Between the advent of open office schedules, shared workstations, and remote work, hot desking is fast becoming the emblem of the contemporary work life.
More than a trend, it's a way of life that helps you optimize your work environment, and allows you to work where and whenever you want. In essence, hot-desking is a flexible work pattern that saves you from real estate costs, so you don't need assigned desks and private offices to work.
And it's quite encouraging that both fully-established companies and self-employed folks are embracing the idea to help their employees stay productive and focused irrespective of their location.
In this guide, you'll understand how hot desking works, the incredible benefits it offers, the essential items needed to build one, and, most importantly, if it's the best choice for you and your workplace.
How Does Hot Desking Work?
Do you have an idea of a co-working environment? That's exactly how hot desking operates. While some offices employ a desk booking method called hoteling for their employees, others make their desks available strictly on a first-come, first-serve basis.
In other words, people can share the same workstation during various shifts. Let's go a few steps down memory lane. Hot desking started during the nascent days of the COVID-19 pandemic because many employees had to work from home and conform to social distancing and other safety measures.
Because of that, many of them fell in love with the flexibility that accompanies the style and they brought some of the changes along with them when companies returned to on-site offices. That's why most of the changes you'll see in the corporate world today are a hybrid work lifestyle and hot desking.
So instead of each office worker having a desk to himself, hot desking suggests sharing desk spaces based on different days and shifts. Thus, giving you a more flexible work model.
And to avoid loss of personal items, office workers have lockers where they can personally see to the safety of their possessions. Hence, any business outfit aligning with hot desking can use it for board meetings or conference rooms, to make it easier for them to reserve once needed.
Quickly to the question of how hot desking works, there are different types of ways, so it entirely depends on your company's management approach or style. At the top of the list is reservations. This is when companies make their workstations available to interested workers once a week or once a month.
So as a hot-desker, you'll have to book the meeting rooms or office desks using the company's booking platform or app to know which days will be available. This is the method we earlier referred to as hoteling.
Open seating is another option. This demands that you get there early because they often work with a first-come first-service pattern. Getting there early will also save you from the problem of overcrowding.
With any of these options, all you have to do is drive to work, get your items from your locker (if necessary), locate your desk, plug in, and get ready for the day!
Pros Associated with Hot Desk Workstations
From every indication, it looks like hot desking is here to stay. And you need to consider the gains and losses the concept brings to know if it's ideal for you.
Let's run through the advantages:
1. Cost Savings
Hot desking allows you to slash costs related to real estate since your workplace has its workers in the physical office reduced to the barest minimum on any given day.
Especially in urban areas, real estate is one of the expensive necessities that companies struggle with. And a recent survey shows that each office desk might cost between US$6,000 to US$7,000 per year. But with hot desking? As an employer, you don't have to worry about these expenses.
The idea also works fine with a flexible workplace lifestyle since your workers are free to choose whether they want to work from home, in-office, or elsewhere. Your workplace can also share these co-working spaces with other people instead of the huge costs of renting the entire office building.
2. Organization and Cleanliness
The concept of hot desking also ensures that each hot desk is decluttered every time. And the bonus you get here is that a well-arranged and clean workstation can improve your workplace efficiency and satisfaction.
Some of these companies giving their facilities out also require that hot-deskers sanitize and tidy up their desks and properties upon arrival for the day and they're done for the day - before and after use.
3. Employee Independence
Hot desking is an implied way of telling your workers that you have enough confidence in them to oversee their tasks and schedules without supervision. Meanwhile, man is wired to perform more effectively when he's given the autonomy to prove himself. So it's a win-win situation for both the employer and the employees.
It also gives them the grace to choose when, where, and how they want to work. That's a sure morale booster!
3. Collaboration
The nature of hot desking gives room for deeper bond and interpersonal relationships among the workers since you can regularly change who you sit with. That's an avenue to broach conversations with other members of your team who you wouldn't interact with normally. Thus, you're enhancing the level of oneness, collaboration, and cross-functional relationships.
Disadvantages Associated with Hot Desking
Although hot desking has tons of benefits, it can also go sideways for some businesses and workers.
