Thu Sep 26 13:00:01 UTC 2024: ## Coffee Badging Declines, But Debate Over Its Legitimacy Continues

**New York, NY** – While coffee badging – the practice of showing up in the office for a short time before working remotely – was a popular trend last year, a new report from Owl Labs suggests its popularity has waned. The share of workers coffee badging has dropped from 58% to 44% in the past year.

Despite the decline, the practice remains a point of contention. While 59% of coffee badgers say their bosses don’t mind, 70% report having been caught by their supervisors, and 16% have been required to return to full-day in-office work as a result.

Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs and a self-proclaimed coffee badger, argues that the practice can be strategic, allowing employees to maximize their time for collaboration and mentorship while minimizing unnecessary in-office hours. He also notes that managers are more likely to engage in coffee badging than their reports, highlighting an inequality in the enforcement of return-to-office policies.

“The standard has been set around flexibility in terms of where you work, and now the standard is starting to become flexibility in when you work,” said Weishaupt.

Further research supports the idea that flexible work arrangements can be beneficial. Studies show that mandates for in-office work often fail to boost company success and can negatively impact employee satisfaction. Conversely, hybrid and flexible work schedules have been shown to improve employee performance, financial performance, and overall worker wellbeing.

The Owl Labs report also points to the increasing popularity of calendar blocking, a practice where employees reserve time on their calendars for focused work, particularly among full-time office workers. This suggests that while employees may be willing to work from home, they still require protected time for concentrated tasks.

The debate surrounding coffee badging highlights the evolving nature of work and the need for more nuanced and flexible policies that cater to individual needs and company requirements.

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