In today’s world of work, where everything has gone digital and more and more companies are offering their employees flexible working arrangements to keep them happy (and retain top talent in the process), hot desking has become an increasingly popular solution for modern workplaces.
But what is hot desking exactly? And is it worth the hype?
In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about hot desking, including the pros and cons it entails, whether it’s compatible with your work environment, and how to do it right.
What is hot desking?
Hot desking is a specific organizational workspace system where employees can use all available desks in an office at different times. Essentially, desks are not reserved for or “owned” by specific workers, and are instead allocated to employees when they’re required to come into the office or on a rota system.
This type of desk sharing is more common for entry- and mid-level employees, while managers usually maintain their own dedicated office space. However, depending on the company’s policies and culture, managers and other higher-level staff (even CEOs!) may also participate in hot desking, which can create a better sense of accessibility and collaboration.
How does it differ from hoteling?
Hot desking and hoteling are similar in nature, in that they provide no set workspace for employees. That said, there are some key differences between the two work arrangements, which we’ll explore below:
|
|
HOT DESKING |
HOTELING |
|
Reservation system |
Not required |
Required |
|
Workspace choice |
First come, first served |
Pre-selected |
|
Target user base |
Employees who regularly move from one location to another, primarily in environments with high workforce mobility |
Employees with flexible schedules, often on a hybrid working model |
|
Personalization |
Very limited; since employees switch desks regularly, they need to clear their workspaces at the end of each day |
Limited; workspaces can be personalized to some extent during the reservation period |
|
Team collaboration |
Encourages spontaneous interactions |
Limits spontaneous interactions |
|
Tech integration |
Simple check-in systems, or none at all |
Advanced booking systems and management tools |
|
Cost efficiency |
Potentially more cost-efficient in smaller, more agile environments |
Potentially more cost-efficient in organizations where space management is critical |
How does it work?
The way hot desking works is pretty simple: employees walk in, find an open desk, plug in their laptop and get to work.
That said, there are many different types of hot desking arrangements (although they all generally follow the same procedures). These include:
- First come, first served, which allows employees to walk into the office and choose their own desk for the day.
- Office neighborhoods, which are groups of desks that are dedicated to specific functions, teams or departments.
- Activity-based workspaces, which are dedicated desks for specific types of collaboration.
- Reserved desks, which is similar to hoteling in that employees can reserve desks in advance.
- Assigned seating, which limits the desks an employee can use or reserve, and is best used when a task doesn’t require a lot of cross-collaboration.
What do you need to introduce hot desking?
Hot desking requires the same kind of equipment as any other workspace system, including:
- Power outlets so employees can plug in laptops and other electronics
- A stable, high-speed WiFi connection
- Phones, especially for sales and other customer-facing teams
- A shared printer that every hot desk can connect to
- Storage space for personal items
- Hardware like computers, monitors, mice and headphones
- Amenities like communal kitchens and bathrooms
The benefits of hot desking
Hot desking can offer a company and its employees a vast array of benefits. Here are the main ones:
Decreased costs
When you don’t need 100% of the workforce to be in the office at the same time, hot desking can be useful in saving the company money.
Say you only need 20 of the 100 employees to be in the office on any given day. This means that you only need computers, desks and other equipment for 20 employees. And considering that companies can spend, on average, $5,000 for office furniture, hardware and software per employee, you could save as much as $400,000 with hot desking.
Moreover, a hot desking arrangement means you won’t need office space that accommodates 100 people, allowing you to further decrease costs on rent, utilities and maintenance.
Improved collaboration
Hot desking can significantly improve collaboration, both within teams and across departments.
For example, if several teams or departments are working on a project, they can huddle together around a group of desks. This allows employees to share ideas, discuss projects, solve problems and make decisions in real time, which ultimately removes the necessity of sending emails, making phone calls or walking between departments to ask someone a question.
Essentially, hot desking can be a more efficient way of working in terms of use of time and resources.
Higher employee satisfaction
While it might not seem it, hot desking has the power to improve all-around employee satisfaction, as it offers workers greater flexibility and control over their work environment. Indeed, they can choose where to sit (rather than being directed to a specific desk), and this provides them with more autonomy.
In turn, the more satisfied that employees are, the more engaged they are in their work. And this is good for business, as it not only helps your bottom line, but it also increases workers’ output and morale. Plus, it improves your company’s image as a desirable employer, which then increases brand awareness among potential clients and business partners alike.
