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Did you know?
Only 8% of working professionals, based in the UK, with prior exposure to remote-working prefer being in an office set-up full-time, as per a Zoom study. Interestingly, this percentage is lower than the findings in similar polls done in other countries.
That indicates how the storm of hybrid work culture has taken over the world. Employees no longer want to be tied to a desk for hours at a stretch.
Hybrid working has also brought along multiple fresh concepts. And hot desking is one of them.
If the word sounds alien to you or you know very little about it, you’ve landed at the right place. In this blog, we’ll walk you through what a hot desk means, its benefits, and challenges. So, without wasting any more time, let’s dive straight in!
» What is Hot Desking?
Hot desking, in the simplest terms, is an arrangement wherein different employees of your organization use the same desks at different times. In other words, there is no fixed desk for each employee. The employees will utilize the available work desks as and when they go to work.
With a hot desk space, organizations get to maximize their space utilization, control the costs of resources, and minimize real-estate expenses.
This type of flexible work environment fuels teams that thrive working remotely or in a hybrid work culture. Not every employee needs to be in the office full-time to get things done. With that realization hitting hard in the post-pandemic world, more and more organizations are turning to hot desking.
» Hot Desking vs. Hoteling
While many people use these terms interchangeably, let us tell you that “hoteling” and “hot desking” are different.
Hot desking is when employees use any desk available when they are at the workplace. There is no need for them to book a desk for their in-office day.
Hoteling, on the other hand, is when employees have to book a desk prior to visiting the office. The seat they book becomes their desk for the day. Some companies go a step further and allow booking desks in advance for a few days even. Companies usually rely on a robust desk booking software system to manage bookings efficiently.
To sum it up, hot desking works on the principle of first-come first-serve. You reach the office and pick any empty desk to work. Hoteling is booking from the available pool of empty desks in advance.
Hoteling gives you an option to choose your preferred desk. With hot desking, there is no such privilege of choice.
» Advantages of Hot Desking
Wondering why you should opt for a hot desk arrangement at your workplace?
Here are the benefits of incorporating hot desking the right way:
› Controls cost
One of the biggest advantages a hot desk space offers a business, regardless of its size or industry, is the reduction in real estate expenses. You don’t need to invest in a spacious, swanky office space just for the sake of it. Or shift to a bigger workplace without scrutinizing the need for expansion.
Hot desking enables you to optimize your current workspace in a way that offers both the flexibility and operational efficiency you need. Without any additional costs.
› Maximizes workspace
Thanks to hot desking, you don’t need to create separate spaces for everything. For example, private office cabins can be turned into meeting/conference rooms when not in use. One desk can accommodate different employees on different days and shifts, eliminating the need for assigned desks for your entire workforce. That way, you can mindfully use the existing office area while keeping your overhead costs in control.
› Simplifies employee management
It often becomes difficult for organizations to manage employee shifts effectively. Especially when they’ve multiple offices and people working in-office, remote, and hybrid. Hot desking solves this problem. You get to plan and manage the in-office time of your workforce with greater efficiency. There is more room to breathe, less chaos, and more engagement levels. The best part? You can ensure that only the teams that are really needed in the office come to the workplace at all times. Without disturbing your processes and workflow.
› Enhances collaboration and performance
Better employee management makes employee feel good and valued. And when they feel valued, it shows in their performance. What’s more? Hot desking allows teams to ramp up projects or scale them down as per the requirements. Teams can visit office and collaborate in person easily when needed. Without having to acquire additional office space. This not only boosts collaboration but also the overall productivity, bringing teams closer.
› Improves employee relationships
With a hot desking model, your employees don’t really know who would be occupying the desk next to them. So, your tech professional may be sitting next to your accountant. Or a project manager might be sitting next to a a graphic designer. Such a setting becomes the basis of genuine connections among your employees. It also strengthens the bond between different departments of your organization.
The best part? It allows ideas to flow freely among your teams, helping your business think outside the box.
› Increases employee satisfaction
A hot desk space empowers employees to choose where they sit down to work for the day. That gives them the autonomy, flexibility, and freedom they need in a work environment. The result?
It boosts their productivity, engagement, and motivation significantly. Also, since hot desking promotes flexible work culture at its core, employees find it easier to balance work with their personal life. All of it, together, increases the sense of satisfaction, which, in turn, reflects in their work and life.
› Blurs office hierarchy
Hot desking throws the idea of the conventional office structures with designated cubicles and closed cabins out of the window. A senior executive may be sitting and working across a management trainee, for instance. Such an open work environment encourages employees to network and bond beyond hierarchy, eventually fueling your business’s long-term growth.
› Helps attract top talent
Today’s professionals want to be in control of their work hours. They want to maintain a balance between their professional and personal lives. Enter hybrid work which thrives further thanks to a hot desk space. With flexible working hours and ample freedom to choose where they sit when they visit the workplace, you can attract the right talent across niches. Besides, a hot desking model also helps retain your existing workforce. That streamlines your operations, moving you closer to achieving your business goals.
» Challenges of Hot Desking
› It lacks personalization
With a fixed desk comes a sense of ownership. Employees have the flexibility to set-up their workstations as per their preferences. It can be putting up pictures of their loved ones, having their own drawer to keep their belongings, and even a fixed spot to keep their coffee mug.
With a hot desk space, your workstation keeps changing whenever you’re working from the office. Thus, there is zero sense of ownership and no such personalization.
› It doesn’t offer the required level of privacy
Each employee has a specific role in your organization. And based on that role, they sometimes need a quiet place to work. To answer calls or conduct meetings, for instance. Hot desking, with its first-come, first-serve nature, doesn’t offer the privacy a fixed desk does. Employees may have to work in a noisy, bustling spot just because that was the only seating place available.
› It has room for mismanagement and conflict
Since hot desking doesn’t follow a booking system, there are more chances of chaos and conflicts. If more employees arrive for their in-office day than the number of desks available, it would be a disaster. Not only the employees would feel stressed but the work would suffer too. It can also be the source of potential arguments if employees who arrive at the same time claim the same desk, causing conflicts.
» Conclusion
Today’s modern organizations need a modern work culture. Gone are the days when employees had to be at their designated workstations to get things done. With technology advancements, businesses have shifted to hybrid and remote work setups. And sustaining such flexible work environment becomes possible through hot desking model. It not only saves your costs and boosts space utilization but also increases employee engagement and satisfaction. The good things is, you have multiple workplace management software to choose from to make hot desking work for you.
