‘Coffee Badging’ has recently emerged as a new HR term, reflecting a growing trend among hybrid workers.

In this blog, we’ll explore what this new trend is and what implications it has for businesses.

What is Coffee Badging?

Coffee Badging is when employees show up at the office, swiping their badge to prove they’ve been onsite, grab a coffee and interact with their coworkers, then leave to work remotely for the rest of the day.

Who does coffee badging appeal to?

Hybrid workers are the most likely to become coffee badgers. A recent workplace report found a whopping 58% of hybrid workers have “coffee badged” in the past.

Owl Labs reported 62% of coffee badgers were men, compared to just 38% who were women.

Why is the trend becoming popular?

In many cases, Coffee Badging arises when there is a clash in employers asking for staff to return to the office, but employees needing or preferring to work remotely.

What can HR teams do?

Finding a compromise and offering flexible working patterns and rotas can help to prevent coffee badging becoming a temptation. That way, hours that are spent working in the office or from home can be built around the needs of the business and employee.

Ironically, many studies have found offering free coffee, or other perks is a great way to attract staff into the office.

How LeavePlanner can help?

LeavePlanner helps make hybrid working easy to manage, as administrators can specify employee working hours, working patterns and rotas, helping to prevent coffee badging from becoming an ongoing concern. Using LeavePlanner also means you can ensure correct staffing levels by managing staff holiday and absences effectively.

Arrange your free trial today. For flexible hybrid working that is easy to manage, call Steve on 01252 636 070 or email support@leaveplanner.com.

Pssst! Check out our new all-in-one system, HR Planner, which incorporates an easy-to-use leave management solution, designed specifically with SMEs in mind.