Meanwhile, coffee badging is creating thorny dilemmas for low- and midlevel managers. Although company leaders announce the return-to-office edicts, direct supervisors are reluctant to scold or discipline employees for trying to get around them, Nickson said.

“Managers are saying the work is getting done,” Nickson said. “Why do I need to have this very difficult conversation?”

The risk of raising the issue is that employees will quit, resulting in significant costs to replace them, Nickson said. Others may become disengaged, hurting productivity, Yost said.

As a result, the consultants said, many managers look the other way.