As companies begin abandoning remote work and implementing stricter in-office models, employees are trying to find ways of working around mandatory office hours.
Enter “coffee badging,” the new workplace trend where an employee comes to the office to grab a coffee, socialize with coworkers, and then leaves — earning a metaphorical “badge” for showing face.
Since some companies, such as TikTok and Goldman Sachs, are reportedly tracking employees’ office attendance through badge swipes, coffee badging gives employees their mandated swipe — without doing much work.
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Many seem to be jumping on the trend, as a survey in June from Owl Labs showed that 58% of 2,000 employees working in a hybrid model have admitted to coffee badging, while an additional 8% of workers said that even though they haven’t participated yet, they would be willing to try.
In a video that’s been viewed over 20,300 times, one TikToker brought attention to the strategic move.
@bentalkstalent Have you heard about this new trend? It’s called coffee badging and it’s hilarious to me ?☕️ #job #career #coffeebadging #careertiktok ♬ original sound – BenTalksTalent-Interview Tips
“If I had to drive out to the office to do just that I’d work until lunch,” one person wrote.
“Yeah, I do the same thing twice a week,” another admitted. “If someone asks I say I’m printing something.”
Owl Labs also found that men tend to “coffee badging” more than women and that millennials tend to hop on the trend more than any other generation.
