Hybrid/Remote Centre of Excellence - Malicious Compliance, Deviant Conformity: The Culture Red Flag No One Talks About

Malicious Compliance, Deviant Conformity: The Culture Red Flag No One Talks About

02/24/24 • 13 min

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Hybrid/Remote Centre of Excellence

Coffee Badging: A Trend in Hybrid Workplaces

In the world of hybrid work, a curious phenomenon has emerged: coffee badging. It’s not about java aficionados collecting stamps on their loyalty cards; rather, it’s a sly workaround for employees who are less than thrilled about returning to the office.

Here’s the scoop: Coffee badging involves employees showing up at the workplace just long enough to swipe their building ID, grab a cup of coffee, exchange pleasantries, and then promptly head home—akin to an Irish goodbye. According to a study by Owl Labs, nearly 60% of on-site workers have tried this tactic 1.

But why the covert coffee run? Let’s explore the motivations behind this trend and how organizations might address it:

Forced Office Return: Many employees harbor reservations about returning to the office. Some workplaces have become toxic due to disgruntled colleagues. Even those who don’t mind being in the office engage in coffee badging to avoid the negativity. The key question: Are they still productive elsewhere? How does this impact the team relationships and trust?1.
Rewarding the Wrong Behavior: Some companies inadvertently reinforce the idea that visibility equals success. Employees feel pressured to be seen physically, even if it doesn’t enhance productivity. Managers who prioritize presence over results inadvertently encourage coffee badging. The fix? Evaluate performance based on effort and outcomes, not mere face time 1.
Deviant Conformity: Coffee badging falls into the category of deviant conformity. Employees conform to the letter of the policy (swiping in) while flouting its spirit (not fully engaging in office work). This behavior often arises from dissatisfaction with poorly designed policies. Organizations should revisit their mandates to ensure alignment with employee needs and expectations 1.

In summary, coffee badging reflects a nuanced response to workplace policies. While it may irk some managers, understanding the underlying reasons can guide better policy design. So, whether you’re a coffee badger or a policy maker, consider the balance between compliance and genuine engagement in the evolving world of work.

Coffee Badging: A Trend in Hybrid Workplaces

But why the covert coffee run? Let’s explore the motivations behind this trend and how organizations might address it:

Forced Office Return: Many employees harbor reservations about returning to the office. Some workplaces have become toxic due to disgruntled colleagues. Even those who don’t mind being in the office engage in coffee badging to avoid the negativity. The key question: Are they still productive elsewhere? How does this impact the team relationships and trust?1.
Rewarding the Wrong Behavior: Some companies inadvertently reinforce the idea that visibility equals success. Employees feel pressured to be seen physically, even if it doesn’t enhance productivity. Managers who prioritize presence over results inadvertently encourage coffee badging. The fix? Evaluate performance based on effort and outcomes, not mere face time 1.
Deviant Conformity: Coffee badging falls into the category of deviant conformity. Employees conform to the letter of the policy (swiping in) while flouting its spirit (not fully engaging in office work). This behavior often arises from dissatisfaction with poorly designed policies. Organizations should revisit their mandates to ensure alignment with employee needs and expectations 1.

Previous Episode

Story Business with Gavin McMahon

I first connected with Gavin because I noticed he was born in Keswick, UK. I live in Keswick, Ontario, Canada. They are spelled the same but pronounced differently. This is known as affinity bias - I notice something about you that is similar to my own experience. It's a tiny story that connects.

Gavin and I both love the power of storytelling. It's essential for the future of work and key to distributed work (hybrid/remote).

I'd go as far as to say it's the future of leadership.

Join us to understand why. Also, check out Gavin's newsletter on LinkedIn. He is a visual thinker and although we forgot to talk about his artistic take on leadership, it's the doodles that make his newsletter resonate. There's a reason it's featured so often by LinkedIn editors. He works in partnership with Eugene Yoon to craft these visuals. - link at the bottom of the shownotes. Don't forget to rate, review and comment. We'd love to hear your insights and stories too. Gavin McMahon

Gavin partners with clients to create tailored learning programs. He is rumored to build and run practical, entertaining workshops. He leads the development of newfangled leadership and customer experience products.

Gavin's early career crosses the defense, automotive, publishing, and technology industries. He worked in engineering, strategy, and senior product development roles.

Gavin graduated from UCLAN with a B(Eng) Hons. in Mechanical Engineering. He served as a platoon commander after graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

After a short stint in the defense industry and working in Africa, Gavin made a career change. A Sainsbury Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, he went on to study at Institute Theseus in France. There, he graduated with an MBA in Innovation, Strategy & Information Technology.

Gavin was a founding member of the London Business School’s i:Lab. There he co-wrote the case study: Netscape Communications Corporation. One of the first digital case studies, Netscape charted the rise of the first Internet giant. The case featured in MBA and executive education programs at Harvard, London Business School, and INSEAD.

Gavin is a proud father of two very handsome basset hounds (and kids).

Gavin McMahon | LinkedIn

(1) fassforward: Posts | LinkedIn

Leadership & Storytelling Training | fassforward | New York

Foward Thinking - Gavin's LinkedIn newsletter

Next Episode

Managing Up - It's Not Just About Your Immediate Manager

Episode Summary:

In this episode, I share my personal experience and insights on how to manage up effectively in a hybrid remote work setting. I explain what managing up means, why it is important, and how it can benefit both you and your manager. I also give some practical examples of how I managed up with my manager who had never worked from home before, and how I advocated for the needs and challenges of remote workers in team and divisional meetings. If you want to learn how to collaborate better with your manager and other leaders in your organization, this episode is for you.

Episode Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and welcome
01:15 - What is managing up and why it matters
03:30 - How I managed up with my manager who was new to remote work
07:45 - How I communicated the issues and solutions of remote work in team meetings
12:20 - How I influenced the executives to introduce themselves and acknowledge remote workers in divisional meetings
16:50 - Conclusion and key takeaways

Episode Resources:

Nola Simon Advisory - My website where you can find more resources and tips on hybrid remote work
Slido - A tool for interactive Q&A and polls in online meetings
The Curse of Knowledge - A cognitive bias that makes it hard for experts to communicate with novices

Episode Call to Action:

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.
If you have any questions or feedback, you can email me at [email protected] or tweet me at @nolasimontjo
If you want to support the podcast and get access to exclusive content and perks, you can sign up for my email list.
Join the waitlist for The Flexible Path community, reopening for new members April 1st.

Thank you for listening and I’ll see you in the next episode.