While hot desking has gotten more popular with the rise of hybrid workplaces, it’s been around since the ‘90s. The concept is simple: rather than assign each person their own desk, workspaces are made available on a first-come, first-served basis. Hot desks can be ideal for both established companies and freelancers, since they offer flexibility and affordability compared to traditional office space leases. There are multiple ways to use hot desks, each of them offering their own unique benefits.
What are Hot Desks?
Hot desks can be set up in both private or shared office spaces. Employees can choose which hot desk they work at based on what’s available, whether it’s for the day or just for a few hours. While it’s fine to leave personal items at a hot desk during lunch breaks or meetings, the space gets cleared out and reset for the next person at the end of each work session.
The main purpose of hot desking is providing workspaces that can be used on a rotating basis, but there’s more to it than just a room filled with first-come, first-served desks. Just like with a conventional office space, an office with hot desks generally includes basic amenities such as bathrooms, kitchens, WiFi, and meeting rooms. Workplaces that use hot desks also often provide specialized areas such as booths or nooks for private calls, places to print and collate documents, or lockers to store personal items. Groups of hot desks can also be reserved for various departments of a company (more on that later). In other words, hot desking isn’t just flexible for employees; it’s flexible for companies as well.
Hot Desks vs. Dedicated Desk
In contrast to hot desks, dedicated desks follow a more traditional setup. Each employee is assigned their own desk, which can be personalized, used to store files and personal items, and left vacant without being used by someone else. If employees typically use their desks full-time, then dedicated desks make sense. However, if a business uses a hybrid workplace, then hot desks could help them optimize the space they’re leasing, along with other benefits.
Hot desking may not be as common as dedicated desks, but the global demand for shared office spaces has been steadily increasing for years. In fact, its value is predicted to rise from $41.39 billion in 2024 to $62.75 billion by 2029. For companies that value both flexibility and efficiency in the workplace, hot desking provides a number of advantages.
What are the Benefits of Hot Desking?
Improved space utilization
If a company started out with dedicated desks but gradually moved to a hybrid workplace, they may find themselves leasing a significant amount of office space that regularly goes unused. Rather than paying for dedicated desks even when employees are working remotely, businesses can implement hot desking and use their office space more effectively than before.
Cost savings
Switching to hot desks can result in significant savings, since the company is no longer paying to lease space that isn’t consistently being occupied. Real estate costs are usually a significant portion of a company’s overhead, and hot desking offers a practical way to reduce those costs without sacrificing efficiency.
Better employee relationships
When comparing hot desk vs. dedicated desk workspaces, hot desk coworking often comes out ahead in terms of employee relationships. Because people frequently find themselves sitting next to different coworkers, they get to know their teammates better without even having to try.
Cross-company cohesion
Improved employee relationships can be especially helpful to a company when it increases collaboration between departments. In a conventional office setup, team members in one department may not have many chances to form social bonds with coworkers in other departments. When employees from multiple departments get the chance to work alongside each other, however, they can exchange ideas and plans freely. Rather than relying heavily on official memos to make sure everyone is on the same page, hot desking facilitates communication without the barriers of conventional siloed departments. In addition to improving inter-personal relationships, this helps people from every department work together as a whole.
That being said, projects that require privacy or quiet don’t have to suffer from being carried out in an office that’s mainly filled with hot desks. A well-equipped hot desk office will have areas such as meeting rooms or private offices, where work can be done with the appropriate level of confidentiality.
Hybrid work flexibility
Although remote work has existed for a few decades, it’s become more popular than ever in the last several years. However, this doesn’t always mesh well with a conventional office space with dedicated desks. Employees who split their time between office and remote work need flexibility, and hybrid workspaces that allow hot desk coworking can be the ideal solution. Hot desks can be used on a daily or even an hourly basis, without the need for managing reservations, adjusting to other people’s schedules, or stressing about the impact of last-minute cancellations.
Types of Hot Desk Office Arrangements
First-come, first-served
This is the most common type of hot desk office, and it functions just like the name indicates: the earlier someone arrives at the office, the more hot desks they have to choose from. It functions similarly to a restaurant that doesn’t take reservations. If there’s a table open, it’s available to anyone who walks in; if most of the tables are occupied, there will be fewer options to choose from. This type of arrangement doesn’t guarantee that anyone will get their preferred desk space every time, but it does allow everyone the chance to use their preferred desk space some of the time.
Reserved desks
Some businesses use workspace booking software that allows employees to reserve their hot desks (and other spaces) beforehand. This is also known as desk hoteling, as it works similarly to reserving a hotel room – an advance reservation means the space is only available to the person who reserved it for a certain time period. Private offices, meeting rooms, quiet spaces, booths for making calls, and more may also be available for reservation, depending on what’s included in the office. Since the goal of any hot desking model is to promote a flexible workplace, it’s emphasized that employees shouldn’t reserve a desk just in case they end up using it. A reserved desk model is meant to improve people’s work experience by letting them use their preferred spaces. In order for this model to work, hot desks shouldn’t be frequently tied up with unnecessary reservations.
Office neighborhoods
The bigger the company, the more specialized their departments tend to be; office neighborhoods let large businesses enjoy the flexibility of hot desks, without sacrificing organizational structure. Office neighborhoods are especially helpful when different teams need workspaces that go beyond the basics. For example, a design team might need specific equipment and supplies, and managers could benefit from desktops with administrative permissions, or desks located in a more private area. The first-come, first-served model can still be used, but team members would be choosing from hot desks within their office neighborhood, rather than any desk in the office.
Agile workspaces
While it’s common for hybrid employees to have a required number of days or hours spent at the office, agile workspaces are more focused on results. Employees are assigned tasks, and they get to decide where and how to complete them. Hot desks are a key component of agile workspaces, since they allow employees to transition from remote to in-office work at a moment’s notice. If someone needs to brainstorm a new idea, spend some time working without distractions, or access specialized equipment, they could switch from remote to in-office work for as long as the project requires.
Hot Desking FAQs
What is the concept of hot desking?
Hot desking allows employees to choose their own desk, usually on a first-come, first-served basis. These desks are generally set up so that employees can sit down, plug in, and start working immediately. Hot desks are often a feature of hybrid workplaces, allowing businesses to reduce their real estate portfolio while still providing workspaces for all of their employees.
What are the rules for hot desking?
Since each desk is shared between many different people, it’s important that each employee respects the needs of their coworkers. Hot desks (and other shared areas) should be left clean and ready for the next user. A first-come, first-served hot desking model, which is the most common one, works just like the name suggests. In other words, the early bird gets the worm. Employees can arrive early if they want more choices, or opt for a later arrival and fewer options.
If someone reserves a desk, they should have definite plans to be in the office during the reservation period; if they don’t, the space should be left open for people who will actually use it.
What is a dedicated desk?
This is a desk that’s dedicated to just one person, which is one of the most common models for conventional office spaces. This allows employees to personalize their workspaces and store personal items at their desks, something that isn’t always possible with hot desks. Unfortunately, dedicated desks in hybrid workspaces go unused while employees work remotely, which means the company ends up paying to lease excess space.
What companies use hot desking at their offices?
Hot desking isn’t just for small businesses and startups; it’s used by many major companies. These companies include Google, Microsoft, Unilever, Cisco, Philips, Deloitte, and Credit Suisse.
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