As the workplace shifts and shifts to hybrid work environments, traditional ways of organizing office spaces follow. Workers want greater flexibility and freedom as well as organizations naturally reconsider the necessity for large offices with everyone having their own desk.
This is at the core of the recent increasing popularity of the hot desk Finsbury Park – the practice of cutting down on office space and using it only when needed, without individually assigned desks.
While this method has its charm for certain groups of employees and is certainly more cost-effective, it may pose challenges to certain organizations. As an example, reducing desks and shifting to less personal spaces could impact the culture of the workplace and disrupt employees’ routines. It could also be a problem for businesses who have rigid hierarchical systems and require them to revise their organizational structure.
Therefore before implementing hot desking HR and Operations managers need to consider its pros and cons. They must evaluate the best way to implement it in their local workplace. To help you understand hot desking and consider its usefulness to your organization, we outlined its major benefits and disadvantages.
Want to know whether hot desking is right for you? Continue reading!
What is hot desking?
Hot desking – also known in the field of desk-sharing or hoteling – is a method of office layout and desk allocation in which employees don’t get their own assigned desks. Instead, the total number of desks are reduced and, based on company policy, seats are reserved in advance or are filled on a first-come-first-serve basis.
The rationale behind this practice is based on the need for businesses to change with the changing workplace culture as well as the increase in remote workers at least a portion of the time. Once an organization adopts more of a hybrid approach to working, the introduction of hotdesking is more sensible because all of its employees rarely if ever get together in the office in one go.
Like any other change in the operation of an enterprise, hot desking has its own advantages and drawbacks. It has an impact on the costs of materials but also impacts company the culture and also how people feel at work. Here are the different pros and cons that hotdesking has to offer.
Benefits of hotdesking
It’s no surprise the hot-desking trend is getting more widely used. There are a number of tangible benefits this practice provides to workplaces. This includes:
1. Cost-effective
First of all hot desking is more cost-effective than traditional office configurations. Because of the fewer number of desks, employee overhead costs are lowered. This means resources can be put to better applications.
2. Inclusion of mobile workers
Hot desking is very inclusive for remote and mobile workers since it allows them to join in the office more easily. If desks aren’t “owned” through employees there is less focus on filling a certain desk and being present. This gives more flexibility and acceptance of the fact that some employees have more mobility than other employees.
3. Facilitates collaboration
Social company culture is naturally promoted when seats are not assigned separately and desk neighbors are changed daily. Teams are more in touch and the work environment gets more collaborative. This also creates a certain quality of work that can sometimes go missing in more traditional environments. Keep in mind that you’ll likely need a strong hot-desking policy to ensure that you don’t have issues that hinder collaboration and teamwork.
4. Improved space utilization
Space is typically better utilized when desk numbers are scaled down or fewer desks are being used. Clutter is reduced and a neater space is created because desks must be cleaned and cleaned every day. This frees up space and decreases the amount of visual stimulation which also has a good effect on productivity and concentration. This also makes a positive impression on the clients in the office.
5. Encourages greater equality and improves communication
If everyone is equal prior to the desk calendar, the hierarchy of the workplace are naturally flattened and the office becomes more level playing field. This leads to more network and connecting in a quicker manner both horizontally and vertically.
In addition, it can be a great way to help individuals in the position of making decisions to have a better grasp of how things work “on the ground”.
The disadvantages of hot desking
Of course hot desking isn’t all sunshine and roses. It’s better to be familiar with the downsides so that you’re aware of the signs or deal with them right from the start. The most common disadvantages often mentioned by businesses are:
1. A lack of personalization
Employees may come to experience their work environment as less personal because of the absence of assigned spaces. If the office is lacking the personality of its predecessors, it can appear uninteresting and boring which can affect company culture and people’s sense that they belong to the organization. This could, in turn, affect productivity and satisfaction at work.
2. The disruption of the hierarchy
Indeed, the greater equality that hot desking promotes can be seen as a sneering form of disruption in companies that have higher-quality and more vertical structure. If your organization is very keen on the distinction between managers, employees and executives and managers, the approach to hot desking needs to be adjusted to accommodate this aspect.
3. Increase in IT resources
While hot-desking can decrease office utilization and also employee overhead costs , it may also raise IT-related expenses. At the very least it will make IT departments’ resources more strained.
One of the tools available to handle the situation is to implement hot desk booking software. This system opens to IT resources for managing the new office setup including the maintenance of working stations and networks, while employees are given the freedom to pick their desks.
4. Strict health and safety policies required
To create the neat and tidy environment that hot desking promises there is a need implement new safety, health, and cleaning policies. The employees will have to take on more care and accountability, and maybe establish new routines.
Additionally, you should take into consideration employees with special needs. In a traditional environment employees with particular needs are guaranteed a work environment that is specifically designed for their specific needs. In a hot desking environment it is necessary to implement changes that allow them to participate in the same way as they did before.
5. Changes in routine
Employees who are used to the routine and set-up that is fixed and who are seeking more security will be able to experience some disruption. While they may be able to adjust but such changes could result in lower productivity. Be prepared for turbulence in the meantime!
6. Intermittent communication breakdown
Although communication can improve over time but in the beginning it can be a bit shaky. With employees in different places each day, tracking employees can become difficult. To manage the situation, you will likely need to create new communication channels and policies to ensure important messages are sent to everyone involved.
However it’s not an issue if have remote work policies in place which already require the establishment of reliable communication channels.
Is hot desking right for your company?
One method to determine if hot-desking could be beneficial for you is to carry out a survey among your employees. With more input, you may conclude that your company is fit for the challenge and that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. However, in the alternative, you might discover that there is very little support for this type of arrangement.
In addition, you can test hot desking at a lower scale, such as by using a small team, before making decisions on the company’s overall strategy. If it doesn’t work out, you can scale back to your usual arrangement.
Hot desking isn’t for everyone. What is the best option for your organization is dependent on the culture of your company and how much your employees are comfortable working from home. Also, you should consider adding to the mix what value is placed on having a separate and separate space. The primary reason for hot desking is to improve productivity in collaboration, communication, and collaboration. This is what you need to keep in mind when coming to the decision.
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