Swipe, Drink, Leave, Repeat: What Is 'Coffee Badging'?
If you're too tired to go to a party but you know you really should go, you might decide to just quickly "show your face."
That means you go for a short time, make sure you've been seen by other people there, and then leave.
Business experts say the same thing has been happening at offices around the world. It's been given the name "coffee badging."
Since the end of the coronavirus pandemic, companies have been asking more employees to return to the office — but not everyone is happy about it.
Coffee badging means showing your face at the office for a short time.
Employees swipe themselves into the office to prove they've been there. Then they have a coffee, chat with some colleagues, make sure the boss sees them, and return home.
It's called "coffee badging" because the idea is that all people need to do to get an imaginary "attendance badge" is have a coffee!
In fact, a 2023 survey of 2,000 people in the US found that more than half of hybrid workers have done this. And it's much more common among men.
However, there are a number of problems with coffee badging.
One is that it's a risky thing for employees to do, and may even mean they're breaking their contracts.
It also suggests there may be a problem in the company, according to legal expert Sam Ross.
It may mean bosses and employees need to communicate better about what they want and need, and be more flexible.
But Charmi Patel from Henley Business School says coffee badging may not be all bad. She thinks companies could embrace it, and make sure that people who spend only a short time at the office do something useful while they're there.
