office hours. Measure objectives, have high expectations, and allow creativity to come from wherever the signal is good.
• Transparent Communication: Encourage open discussions, frequent follow-ups, and honest decision-making. Create a culture in which feedback is free-flowing coffee, providing trust and teamwork.

Embrace underlying concerns:

• Conduct Surveys: Reveal the real motivations behind the coffee badge shield! Conduct surveys, host open discussions, and listen to the needs of your workers. Do they crave flexible schedules? Is the office atmosphere more dead than yesterday's coffee grounds? Reveal the discontent to brew for solutions.
• Cultural Hub: Reimagine your office space! Raise it from a shabby beige cubicle enclave to a place of lively interaction. the right furniture, bright spaces, and comfortable areas where people can have impromptu brainstorming sessions. The office should be a place people enjoy being in rather than avoid.
• Reassess Metrics: Revise your performance metrics and communication strategies. Are they outdated and micromanaging? Align them with your new vision, which centers on outcomes and clearly defined goals.

Explore alternative solutions:

• Implement Core Hours: Implement "core hours" for selected days when the in-person collaboration is at its peak. Bounce ideas off whiteboard lattes, plan during lunch hours, and promote teamwork without desk drudgery.
• Invest in Tech: Invest in high-quality communication tools, video conferencing applications, and project management software. Make remote collaboration easy, overcome physical boundaries, and create lively, productive virtual spheres.
• Offer Perks: Frame benefits and incentives that attract employees to use the office without compelling them to do so. Providing on-site fitness classes, catered lunches, or even a gourmet coffee bar will make your office inviting.

Wrapping Up:

Employers need to understand that coffee badging isn't just about a quick conversation; it is a symptom of a deeper thirst for trust, flexibility, and a productive work culture. We hope that this article sparks internal debate in your company to look at this emerging trend in the workplace.