"Coffee badging is when employees show up to the office for enough time to have a cup of coffee, show their face and get a 'badge swipe' — then go home to do the rest of their work,"

It's apparent from our conversations with our Pabasso clients that there is now a trend to get people back into the office, if not full time then at least 3-4 days a week.

A study by Owl Labs found that 58% of workers who split their time between home and the office have tried coffee badging, with an additional 8% wanting to give it a go. With SMEs being less inclined to take on employees who wish to WFH for at least 2 days a week, is coffee badging a bad idea?

People like coffee badging as it lets them balance their work and personal life. Owl Labs' CEO, Frank Weishaupt, does it too. He starts working at home, goes to the office in the middle of the day to avoid traffic, and stays there for the afternoon. 

For parents, especially mothers, coffee badging is handy. One mum mentioned in the study that she goes to the office after lunch, leaves early to pick up her child from daycare, and finishes her work at home. 

There are, however,  some downsides. Some people might use coffee badging to avoid doing their job properly or ignore the office rules. 

A survey in 2023 showed that remote workers are 24% less likely to get promoted compared to those who are in the office. So, while coffee badging might appear to be a cute move, workers should think about how it might affect their future opportunities and earnings. 

It is a 21st-century debate.

They always say that if you want to know what’s going on in your business, spend some time at the coffee machine, the water cooler or in the smoking area.

So maybe coffee badging is not such a bad thing if it gets people back into the office in some small way, right?

We currently have a vacancy in one of our Yorkshire-based Pabasso – Peer Advisory Board Associates boards so if you would like to know more about how we at Pabasso – Peer Advisory Board Associates help leaders of established businesses progress through shared experiences, expertise, and support, please do not hesitate to get in touch. 

If you would like to know more about how we at Pabasso – Peer Advisory Board Associates help leaders of established businesses progress through shared experiences, expertise and support, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

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