The drawbacks of hot desking
Just as there are benefits to instituting a hot desking arrangement, there are also several drawbacks, including:
Potential conflicts
Even when employees don’t “own” a specific desk in the workplace, chances are that they’ll come to favor one at some point. Perhaps it’s the desk that’s in the exact equal distance between the bathroom and the office kitchen, or the desk next to the window with the best views of the city. And chances are that that desk is favored by more than one person.
This will inevitably lead to people competing over the same desk, which can then result in conflict, from subtle passive aggression to full-blown rows. If left unchecked, this conflict can spread across the workplace and create a toxic environment for everyone.
Loss of personal space
Hot desking means that private cubicles or desks are no more, as is employees’ personal space. This can be difficult for some people, who prefer a sense of privacy and security, and who will be more likely to push back and resist changes to their current workspace arrangements.
While there are certainly ways to alleviate to some extent this sense of loss of personal space that some employees might feel (for example, by adding cubicle doors or setting up privacy screens), it might not be enough.
Loss of structure
One of the great things about hot desking is that it has the potential to flatten hierarchies, as everyone is given an equal footing. But even with these newly flattened hierarchies, it can lead to a loss of structure in the workplace, if not properly planned for and managed.
This is particularly true for employees who prefer a more physical representation of the company they work for. Indeed, these employees may feel lost or confused when there’s no clear and precise organizational structure.
Is hot desking right for your workplace?
While an interesting concept, hot desking isn’t appropriate — or even beneficial — for all companies. Indeed, just because it works for one company, it doesn’t necessarily mean a second company will enjoy the same results.
What’s important here is to determine if it’s right for your workplace, and these pointers will help you do just that:
Employee needs and preferences
One of the first things you need to consider are the needs and preferences of your employees, which you can determine through employee surveys. Do they need to visit the office a few times a week, and do they need their own dedicated space? Would they be open to hot desking, or would you experience a lot of push-back?
Work arrangements
Perhaps the most important consideration to take into account when thinking about introducing hot desking to the workplace is the particular work arrangement of staff. If they’re on a hybrid work basis, for example, hot desking might indeed be beneficial.
Office space
Does the current layout of your workplace allow for hot desking? Or would you need to make adjustments to accommodate hot desking needs? Likewise, would it require relocating to a new office to better maximize space?
Job duties
Another important consideration is the specific roles of your employees and whether they need to be in the office every day to perform their duties or if they can also work from home. For example, a company that deals with sensitive information might do better by keeping staff on-site at all times.
Company culture
Finally, does your company culture support the concept of hot desking? If it focuses on efficiency, collaboration, mobility and flexibility, then it might be worth considering, after all.
Best tips to set up hot desking
If you’ve decided to introduce hot desking to the workplace, you’ll need to follow some best practices to make sure everything goes smoothly. Here are some tips on how to do it right:
1. Do your research
First things first, you’ll need to take plenty of time to do plenty of research. This includes considering things like the wants and needs of employees and the organization (including amenities and equipment) as well as setting up an efficient floor plan.
All this will help you determine the viability of hot desking in your workplace and then develop a plan accordingly.
2. Develop policies and guidelines
Once you’ve got everything in place, it’s important to take the time to write relevant policies and guidelines that clearly define the processes, responsibilities and requirements associated with a hot desking arrangement. These policies should also feature practical examples of what is and what isn’t acceptable to make sure there’s no confusion.
3. Give people time
The last thing you want to do is to suddenly — and very unexpectedly — roll out hot desking from one day to the next. Indeed, it’s imperative that you provide employees with a timeline so they can get used to the idea — and excited about it.
4. Create a trial period
It might be a good idea to trial hot desking for a few months before fully committing to it. This gives employees a chance to “taste” the arrangement and provide you with feedback. It’s essential that you act on this feedback, too, even if it means returning to the previous setup.
5. Collect data
Once fully established, it’s crucial that you regularly collect and analyze data from the hot desk management system you put in place. This data will provide you with valuable insights into how the new workspace arrangement is working and whether improvements can be made.
Key takeaways
Here’s a quick recap:
- Hot desking is a specific workspace arrangement where employees, typically those on a hybrid work model, have no fixed desk and instead choose one that’s available.
- It usually works on a first-come, first-served basis, but can also come in the form of office neighborhoods or activity-based workspaces.
- It offers a vast array of benefits, including decreased costs and improved collaboration.
- That said, it can also lead to potential conflicts and a loss of structure.
- Hot desking might be incompatible for specific workplaces, so it’s important to determine whether it’s viable by considering things like employee needs and company culture.
- Introducing hot desking to the workplace requires careful planning, from creating clear policies to setting up a floor plan.
Got a question or want to share your company’s experiences with hot desking, good or bad? Let us know in the comments section below.