The term “coffee badger” has become a buzzword in boardrooms, referring to employees who show up at the office just long enough to swipe their badge and grab a coffee, then sneak out to continue working remotely. This behavior is not unique to a small segment of workers, but rather a widespread issue affecting 75% of companies across industries.
Recent surveys have found that 44% of hybrid workers in the US admit to “coffee badging,” while over 58% of respondents acknowledge doing it at least once. Companies such as Samsung and Amazon are struggling with this problem, with Samsung implementing an RTO (return-to-office) monitoring tool and Amazon conducting one-on-one conversations with employees about their in-office work hours.
The root cause of the issue lies in return-to-office mandates that were supposed to restore normalcy and boost productivity. Instead, they’ve led to a silent revolt as employees, particularly millennials, use hybrid policies to minimize commute and office time. A study found that 47% of managers admitted to “coffee badging” themselves, highlighting how deeply ingrained this behavior is across hierarchies.
To address the issue, companies are experimenting with tracking badge swipes, requiring minimum work hours in-office, and shifting to results-based evaluations. However, leaders worry that “coffee badging” signals deeper disengagement, and one-size-fits-all RTO strategies may be backfiring. The trend suggests a deeper disconnect between traditional workplace expectations and the realities of white-collar work.
Rather than fighting “coffee badging” with stricter rules, organizations may need to listen to what it reveals about employee motivation, engagement, and the future of work culture. As long as employees can be productive remotely, companies will need to rethink the value proposition of the office, not just its enforcement.
Source: https://fortune.com/2025/08/06/what-is-coffee-badging-remote-work-return-to-office-revolt-millennials