Beans & Balance: Tackling Drawbacks of Coffee Badging at Workplace

Coffee badging is the one of the latest workplace terminologies that have surfaced in the work world recently – joining quiet quitting, quiet thriving, bare-minimum Mondays, lazy girl jobs, etc., pointing toward the fact that the workplace is an ever changing space.

Many of you haven’t seen this commercial. Obviously because it’s more than a decade old. It clearly highlights that things like coffee badging isn’t something new but rather a way of getting out of work. Although the commercial and our topic of coffee badging doesn’t mean the employees are always out partying while coffee badging in the office.

That said, the message is clear: if your workers are checking in just so you can “see” that they’re working, that’s not necessarily a good thing.

Before we get into all that, let’s understand the whole trend of coffee badging and how to tackle the downsides of it:

What is Coffee Badging?

Coffee Badging is nothing more but employees coming to work and showing their face, maybe grabbing a coffee and talking among coworkers. Then, after a little while, they leave and therefore earn a theoretical badge for showing up.

Why are employees Coffee Badging?

Initially the term was used to boost productivity. Coffee badging gives you the opportunity to maintain your flexible schedule, which is incredibly important to the employees nowadays, results of pandemic phase.

Coffee badging serves as a subtle move by employees to resist the back to office phase. Employees clock in, engage in informal interactions, often over a cup of brew, and eventually they go back to their remote work settings to finish work.?

On one hand this can be considered efficient, as this method saves a lot of additional costs like travel & commute. But the downside of it enters the picture when employees take advantage of the setting for personal reasons.

So what are the downsides of Coffee Badging?

The biggest downside to coffee badging is how it could affect the careers, financial and work opportunities of the employees.

Employees can’t bet on their salaries and earnings and more importantly future opportunities just because they dislike coming into the office once or twice a week. If an employee wants to move up the company ladder, coffee badging might not be the right fit for them.

Furthermore, it can misalign workplace engagement, teamwork, creativity, and loyalty amongst the workforce.

Also, Coffee Badging can harm both individual and organizational performance, which ultimately is a big no.

And of course, poor productivity and pending work are the obvious cons of coffee badging because half the time is spent in to and fro from home and office, to show face for a couple hours.

And how to tackle these downsides of Coffee Badging?

??????Flexible Work Arrangements:

Implement flexible work schedules, like allowing employees to choose their shift timings, option of hybrid work, allowing employees to split their time between working from home and the office, etc. (Explore the best Time and Attendance Management Software)

??Travel and Commute Support:

Provide travel and commute benefits to ease the financial burden on employees. This could include subsidies for public transportation, parking, or even incentives for carpooling.

???Social Interaction Opportunities:

Create collaborative spaces within the office to encourage impromptu interactions, fostering a more social and engaging work environment.

??Change of Scenery:

Design the office space to provide a variety of work environments, such as quiet zones, collaborative areas, and open spaces. This allows employees to choose a setting that suits their work preferences.

??Flexible Time-Off Policies:

Offer flexible time-off policies, including short and half-day leaves, to accommodate personal commitments and maintain a healthy work-life balance. (Explore the top Leave Management System)

?Time and Attendance Management:

Communicating transparently about how a time and attendance management software can be used and the benefits it brings, focusing on efficiency and fair evaluation rather than surveillance of employees. Track and manage hours, time, leaves of employees.

????Clear Communication:

Maintain open lines of communication with employees, addressing their concerns and providing regular updates on company policies, safety measures, and any changes in the return-to-office plan. (Explore the best Employee Engagement Software)

By combining flexibility, employee support, and clear communication, organizations can create a positive and inclusive environment that encourages employees to return to the office willingly without the worries of Coffee Badging or other workplace trends going around.