Hot desking is a fairly established office trend that is here to stay. There are many benefits of hot desking, from being able to control your own work environment to meeting new people. Read on to find out more about the benefits of hot-desking and how to book a workspace.
What is hot desking?
Essentially, hot desking is a space where desks are available to all in the office which can be booked for a certain period of time. With many people working from home, visiting other office locations or out at meetings, not every employee needs a permanent desk. By not having fixed desk and floor plans, it means remote workers or colleagues from another location can book their own workspace and socialize with their colleagues. This can help them to feel more like part of the team while also making the best use of office space. We’ve written more about the nuts and bolts of hot desking here.
Why is hot desking so popular?
We live in a world where it’s possible to work from practically anywhere thanks to technology. A computer and a good wi-fi connection can give us access to most of the things we need. This has coincided with a widespread desire for greater work-life balance and hot desking can help deliver this. By being able to choose when to work in the office it’s possible to create a happier and more productive workforce.
The 8 main benefits of hot desking
1. Increased collaboration and performance
Hot desking allows people from different parts of the office to collaborate and share knowledge. A shared space can foster new relationships, reduce official meetings and encourage more face-to-face interactions – accelerating decision making.
2. A culture of trust
Research shows that people often excel when they are trusted to manage their own workload and run projects at their own pace. Hot desking puts that power in their hands and gives them ownership and responsibilities. With this extra flexibility, employees can be more productive by working where it suits them. This adds motivation and also improves mental well-being.
3. Tidy office, tidy mind
Hot desking done properly means employees aren’t able to leave personal items on the desk overnight. That means a tidier and clutter-free office which improves everyone’s working environment and state of mind. Find out more about encouraging tidy behaviors here and the etiquette of hot desking here.
4. More sociability
Often people work in silos in the office, but hot desking allows them to meet and interact with those outside their usual circle. This can increase knowledge flow and also help employees to identify with the brand or business rather than feeling like part of a small team.
5. Lower costs
Hot desking generally reduces the amount of office space required and decreases spend on furniture. Being able to use available space more effectively can also be very helpful for smaller businesses and start-ups.
6. Attracting talent
More of us are working remotely and allowing for hot desking can help you access the pool of talent that has hybrid working high on their wish list. This can also be another great benefit for smaller businesses who can’t compete with big city salaries.
7. Keeping things fresh
People can fall into routines, especially when they arrive at the same office at the same time and sit at the same desk. Hot desking stops things from becoming ‘samey’.
8. Flatten the office hierarchy
Hot desking is the antithesis of senior executives sitting in their own offices, away from other employees. It encourages networking at all levels, disrupts traditional office structures and allows movement between teams.
How to book workspace through Condeco
The Condeco booking system makes it easy to hot desk by selecting and booking a workspace. Condeco workspace booking software is a user-friendly, cloud-based application that allows you to book and manage desks, parking spaces and lockers. It can also help you find colleagues in the office.
Condeco also offers cloud-based meeting space booking to take all the stress out of finding free meeting rooms, which can even be managed through Outlook. Open the Condeco add-in, and choose a meeting space from the list. You can then easily see details and features of the space, such as the number of people it can hold and whether it has any video conferencing facilities. You can even book several meeting rooms at once if you have a big event or video meeting that necessitates it.
Hot desking is here to stay
Hot desking offers benefits for both employees and businesses. For solo or remote workers, it can improve your work and social life, while for employees of large companies it offers them the chance to work beside different colleagues to increase collaboration. What’s not to like?
Find out more about making a booking with Condeco and discover whether it could be a good fit for you and your hot desking arrangements.
