Companies have come to understand the benefits of a flexible workspace. Hence, they are seeking to adopt workspace arrangements that afford this. Although employees tend to be comfortable having fixed seats, alternate office space arrangements offer comfort and a lot more.
Let’s address the issue from this perspective.
Even with permanent spaces assigned, your employees end up occupying half of the office daily. So, why disperse them around the office? When they can be working wherever they like, and besides any coworker they are comfortable with.
Often, companies secure more office space to accommodate their booming business, but this isn’t always necessary.
Adopting a work arrangement like office hoteling enhances the optimum use of your office space. This workspace model promotes flexibility in ways that helps your employees boost their productivity and comfortability.
This article entails the nitty-gritty of office hoteling, the benefits, and how to implement it without hassle. If you’d love to find out how this flexible work arrangement works, ensure you read this till the end.
It’s well worth a read.
What does hoteling office space mean?
A hoteling office arrangement is a malleable arrangement that accommodates your usual cubicles, meeting rooms, desks, and office. These facilities are available for your workers to use the best way they can.
Simply put, they can reserve access to any spot they’d love within the office. Hence, your employees can claim their preferred workspace whenever they resume work. It’s an alternative to assigning specific seats to each employee.
Office hoteling creates freedom for your workers to decide on their work environment. Everyone has preferences as far as workspace arrangement is concerned. Giving everyone the power to make a choice boosts work efficiency massively.
Hot Desking vs Office Hoteling - Differences
Hot desking and office hoteling are two terms that people erroneously use conversely. The core difference between these two arrangements lies in the level of control and organization each one entails.
Hoteling office space works similarly to a hotel. A worker must reserve a spot and check into the company’s book system to access the workspace.
It doesn’t matter if the office has a host of unoccupied workspaces and workstations; the employee must check into the system to access the reserved space.
The booking system could involve sophisticated or concierge software that solely attends to the management of workspaces. Either way, the vital aspect of an office hoteling is that all workers must follow this process, and there is a detailed record of all assigned spaces.
On the flip side, hotdesking doesn’t have the same clampdown guiding the model. It’s an alternative method of addressing unassigned workspaces without any reservations.
This flexible arrangement entails the employees deciding on their workspace when they get to work instead of making reservations ahead of time.
On rare occasions, this model may include a hybrid bookkeeping system that requires a worker to sign in before accessing the office. However, companies only apply this when they need to check capacity.
The concepts by which these models operate are similar, but the difference is how employees access the workspace.
So, office hoteling is a go-to arrangement for companies that want accountability for their office space despite the flexibility. Contrarily, the hot desk arrangement appeals to companies who have no worries about office capacity but love the idea of a causal and flexible office.
Hotdesking and office hoteling are notable models that companies are increasingly adopting as a back-to-work strategy. This decision is understandable. Owing to the flexibility working from home affords employees, it may be a struggle to get them back into the rigid office arrangements.
Hence, introducing a flexible work arrangement within the office is a brilliant strategy to ease employees back into an office setting. And there is a possibility that it will become a norm in the future.
Why you should adopt office hoteling
Office hoteling benefits the employees and company in various ways. For the company, it might be a hack for keeping a talented workforce in the company. Competitors with flexible work conditions may use this as an entry point to poaching.
So, if you’d love to see your organization ahead of others, adopting this arrangement might give you that. Interestingly, there’s more benefit to milk from office hoteling.
We’ve highlighted seven benefits; check them out below:
Collaboration and teamwork
Employees tend to collaborate with their coworkers when they all have access to the workspace and company's resources whenever they need them. Allocation based on ranks causes a form of segregation that trumps teamwork.
But common access will sure develop team mentality organically.
All employees are unique in their way. They all thrive in different workspace settings. Some love the independent and serene space that allows them to focus, while others blossom with the bustle that an open office embrace. Some employees love the hybrid, depending on the task at hand. Having an office hoteling space offers the ability to make a choice.
Boost’s morale
When an employee’s input is significant, they have a sense of loyalty for their company, and their morale increases. All these have a way of increasing productivity.
How does office hoteling affect these?
When workers decide on their spaces, they have an opportunity to make changes that affect the workspace layout. These inputs can make space run effectively, thereby making them feel their opinions are significant.
Besides a boost in morale, there’s also an increase in Collaboration. Mainly because the employees believe the whole company is working towards a unified goal.
Equal access to office resources
Office hoteling levels all employees’ resources and gives managers or supervisors control over spaces and office equipment. This arrangement promotes equal access to whatever whenever the need arises.
