Being in the office doesn’t automatically mean being present—yet most RTO strategies still measure success by a badge swipe.
The State of RTO in 2025—and Why Badge Swipes Aren’t Enough
The rise of mandated return-to-office (RTO) policies has been years in the making—and in 2025, it’s reached a tipping point. With job creation slowing and hiring down, employers have more candidates than open roles, giving them less incentive to offer perks like flexible work. Some leaders see RTO as an economic necessity; others, as a lever for culture and productivity.
At least 26 major companies—including all 24 of the Fortune 500 that made public announcements—now require five days a week on-site, while many more have implemented hybrid schedules. For some, the push is strategic. For others, it’s opportunistic: experts point to “back channel layoffs,” where RTO mandates are designed to nudge employees to quit. A 2024 study of S&P 500 firms even found that RTO mandates were more likely after stock price dips, with the hope that in-person work might boost productivity—and the bottom line.
But mandating attendance is one thing. Proving its value is another. Traditional badging systems track when someone swiped in, but reveal nothing about what happened next—or whether time on-site actually advanced collaboration, culture, or productivity. For companies looking ahead to 2026, a workplace app with building access integration offers a more complete view—and a better employee experience.
The Rise of Coffee Badging—and What It Signals About RTO
In fact, the gap between being physically present and being meaningfully engaged has never been more visible. Enter ‘coffee badging’—the increasingly common practice where employees show up just long enough to register their presence before heading out again. It’s a symptom of a deeper disconnect: simply requiring people to be in the office doesn’t guarantee they’ll spend that time in ways that build culture, collaboration, or output.
When badge swipes became the go-to proof of in-office presence, it gave rise to trends like coffee badging—employees swiping in, making a brief appearance, and leaving shortly after. For some, it’s about saving time, cutting commute costs, avoiding office distractions, or simply “showing face” to satisfy policy while maintaining work-life balance. In essence, it’s a modern form of presenteeism: being physically present without being truly engaged or productive.
What started as a quick coffee grab has expanded into other minimal-effort appearances—attending a single meeting, quick socializing, or simply being seen before heading out. These behaviors are increasingly linked to broader disengagement trends like quiet quitting, where employees do just enough to meet expectations, with little extra face time or discretionary effort.
Why It’s Happening
With mandated return-to-office (RTO) policies on the rise, employees are adapting to retain some autonomy over their workday. Many RTO mandates stem from shifting market dynamics—fewer job openings, more competition for roles, and less incentive for employers to offer flexibility. Some companies even use RTO as a “back channel layoff,” counting on attrition to trim headcount. Research supports the impact: Korn Ferry’s Workforce 2024 report found that 60% of employees would stay in a job they dislike for the sake of flexibility. Strict RTO mandates, however, are causing abnormally high quit rates, especially among senior and highly skilled employees—turnover in these groups has jumped 9% and 11%, respectively.
For employers, badge swipes offer a narrow and sometimes misleading picture of office engagement. Access control data is often siloed, inconsistent across locations, or unreliable—especially if attendance is tracked via IP addresses or if not all sites have badge systems. Without integrating other signals like desk reservations, event participation, or workstation check-ins, badge data alone can’t inform decisions about space usage, collaboration, or whether RTO mandates are actually working.
Left unchecked, coffee badging—and its cousins quiet quitting and outright resignation—erode trust, morale, and culture. While some companies respond with stricter policies or monitoring tools, others are rethinking the workplace experience entirely: using technology to create an office environment that employees want to come to, where engagement and collaboration feel natural rather than forced.
Keeping RTO on Track—Without Guesswork
While coffee badging exposes the gaps in traditional RTO tracking, there’s a way to give employees and employers a clearer picture—without turning attendance into a policing exercise.
For hybrid employees, knowing whether they’ve met their in-office expectations shouldn’t require digging through old calendars or guessing how often they’ve been in. A workplace app that integrates desk reservations with building access creates a clear, historical record of attendance—sometimes up to three months back—so employees can track how often they’ve come in and adjust before falling short of company requirements. It’s a simple checks-and-balances tool that empowers employees to succeed in hybrid models.
By turning attendance data into actionable insights, organizations can move beyond mere compliance and start designing a workplace experience that actually supports productivity, engagement, and culture.
Overcoming the Downsides of Traditional Office Presence Tracking
While many companies lean on badge swipes to enforce RTO policies, the reality is far more nuanced. Employee preferences increasingly favor hybrid work, with most people seeking a balance between flexibility and in-person collaboration. Across industries, work arrangements span the spectrum—from office-first to fully remote—with hybrid schedules dominating in many sectors.
This mix highlights a clear truth: simply tracking who’s in the building doesn’t answer the most important questions. Are employees more productive or innovative under current policies? Do they view them as fair? How does commuting affect stress, wellbeing, and retention?
Without a more accurate, contextual view of presence and engagement, companies risk making RTO decisions based on incomplete data. That’s where a workplace app with integrated access control changes the game.
For RTO strategies to work, presence tracking needs to be accurate, consistent, and tied to meaningful outcomes. A workplace app with integrated access control solves many of the challenges companies face:
- Multi-location consistency – unify data from all buildings and offices, even where traditional badges aren’t in use.