And the key problems that most workplace patterns and office plans often encounter while hot-desking include:
Loss of Focus/ Distraction
Hierarchy Disruption
Communication
Essentials for a Hot Desk Office Design
For a workstation to be ready-made and well-equipped for hot-deskers, it must have certain items targeted at giving the workers a thrilling office-away-from-office experience. And you don't need to engage the services of an interior designer to help you develop a hot-desk workstation, all you have to do is go ergonomic.
Apart from office ergonomics, here is the breakdown of all you need to enjoy a hybrid work model.
Office Desk
An office desk is unarguably the most important piece of furniture needed to build a contemporary hybrid office design. However, you should be mindful of the ergonomic brands out there. On that note, Flexispot has different office desks available for you.
There are height-adjustable standing desks that afford you the luxury to transition from sitting to standing at regular intervals.
Each office desk built by Flexispot also gives your workstation a clutter-free and sharper look.
So if you're sourcing for an office desk that ticks every requirement that'll make you feel more active and productive, here are the conditions you need to be on the lookout for.
Clean, sleek, and wide desktop.
A stable, sturdy, and reliable lifting mechanism.
Luxurious and classy.
Designed from durable materials such as bamboo.
At Flexispot, all the ergonomic height-adjustable standing desks satisfy all these specs without affecting their functionality and build quality.
Ergonomic Chair
Here's another essential constituent of a hot-desking workplace. And the most important perk of these chairs is the soothing pace at which they can relax your mind and soul. So investing in our ergonomic office chairs is a sure way to stabilize your body anatomy, seating posture, and feel more productive.
At Flexispot, we are known for various office chairs because of their classy ergonomic support and simple design. For instance, you're guaranteed that our Ergonomic Office Chair OC7 is one of the best gifts you should get for your workstation
The ergonomic office chair OC7 has an S-shaped curve for the backrest and it gives your back the necessary support it needs to enjoy optimal support from your lumbar structure. You can also adjust the chair's height to any degree that conforms with your height and sitting posture.
The chair's seat pad is designed with a breathable mesh material that absorbs your sweat and body moisture. So you can be at peace that the seat will not start wearing out anytime soon.
Storage Unit
A major concern for hot-deskers is the absence of a storage unit where their coats, bags, stationeries, work accessories, and valuables can be kept. Although this depends on workspaces. Some co-working spots allow their workers to leave their properties at the desk for a certain amount of time as they go for a meeting or grab some lunch.
On the other hand, some companies make lockers available for their hot-desk customers. And this trend should be adopted by every co-working space. As a hot-desker, you're entitled to a safe locker where you can keep accessories that you wouldn't want to take home with you.
Power Outlets and Reliable Internet Connection
Every hot desk is expected to have a stable internet or WiFi connection alongside power outlets for the hot-desk clientele. Some established companies have some spaces dedicated for charging phones and other electronic gadgets, while some have also included phone booths where the hot-deskers can make or receive calls.
And for private offices, each desk should be fixed with a permanent phone and power outlets for the employees to enjoy when the need arises.
Meeting Rooms
An ideal hot-desking arrangement shouldn't limit the access of hot-deskers to their desks. That is, you should also have the option of reserving meeting or conference rooms through their app or reservation website.
You should also have access to kitchens, shared lounges, conducive spots for meditation and brainstorming, and a high-ranking team of professionals for counseling and advice in your line of work.
How Do You Know Hot Desking is Right for You?
Hot desking revolutionizes how we work but that doesn't make it the perfect choice for everyone. So we'll suggest that you opt for hot desking in a collaborative space first. Give it a try and see if it works perfectly with your workers or you'll have to discard it entirely.
However, it gives you the chance to explore every available option until you unearth what works best for you. For instance, certain offices have hot-desking workstations for workers switching between in-office and remote working. They also have permanent spots for workers that want them. So the choice is all yours to make.
As you decide, don't forget that Flexispot is here to help you. Check out our online store for more tips and products that'll help you create the hot-desking workstation of your dream.