For instance, a team could save several workspaces close to each other or reserve the meeting room to plan a project. They can make such reservations. And this model also prevents the unnecessary pillage of office equipment in an employee’s office and everyone’s time is valuable.
Saves cost
Office hoteling provides numerous benefits, but this happens to be the primary benefit. A company can save a lot by adopting this model. If your company reduces the square footage, it can lower rent, energy consumption, and utility costs.
Once you find a way to reduce these costs, you can save up enough money to invest in the growth of your business.
A company can accommodate more headcount without increasing its office space due to the employee’s flexible office hours and workspace.
Enhances excellent guest management
Companies with office hoteling settings can manage visitors, clients, and guests with ease. They can successfully give their guest an excellent experience.
Since the office hoteling software has a record of all desk assignments, guiding visitors is easy as pie. If a system has a real-time location tracker, a guest can effortlessly navigate through an unfamiliar office.
Office hoteling systems have a knack for mind-blowing guest services.
Promotes office space management
Assigning a space to an employee who works on the road or from home frequently is a waste of office space.
A more flexible workspace like office hoteling can help you manage your workspace adequately in such a situation. You can exempt unnecessary workspaces and ensure the office serves available workers.
You can also lower the square footage of your office to one that’s sufficient for your staff.
Revamp your office space to support your workflow and promote Collaboration amongst on-site employees. However, while you are at it, don’t forget to include workspaces of employees who work with a hybrid work plan as they would need to work from the office occasionally.
Improves remote working experience
Hoteling office space benefits companies with hybrid workforces immensely. To start with, it encourages employees who work from home to visit the office occasionally and socialize with coworkers.
It fosters workplace socialization and team spirit reinforcement despite being hybrid employees. And they will have no problem fitting into the work environment.
Similarly, employees who spend all workdays in the office will find it easy to blend into a work-from-home situation. Hence, it’s an arrangement that suits the needs of companies with an active hybrid workforce.
An excellent approach to implementing office hoteling
Although office hoteling has several benefits, you still need the best approach to prevent a backfire. Consider factors like a change in policy and your employee’s expectations before implementing this model.
Below are the best practices that can help you get started on the right note.
Get your employees on board
“All great changes are preceded by chaos,” says Deepak Chopra. But you can avoid the chaos that may accompany the introduction of office hoteling.
Firstly, let your employees in on your plans before you implement them.
Create a game plan to see that the transition is as swift and hassle-free as possible. Additionally, explain to your employees how much freedom and flexibility this arrangement offers them. Explain that it would improve their productivity and job efficiency as well.
Don’t ignore their expectations; try to work it into the plans and find agreeable employees willing to spread info about office hoteling.
Offer a variety of workspaces
An excellent office hoteling design includes a variety of workspaces. Access to diverse workspaces gives your workers a chance to pick whichever works for them in different circumstances.
Some employees would love to have closed doors for crucial calls, while others prefer collaborative work with coworkers. Ensure no employee feels left out. You can even go the extra mile to make space for relaxation and chatting.
Creating spaces where employees can store their belongings will also be effective since employees don’t have a fixed workspace.
Another factor that affects the success of this work arrangement is the presence of ergonomic furniture. Having an office standing desk or ergonomic office chair handy can contribute to people’s productivity.
Use cloud storage
Accessibility to all documents regardless of a worker’s location is a best practice that makes office hoteling successful. Cloud storage facilitates this wide range of access. Teams can handle projects at the same time without being in the same room or around each other.
This practice boosts teamwork because people can make connections and work as a team wherever.
Make arrangements that aid smooth cleaning of workspaces
Enforcing a clean desk policy should be in place for this flexible workspace arrangement to work. Such policies ensure employees don’t leave anything on the desk and make it clean for another user.
Adapting to this contemporary style without an assigned desk might be arduous initially. Most people leave their properties at their desks habitually, so you may need to take conscious actions.
You could make a to-do list that includes trashing dirt, wiping desks, taking out your things, which can help.
Scattering cleaning supplies around the office can also contribute to clean workspaces at the end of the day.
Invest in a desk reservation software
Desk reservation software cancels out the stress that should come with the reservation process. Reservation software is seamless and intuitive, and you need to integrate it with other tools for effectiveness.
Added features like analytics and a mobile version can help the company at large.
Final Words
Office hoteling creates a flexible and flawless workspace design that improves employee’s productivity. Booking a space ahead spares them the stress of hustling to find their favorite spot before it’s too late. Moreover, the equality with which office hoteling treats workers is a raging factor in teamwork development.
Nonetheless, office hoteling remains a perfect model for companies with a hybrid workforce and companies with a knack for flexibility.
