Workers Monitor Bosses' Calendars for More In-Person Interaction
Hybrid employees are employing tactics like 'calendar stalking' to maximize face time with managers as companies push for return-to-office mandates.
As companies increasingly mandate a return to physical offices, hybrid workers are developing new strategies to optimize their in-office presence. One emerging practice is "calendar stalking," where employees monitor their managers' schedules to strategically choose days to be present.
This approach, reported by USA Today, involves employees closely tracking their bosses' Outlook calendars. The goal is to coordinate their own office days to coincide, thereby increasing opportunities for face-to-face interaction and visibility.
"Calendar stalking" follows earlier trends such as "coffee badging," where employees briefly visit the office solely to swipe their ID and get coffee. Evidence suggests that "billboarding," commuting to the office purely for visibility, has gained traction amid return-to-office (RTO) pressures.
According to Owl Labs' 2026 State of Hybrid Work survey, nearly half of workers (48%) have gone to the office specifically to be seen by leaders or clients, or plan to do so. This behavior is significantly more prevalent among managers (83%) than individual contributors (17%).
These tactics highlight the ongoing tension between executives and employees over RTO mandates. While executives often cite productivity and innovation benefits, commuting carries costs and stress for workers. Meanwhile, companies continue to demand more in-office time; CBRE data shows the percentage of U.S. companies expecting employees in the office at least three days a week rose to 89% this year from 78% in 2025.