‘Coffee badging’: the quiet rebellion against return-to-office rules

A new hybrid-work habit has earned its own nickname: ‘coffee badging’. It describes employees who swipe into the office just long enough to grab a coffee and chat with colleagues, before quietly leaving to finish their actual work from home for the rest of the day.

According to Owl Labs’ 2025 State of Hybrid Work report, 44% of hybrid workers admit to coffee badging, a brief appearance followed by remote work. That is down from a peak of 58% in 2023, suggesting the trend is fading slightly as companies tighten their return-to-office rules.

The habit exists because employers and employees want different things. Companies say they need in-person face time to build culture and collaboration, while many employees, having proven they can be productive from home, want to keep their flexibility rather than lose it entirely.

Coffee badging is not without risk. Around 70% of coffee badgers say they have eventually been caught by their employer, although most faced no real consequences. Still, 11% were then required to stay in the office for the full day going forward.

For now, coffee badging remains a quiet, low-stakes rebellion, workers finding a middle ground between strict office mandates and the flexibility they got used to during remote work, one quick coffee at a time.

Adapted from Owl Labs 2025 State of Hybrid Work report