What is coffee badging? Simple strategies to encourage onsite engagement

You’ve probably heard of the “coffee badging” trend. Employees show up to the workplace just long enough to be noticed, then head out. It’s a subtle way for folks to meet their company’s attendance requirement without meaningfully engaging in the workplace. 

If you’re worried about the impact this trend can have on your organization, you’re right to be. A recent study found that 58% of hybrid employees admit to coffee badging, with another 8% considering trying it. This creates a false sense of attendance, complicates resource planning, and hinders collaboration. Worse, it can weaken company culture and lower morale over time. 

But here’s the good news: implementing the right strategies can encourage employees to come onsite to collaborate, connect, and even stick around for another cup of coffee.

1. Start with understanding your workplace data

Knowing where employees spend their time in the workplace will help your team make the space more inviting and keep them around longer. For example, if the data shows that certain meeting rooms or collaborative spaces are always busy, you can enhance them with better seating or extra resources, like portable whiteboards or more display screens. By aligning your workplace layout with how it’s actually being used, you’ll create an environment that naturally draws folks in and entices them to stay.

To find areas for improvement, start by tracking key data points. Look at desk and meeting room booking trends to see which areas are most and least used. This will help you spot spaces that might need a refresh or added features. Then, check peak usage times to identify when certain areas are busiest and when they’re quieter. This information will help you adjust your layout to ensure your space is configured optimally for peak times as well as quieter moments.

Finally, ask employees what they want to see in the office—whether it’s more private spots for calls, larger whiteboards, or comfy breakout areas—so you can fine-tune the space to match their needs.

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2. Next, improve employee communication and engagement

Making sure everyone understands the value of being onsite and feels involved in shaping the office environment can help reduce coffee badging. Here are a few ways you can achieve this. 

Communicate your in-office policy effectively. 

This clears up any confusion about your expectations for onsite attendance. Be sure to include the benefits of being onsite, such as improved collaboration, professional development, and better access to resources. You may even include some data points. For example, according to our survey, 76% of employees believe working together boosts mental well-being and 60% feel that making friends at work creates a stronger sense of belonging.

Get employees involved in improving the workplace.

Everyone has a hand in creating a great workplace, including employees. To get them involved, create a dedicated feedback channel and implement workplace ticketing to streamline issue resolution. This will ensure employees feel heard and will help your team address problems efficiently. ‍

Boost the appeal of being onsite.

Poll employees on the types of onsite events and activities that would most encourage them to work onsite. This might include happy hours, team-building events, lunches, guest speakers, workshops, and training sessions.

“Moments like overhearing a manager, job shadowing, and sharing ideas with coworkers help people learn organically in their roles day-to-day. It’s so important…and it’s really only something they can do in person.” – Ronda Stahl, Director of Facilities & Real Estate at GLG Expert Networks

3. Finally, experiment, monitor, and fine-tune for ongoing improvement

Use your data as a playground for innovation. Instead of just monitoring, actively experiment with different layouts, schedules, and amenities based on the insights you gather. This will help your team uncover new ways to enhance the workspace and boost engagement. It will also enable you to stay on top of your employees’ changing needs and preferences.

For instance, try rotating high-demand spaces or introducing flexible seating arrangements and see how these changes impact engagement. Regularly dive into the data—not just to make tweaks, but to discover unexpected patterns that could inspire creative changes. Let’s look at some examples.

• If your data shows that a certain meeting room is consistently booked for short check-ins, consider redesigning it into a more casual, lounge-like space with soft seating.
• If employees tend to gather near natural light in the afternoon, you might rearrange the seating or create more collaborative spaces in those areas with west-facing windows.
• If occupancy data reveals that certain desks are rarely used, you could explore converting them into more dynamic spaces, such as collaboration hubs or informal meeting areas.

Taking a flexible approach to data-driven adjustments keeps the workplace fresh, engaging, and continually optimized for your team’s evolving needs.

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The coffee badging trend signals potential issues like low productivity, decreased morale, and high turnover. But all is not lost: 94% of employees say they could be convinced to come to the office. With the right workplace data, feedback from employees, and creative experimentation, you can create a space that attracts and engages folks onsite. For more on how to optimize your space, check out our ebook on hybrid workspace management tips.

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