Workers 'Calendar Stalk' Bosses for Office Face Time

Hybrid workers are increasingly employing a tactic known as "calendar stalking" to strategically time their office visits, aiming to maximize face time with their managers. This practice involves closely monitoring their bosses' Outlook calendars to coordinate their own in-office days. The goal is to be present when their superiors are, facilitating "strategic walk-bys" and increasing visibility. This trend is a direct response to growing pressure from employers for a return to the office, a phenomenon that has also fueled "coffee badging," where employees briefly visit the office solely to swipe their ID, and "billboarding," the act of commuting to work simply to be seen. According to USA Today, this "calendar stalking" involves "obsessively tracking their bosses’ Outlook schedules to maximize face time, coordinating their own office days to match so they can perform strategic walk-bys." The practice of "billboarding" has seen a surge in popularity due to Return-to-Office (RTO) mandates. A 2026 State of Hybrid Work survey conducted by Owl Labs revealed that nearly half of all workers, specifically 48%, have either shown up at the office with the explicit intention of being seen by leaders or clients, or they plan to do so in the future. This behavior is significantly more prevalent among managers, with 83% admitting to participating in such practices, compared to only 17% of individual contributors. The rise of these sophisticated workplace strategies highlights the ongoing friction between executive leadership and employees regarding RTO policies. While many executives maintain that mandatory physical presence enhances productivity and fosters innovation, the reality for many employees involves the stress and financial burden of commuting. The average American worker incurs nearly $7,000 annually in commuting costs. Despite these employee concerns, companies have continued to advocate for increased in-office presence. Data from CBRE indicates a notable increase in the percentage of U.S. companies expecting employees to work from the office at least three days per week, rising to 89% this year from 78% in 2025. This persistent push for in-office time, coupled with the perceived benefits of face-to-face interaction for career progression, is driving these new, strategic approaches to workplace presence.