The practice known as “coffee badging” has garnered both supporters and critics, as the trend of briefly appearing in the office before completing work remotely becomes more widespread. This phenomenon surged in popularity last year, following a 2023 report indicating that a majority of hybrid workers engaged in the practice.
However, a recent report from Owl Labs, a videoconferencing technology company, reveals a decline in coffee badging, with participation dropping from 58% to 44% over the past year. Many employees have faced consequences for this behavior; 70% reported being caught by their supervisors, and 16% are now mandated to remain in the office for the full workday.
Despite this, a notable 59% of coffee badgers indicated that their supervisors are generally tolerant of the practice. Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs and a self-identified coffee badger, argues that there is no need for a negative perception of this trend. He suggests that strategically planning in-office time for meetings and collaboration activities can enhance productivity, even if it only lasts two to three hours.
Weishaupt also shared his own approach, which sometimes involves starting the day at home, commuting during midday to avoid traffic, and then completing his workday at the office. He highlighted the shift towards flexibility not only in work locations but also in work hours, stating that the conventional eight-hour office schedule has become less relevant.
Interestingly, the data shows that managers are more likely to engage in coffee badging than their subordinates, indicating a significant disparity in how return-to-office policies are enforced. Weishaupt contends that coffee badging can lead to greater productivity by encouraging teams to evaluate their calendars and prioritize in-person collaboration alongside independent work.
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