Hot desking: 5 advantages of flexible workspaces in the enterprise
Considering that people spend a large part of their lives in the office, it is only natural to imagine that employers' efforts to contribute to the comfort of their workers are focused on offering satisfactory workspaces.
Hot desking, hybrid work and flexible work arrangements are models that test the workplace and its ability to provide employees with the conditions they need to engage with their work and generate better results.
While national projects such as the four-day work week are endorsed by the government, companies in Spain continue to bet on the design of their offices and shared workspaces as measures to improve the health of workers and promote their productivity.
Stay with us and discover with this article what the term hot desking is all about. Also, how to ensure that its implementation in the company provides the necessary advantages for your business to remain a benchmark of quality, well-being and success.
What is a hot desk?
Origin of the concept
The origin of this concept dates back to the 16th century, when the U.S. Navy assigned a bed to more than one crew member on board a submarine. This was known as " hot racking" and was intended to optimize the physical space available.
☝️ It was hot because the bed remained "warm" when the new occupant arrived to use it.
In a modern work context, the term appeared in the 1990s and began to be applied in business centers, as individual workstations became unnecessary.
English definition of hot desking
A hot desk is defined as a desk made available to workers under the premise of using it when they need it and within a rotational work model.
In this sense, the concept of hot desking designates the practice of implementing shared desks in the office, instead of assigning them individually or permanently; that is, in exchange for them belonging to a particular worker.
The term "hot desking" is also used when referring to the fact of not having fixed and immovable desks.
Hot desking: advantages and disadvantages
The increase in rental prices is a phenomenon that has been occurring for some time and tends to intensify as cities become denser.
Fortunately, technological advances have also allowed companies to require less and less physical presence of their workers, which would compensate, to a certain extent, for the growing need for facilities and offices.
Because of this, it is no surprise that methods such as hot desking are being implemented in the enterprise as a cost-saving strategy. But this is not the only advantage offered by this model. Properly implemented, it can bring many other benefits.
Advantages of hot desking
A study by Steelcase and Ipsos on work behaviors concluded that only 13% of workers worldwide are satisfied with their workspace. What is striking about this figure, according to the study, is the relationship between satisfaction with the workplace and the degree of people's commitment to their missions.
It is therefore important to consider new models that contribute to improving the way workers feel when they are in the office. In this sense, some of the benefits that hot desking could offer for this purpose are the following:
Higher levels of creativity 2.
A well-designed, welcoming, comfortable and clean workspace becomes the ideal setting to foster the inspiration of the people who work in it.
Boehringer Ingelheim 's new offices in Connecticut are proof of how spacious, modern workspaces can promote well-being and collaboration.
2. More pleasant working environments
A properly managed hot desking system promotes office cleanliness and frees up space. Minimalist desks where personal items no longer abound, as well as a larger area available to provide for break or recreation rooms, become the norm.
3. Significant cost savings
Considering that around 40% of office space remains empty throughout the working day, opting for a space-efficient model is only logical. The logical consequence? A reduction in operating costs of up to 30% (source: Verdict, English media).
4. Better networking
Having to move from one position in the office to another necessarily entails discovering new colleagues and their positions, as well as their ways of working. This fosters the creation of connections between colleagues from the same company, but who, not being part of the same team, would never have met before.
5. Modernization and business transformation
The world of work has had to adapt quickly to the evolving demands of the market. Models such as hot desking or coworking encourage the digital transformation of companies, thanks to the fact that they are supported by automated tools that can be deployed in the cloud.
Potential challenges of the hot desking model
It is possible that if hot desking is not implemented correctly, it can become a double-edged sword for the companies that opt for it. In contrast to the advantages it offers, here are some of the challenges it brings:
- Increased logistics in business management. Since within this model workers take the position that suits them best when they arrive, greater logistics are necessary at the management level to ensure that work is well organized and that the functioning of the teams is not affected.
- Disconnection of the worker from the workplace. Since the office is a place where people spend a considerable number of hours a day and a space in which they develop professionally and personally, it is normal for them to feel the need for a customizable space. Flexible workspaces, on the contrary, eradicate this possibility and tend to turn offices into impersonal spaces with which people do not feel any connection.
- Detrimental to communication. As opposed to a possible improvement in terms of business networking, hot desking could be degrading communication. Faced with the reality of teams having to separate and disperse throughout the office, communication between teams can become difficult and be reflected in the long run in the results.
- Inequality in the workplace. When rules are not applied to all members of an organization in the same way, it generates a feeling of differentiation and favoritism that is generally not appreciated by employees.
- Lack of concentration. In open work spaces, while having the opportunity to talk to different colleagues can strengthen team bonds, the noise generated by constant chatter can be a major source of distraction.
How can the hot desking model be successfully implemented in Spanish companies with teleworking?
Today, much more than before, workers are becoming aware of their work context. This leads them to demand better contractual conditions and higher quality in the physical environment.
This is why companies must be able to offer the necessary welfare to attract the best talent and allow them to remain competitive.
Here are some aspects to take into account if you are exploring the possibility of implementing a hot desking model for your company.
- Interior design. Pay special attention to the design of the spaces to ensure that they are pleasant, bright and well organized. In the same way, you make sure to allocate areas that people can use depending on the work they have to do (in groups or individually, for example).
- Don't neglect privacy. Even in companies whose workspaces are open and shared, it is important to designate places where people can:
- Work without distractions,
- make phone or video calls without being interrupted,
- hold meetings.
- Organize and coordinate face-to-face work. If you are thinking of implementing this modality for your company, perhaps it is because you do not have enough space to accommodate your entire staff at the same time. Create a calendar and organize the face-to-face work of your employees, suggesting a few days of presence per team.
- Implement adapted tools. To ensure business continuity and good teamwork, be sure to include in your flexible work plan collaborative tools such as:
- Task and project managers,
- communication tools,
- collaborative work software.
- Sensitize workers to changes. Beyond the technical and operational aspects, keep in mind that at the beginning, some people may not want to be part of a flexible work environment. This will require an accompaniment and exposition of the reasons for implementation and benefits of this model.
As you have seen, transforming the way organizations work requires changes not only in terms of physical space configuration, but also in terms of business culture and people's mindset. So that you don't have to deprive yourself of innovative proposals that can revolutionize your business, make sure you take the necessary measures to make the most of them.
Article translated from Spanish