By 2020, nearly two-thirds of companies intend to implement shared desks. This rapidly-growing trend is called hot desking, and it’s taking over as the latest and greatest way to create a flexible, collaborative environment at the office.
Hot desking means that employees share desks rather than have assigned seats, and they choose a workspace based on availability. If you want to learn how to make hot desking work for your growing business, read on to learn more!
On average, 40% of office space goes unused at any time. Hot desking lets companies take full advantage of their office floor plan, eliminating excess space.
Hot desking works best when a company offers other flexible work opportunities, such as work-from-home days. This allows employees to trade off days in the office. For example, if Employee A works from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Employee B works from home on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, both employees can share the same desk because they will never be in the office at the same time.
Why are so many offices adopting a hot desk culture? Let’s check out some of the main pros and cons.
The Pros of Hot Desking
For starters, one study revealed that 87% of employees think flexible work arrangements like hot desking are beneficial to productivity. Allowing flexibility in your workers schedules, such as weekly work-from-home days or telecommuting options, will increase employee satisfaction in your workplace.
Teamwork also improves in hot desking culture by inspiring more collaboration, which can boost productivity up 25%. Hot desk open floor plans allow employees to work side by side rather than cooped up in separate offices without frequent interaction. Seating options like couches, bean bags, and picnic benches help inspire a collaborative, laid-back atmosphere where employees can relax and get to work together.
Moreover, office space is the second-biggest cost for most businesses. Since hot desking eliminates the need for excess space, this office floor plan can save you money on rent. Even when employees are traveling, working from home, or out sick, hot desks won’t go to waste.
The Cons of Hot Desking
While the benefits of hot desking are plentiful, there are some downsides to adopting this style of office culture.
Coworkers’ relationships can be negatively impacted by hot desking, as seen in this study. Increased sick days also come as a result of all that desk sharing. And open floor plans aren’t for everyone – some employees run the risk of decreased focus in an open floor plan culture.
Think your small business could benefit from a hot desking system? Use this infographic below to discover six hacks for setting up a hot desk system.
