With the emergence of WFH, we have a new trend i.e. coffee badging!
While a lot can happen over a cup of coffee, organisations nationwide report that not much apparently does. Concerns about a concerning workplace trend known as “coffee badging” are being voiced by HR professionals.
According to a Moneycontrol.com news report, coffee badging is being used as a flimsy “return to office” tactic. According to the report, it consists of appearing at the office for symbolic coffee breaks while attempting to convey that they are working there.
It is believed that the trend is a reaction against being called in to work. HR experts believe that the trend results from a focus on logging a set amount of hours rather than taking collaboration, quality of work, and output into account.
It is a reaction to the increasing prevalence of return-to-office (RTO) mandates that are being observed. 47% of workers say they will resign if they are forced to work overtime, according to a survey conducted in August. However, this is a luxury option that not all workers can readily afford, particularly in a difficult economic climate.
Navigating through ‘Coffee Badging’
To successfully navigate the waters of coffee badging, one must possess a combination of open communication, trust, and flexibility. If you want to “overcome” coffee badging in your own company, consider the following three concrete steps.
Accept adaptability
According to the Great Discontent survey, two thirds of US workers adore work flexibility.
Accept this fact by being open to flexible work schedules. Integrating flexible work schedules, remote work opportunities, or hybrid work models into your company culture can help address the underlying issues that lead to coffee badging.
Encourage candid conversation
According to the same survey, workers place a high value on responsiveness and transparency from their employer when it comes to a job.
In keeping with that, establish avenues for candid criticism and direct dialogue. Recognise the unique requirements and preferences of your team and remain receptive to novel approaches to work that are advantageous to the group as a whole.
Give results precedence over presence
Frequently, concentrating on results rather than procedures can have a huge impact.
Turn your attention from being physically present to the calibre and promptness of the work produced. Set measurable objectives, expectations, and metrics that accurately reflect what matters most: the outcomes.
Why This Trend?
The Owl survey identified the reasons behind employees’ resistance: many companies still need to improve their efforts to create an inviting, efficient, and stress-free work environment that encourages employees to congregate.
People also don’t want to spend time and money on frequent office visits if all they’ll be doing is sitting in their homes making the same video calls or working on tasks that they find less productive at work. According to the data, many businesses still need to do more to create an inviting, effective, and stress-free work environment that encourages employees to congregate.
Workers spend $51 a day on average when they go to work; for hybrid workers (eight days a month), this amount is $408, and for full-time office workers, it is $1,020. That is to say, full-time employees who work in offices spend three times as much as those who work remotely.
This comprises an average of $16 spent on lunch each day, $14 spent commuting, $13 spent on coffee and breakfast, and $8 spent on parking. Additionally, people who own pets spend $20 a day on average on pet care.
This trend is probably influenced by commute times as well. Given that 61% of employees commute for 30 minutes to an hour and 20% for an hour and a half, the workplace environment must justify the travel time.
In contrast, companies are changing their workspaces to appeal to Gen Z, X, Boomers, and other generations. The goal is to get them back to the office and stop working from home.This movement aimed to transform offices into settings that were determined only by desire, not by necessity.
Break-out areas designed for obstacles are more akin to posh hotels and clubs than the typical office environment of cubicles and typing noise. To put it briefly, “office peacocking” is the new term used by employers to incite employees’ FOMO (fear of missing out) and motivate them to come to work.
Conclusion
Businesses have a few choices if they wish to stop using this practise. Seniors should refrain from coffee badging, according to one manager, as it conveys the incorrect message to the staff.
Additionally, HR professionals are pointing out that businesses ought to provide more flexible work arrangements and that improved and transparent communication between employers and employees is a must. Tell the truth about the flexibility you need so that you won’t have to think of inventive ways to get out of returning to work orders.
