In hybrid workplaces, many employees do not need a designated desk just for themselves. As they come to the office a few days a week, it is more effective for other employees to use that desk if it is available. This is called hot desking, which is a common thing in hybrid workplaces.
Hot desks are a mix of traditional office and co-working spaces where employees can work from different desks depending on their needs. In this article, we will look at how to choose a desk booking solution and how to make hot desk management work well. Let’s get started!
Overview Of Hot Desk
Hot desking is a way for companies to use their office space more efficiently. Instead of having a desk for each employee, they share desks by booking them when they need to work. This means the company does not need as many desks, which can make better use of the space and facilities to save money.
Some companies use a first-come, first-served system, while others reserve desks for certain employees. This variation helps businesses of all sizes apply hot desk management to save money and become more productive.
According to a survey by the International Workplace Group (IWG), 70% of professionals work remotely at least one day per week, indicating a growing demand for flexible work arrangements.
The trend of hot desking is particularly pronounced in Asia with rapid urbanization, limited office space, and the rise of startups. In Singapore, for example, 64% of companies have implemented hot desking policies, according to a survey by Colliers International. Whereas, in Hong Kong, the figure is even higher, with 86% of businesses adopting hot desking practices, as reported by a study conducted by Regus.
Steps To Introduce Hot Desk To The Workplace
Setting up hot desks in your office is a beneficial way to optimize workspace utilization and foster a collaborative work environment. Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide to help you establish hot desking successfully:
Evaluate the current work environment and plan the resources
To effectively implement hot desking in your office, it is crucial first to conduct an assessment of the available workspace. This step involves evaluating the dimensions of each workstation and the overall layout of the office to determine the maximum number of employees that can utilize the space.
During this evaluation, key factors to consider include the level of noise, the availability of natural light, and the proximity of the workstations to common areas.
Create comprehensive hot desking policies
Once you have a comprehensive understanding of the available workspace, you can develop a hot desking policy that outlines the guidelines for workspace booking, equipment usage, and cleaning responsibilities. This policy should be clearly communicated to all employees to ensure that everyone is aware of the expectations and procedures involved in their hot desk management.
Invest in the necessary technology
It is worth investing in a dedicated software to further streamline the hot desking process and promote a collaborative working environment. This technology will simplify the booking system, provide real-time workspace availability updates, and enable seamless communication between employees. For instance, you could explore the hot desking software developed by Acall, which offers a comprehensive solution for fostering a thriving hot desking environment!
Communicate upcoming changes and provide training
When introducing new technology to your company, it is essential to have a clear “why” behind it and then effectively communicate the reasons to drive adoption. The same applies to implementing a hot desk management system. Before rolling out the new desk booking system, start by engaging in open communication with your teams.
Moreover, it is crucial to provide employees with the necessary resources and training to work effectively. This effort includes providing charging stations, printers, and other essential equipment to facilitate a comfortable and efficient workplace experience. Furthermore, a digital storage system or cloud-based solutions are crucial to streamline access to files and documents for employees to easily collaborate and share information.
Roll out the hot desking system in phases and offer support
To ensure the success of the hot desking setup, it is important to regularly evaluate the process and gather feedback from employees. This feedback can be used to identify areas for improvement and make adjustments to the setup.
Requirements For Hot Desk Management
Clear and Comprehensive Policies
To make sure everyone in the organization understands the hot desking policy, you should write a clear and easy-to-understand document.
First, the document should say who the policy applies to – all employees or just some departments or roles. Then it should list the things employees need to do, like checking the hot desking system for available desks, using the designated areas, and keeping their personal stuff in the right places.
The document should also say what the organization will do to support the policy. The jobs might include providing enough desks, ensuring robust technology and infrastructure, and designating places for people to store their belongings.
It is important to make employees feel involved and valued when communicating the policy, so the document should explain why hot desking is a good thing.
Robust Booking System
Incorporating a great booking app is one of the most important ways to improve the employee workplace experience and maximize space utilization. while the process of hot desk booking seems simple, it relates to various complexities.
Therefore, when choosing a booking app, the focus should be on how easy it is for people to make a booking. Is it a simple one-tap or click process? Keeping it simple will be very meaningful for your employees.
Furthermore, using an app to book desks can be a great experience, but not everyone wants to add more apps to their phones. Therefore, when selecting a booking system, it is crucial to consider its integration with your existing technological stack. Does it allow employees to book directly from Microsoft Teams or Outlook? Can it integrate with Google Workspace, Slack, or Chrome? Offering multiple options to your employees will increase adoption and greater satisfaction.
Effective Communication Channels
To create a collaborative work environment, it is essential to establish effective feedback channels that allow employees to provide constructive input. By consistently collecting and incorporating employee suggestions, organizations can refine the system for continuous improvement.
To establish efficient feedback channels, organizations should designate specific communication channels for employees, such as dedicated email addresses or online surveys. These channels should be easily accessible to employees and should be promoted through various communication channels within the organization.
Employee Training and Support
A robust desk booking system can simplify the process of reserving workspaces, but it is equally important to provide comprehensive training and ongoing support for employees to ensure high adoption rates.
Initial training sessions should familiarize employees with the system, and it is crucial to remain accessible to address any questions or concerns that arise. An open-door policy will foster a culture of communication and encourage employees to feel supported in using the tool.
Moreover, to ensure optimal usage of the system, it is essential to pay attention to individuals who are not utilizing the tool. While analytics can provide valuable insights, direct conversations can uncover other valuable information.
Technology Infrastructure
To ensure the success of hot desking, it is crucial to provide the appropriate technology. Messaging apps like Skype, Yammer, and Slack can facilitate communication among dispersed colleagues, while cloud-based tools such as Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365 enable real-time online collaboration.
However, it is important to balance virtual interactions with face-to-face contact to foster deeper connections within the hot-desking team. Therefore, you can schedule regular in-person team meetings to maintain strong relationships.
Personal Storage Solutions
One of the main challenges with hot desk management is that people can’t leave their personal items on their designated desks because someone else might use them the next day. This is a bit awkward at first, but employees tend to get used to it quickly.
To make things easier, you can add personal lockers or open storage options. This way, they can store some of their personal belongings at the office and avoid the inconvenience of the lack of a dedicated desk.
Privacy Considerations
Some people feel stressed out by hot desking because they cannot personalize their workspace like they used to. To help them feel more in control, you could offer lockers where they can keep their personal items, like awards or photos.
Additionally, consider setting aside a specific area of the office for displaying personal items or notices. It is also important to let people customize their workspace each day to suit their needs, like adjusting the desk layout, monitor height, or ergonomic features. These small changes can make a big difference in their comfort and well-being.
Takeaways
To achieve success in implementing a hot desking system, it is essential to provide a user-friendly and streamlined booking experience for employees. This effort enables them to easily access the resources they require for a productive day. Acall offers a comprehensive solution to improve your workplace with the necessary tools and features for a seamless booking experience. To learn more about how Acall can help your organization with hot desk management, kindly schedule a demo today!