- Hybrid tracking methods – pair access control with desk booking data and event check-ins for a richer view of engagement.
- Sensor integration – leverage HID readers, heat sensors, and other IoT devices for accurate ingress/egress counts.
- Cross-functional reporting – combine badge data with workspace utilization, meeting attendance, and app usage metrics to support incentive programs and operational planning.
With remote access integrated into a workplace app, employees and approved visitors can securely enter buildings, restricted floors, and shared spaces without a physical badge—using just their smartphone.
Key Digital ID Use Cases for Employees
- Touchless building entry via Apple Wallet or Android devices
- Locker and storage access for personal items or project materials
- Secure elevator access for authorized floors
- Temporary digital credentials for contractors, guests, or temporary staff
These features not only make entry seamless, but also lay the groundwork for richer, more connected workplace experiences.
The ROI of Workplace Apps with Access Control Integration
Most workplaces weren’t designed for how today’s employees actually work. Searching for a badge, hunting for an available meeting room, or wandering the floor to find a teammate—these small daily inefficiencies quietly chip away at focus, momentum, and morale. It’s not that the workplace is broken—it’s that it hasn’t caught up to the needs of a multigenerational, hybrid workforce.
Turning Access into Advantage
An integrated workplace app transforms access control from a security tool into a strategic asset. By connecting building access, desk reservations, event check-ins, and digital ID, organizations gain a richer, more actionable view of employee engagement. The measurable benefits include:
- Accurate RTO tracking – tie presence to productivity, engagement, and outcomes.
- Enhanced satisfaction and retention – make the office experience seamless and enjoyable.
- Optimized space and resource utilization – allocate desks, rooms, and real estate efficiently.
- Reduced daily friction – eliminate wasted time searching for badges or waiting for access, boosting focus and productivity.
Digital IDs and remote access technologies have evolved far beyond basic credentials. Modern solutions—often AI-enhanced—enable secure, flexible, and productive workplaces, particularly as hybrid and remote work become the norm. Decentralized identity systems allow employees to carry verifiable credentials in digital wallets, reducing reliance on centralized identity stores while streamlining onboarding, credential recovery, and secure access.
Large enterprises and sectors where secure identity verification is critical—IT, telecommunications, banking, healthcare, and e-commerce—are leading the way in adopting these technologies. They’re proving that digital ID and remote access integration are not just conveniences—they’re essential tools for modern workplace efficiency and security.
Ultimately, a workplace app with access control integration turns everyday friction into opportunity. It ensures that access isn’t just about doors—it’s about empowering employees, improving collaboration, and creating a workplace that works as hard as your people do. This approach is recognized in the 2025 Gartner Market Guide for Workplace Experience Applications.
Beyond Badge Access: Expanding the Workplace Experience
Access control isn’t just about opening doors—it’s about supporting the full employee journey. When integrated with other workplace services, a workplace app becomes a strategic enabler of RTO goals, helping employees show up fully engaged, not just physically present. By connecting every step of the day, these tools help employees maximize focus, collaboration, and time-to-productivity.
A modern workplace app with building access integration mirrors how employees actually move through their day:
- Reserve workspaces and meeting rooms in advance, including “My Circle” seating to collaborate with key teammates.
- View real-time parking availability before arriving, reducing commute stress and wasted time.
- Navigate the building effortlessly using indoor maps.
- Access lockers or pick up deliveries without disrupting workflow.
- Order meals in-app to save time and avoid lines.
- Move between buildings seamlessly with unified credentials.
- Use secure elevators or restricted areas based on personalized access rights.
When access control data is integrated across HR, IT, and facilities systems, it becomes a powerful lens for understanding the workplace. Organizations can analyze patterns around desk usage, meeting attendance, and employee interactions to improve space design, enhance engagement, and support incentive programs.
Check out our webinar around breaking down data silos in the workplace.
The result is a workplace experience that goes beyond swiping in—one that supports employees in being productive, connected, and engaged throughout their day, while giving employers actionable insights to continuously optimize the office environment.
Modo’s Approach to Remote Access and Digital ID
Modo goes beyond traditional access control, integrating with leading providers to deliver a seamless, mobile-first workplace experience. Employees can use native badge access via Apple Wallet or Android devices, navigate with indoor wayfinding, reserve desks and meeting rooms, and access secure spaces—all from a single app.
From street to seat—and everywhere in between—Modo connects the dots across the employee journey, turning everyday touchpoints into opportunities for productivity, engagement, and collaboration:
- Smooth entry and movement: no more lost time looking for badges or waiting for access.
- Optimized workday flow: book spaces, locate teammates, access lockers, and order meals without disrupting focus.
- Cross-building and restricted access: move seamlessly between floors or buildings with secure, personalized credentials.
- Actionable insights for employers: unify badge, desk, meeting, and app usage data to improve space utilization, engagement programs, and ROI.
With Modo, RTO isn’t just about getting employees into the building—it’s about making every moment on-site meaningful, improving time-to-productivity, strengthening culture, and giving organizations the data they need to prove the value of their workplace experience initiatives.