Going back to the office? Consider hot desking

Going back to the office? Consider hot desking

Remote work is likely here to stay, but that doesn’t mean brick-and-mortar offices have become obsolete just yet. In fact, as more and more people get vaccinated against COVID-19, many businesses will likely consider returning to more traditional working arrangements. If yours is one such organization, you may want to look into hot desking.

What is hot desking?

In a conventional office, individual workers are usually given a dedicated desk. With hot desking, a single workspace can be used by different people at different times. So unlike traditional offices that have desks that are customized to suit their occupants, hot desking offices usually offer only the bare minimum of what users need to work comfortably, such as:

  • Power outlets for phones and laptops
  • Scanners and printers
  • Internet connection
  • Bookable conference rooms
  • Storage for personal belongings
  • Bathrooms, kitchen, dining, and common areas
  • Private areas

Hot desk users are free to bring and use their own laptops and mobile devices. This workspace system is comparable to hoteling, as both arrangements serve transient office workers. The difference is that while hot desking usually works on a first-come-first-served basis, hoteling requires users to reserve workspaces in advance.

Why should you consider hot desking?

Many co-working space providers offer hot desks, but you can also implement this workspace system in your own office. Either way, you can look forward to these benefits:

Greater flexibility

Compared to traditional workspace setups, hot desks allow your staff to choose where they want to work. For instance, people who like a bit of sunshine can sit close to windows. This is a great way to ease them back into the office after several months of working from home where they had the freedom to choose their favorite working spots.

Improved productivity

The flexibility and dynamic nature of hot desking may promote some of your staff’s productivity. For those who like change, being able to work beside different people every day — exactly the kind of experience that hot desking offers — might refresh their minds, which would improve their productivity. On the other hand, those who work faster in familiar or comfortable environments might benefit from being able to choose such spots.

Increased collaboration

Sitting close to the same people day in and day out can result in information silos, which stifle collaboration. Hot desking removes barriers that separate departments, making it possible for people from different teams to sit close to and interact with one another. This can help your staff get a better understanding of what their colleagues do and how they can work together to pursue the company’s goals.

Better space usage

Adopting a hybrid setup, wherein some of your employees work from home, and still following a traditional office arrangement will leave you with plenty of unused desks. With hot desking, workspaces unused by staff who opt to work remotely can be occupied by those who choose to work in the office. You can then have employees choose workstations within a more compact area. This will help you reduce rental costs and facility management costs.

Reduced clutter

Traditional work desks are often filled with your staff’s personal, non-work-related belongings, such as pictures, action figures, and other decorations. Hot desks contain just the bare minimum and users are supposed to tidy up the space for the next occupants. This makes the place uncluttered and much easier to clean, which is crucial in workspaces in the post-pandemic normal.

On that note, having different people use the same space can raise concerns about safety and sanitation. For this reason, if you do consider hot desking, make sure all workspaces are cleaned thoroughly and regularly before anyone uses them.

The new normal presents new challenges that all businesses must overcome. At Quicktech, we offer services that can make your business better equipped to survive and grow in the post-COVID era. For example, we can help you set up Microsoft 365 tools such as Microsoft Outlook so that you can book offices anywhere in the world in buildings that provide Microsoft-powered Workspaces. Talk to our IT experts to learn more about this and other nifty office solutions today.