Hot-desking: a dynamic seating strategy

Nowadays it is vital to use office space as efficiently as possible. There are many different strategies one can use to assure flexible usage of space. The “Hot-desking” method is especially curious due to its flexibility and overall efficiency. This concept enables companies to reduce their needs for workspace expansion and subsequent expenditures drastically.

What is hot-desking?

Hot-desking is the method that includes the assignment of individual desks in the office, which the employees only occupy when they need them. This seating scenario creates a work seating pool later assigned to the specific workers according to the schedule or preliminary booking.

The hot-desking strategy allows company executives to increase employee flexibility by introducing the shared space concept and providing the workers with the correct workspace to satisfy their needs.

What are the benefits of hot-desking?

Applying a hot-desking system for the office benefits both the company and the workers. Its most essential advantage is providing the best usage for the workspace and allowing employees to plan their workday more efficiently. But there is way more to that:

• Hot-desking enables the employers to assign different workers to the same workstation and thus accommodate the employees according to their schedule.

• The given strategy reduces the number of required square feet for a successful work process, which helps save space and apply workstations for other activities.

• This system can also interest remote workers who seek a change of working experience or socializing with colleagues.

• Hot-Desking also benefits team-building since the employees can easily book a desk in another department and discuss a project with its team.

Using the hot-desking solution to increase overall flexibility enables employees to occupy as much workspace as needed. This creates a positive working experience that boosts efficiency and flexibility.

What are the disadvantages of using hot-desking?

Though hot-desking ends with a drastic increase in overall employee efficiency, it still has some downsides. Thankfully, most of the disadvantages can be easily mitigated by careful management.

• Noise. The office hot-desking spaces can be especially noisy on busy days, resulting in a slight productivity decrease. However, there are some solutions for noise reduction. For instance, some executives may choose to have a separate meeting room for a shared workspace.

• Desk availability. During busy days some workers may have problems with finding unoccupied seating. This problem can be solved by careful planning of workspace and traffic patterns.

But the most notable is the possibility of disease spreading. Though hot-desking is supposed to reduce crowding, there are still risks of germ transmission. Nowadays, it is crucial to pay special attention to hygiene and prevent disease transmission at the office.

Software for effective hot-desking

As has been noted above, hot-desking is an ideal solution for optimization of office space usage. However, though the application of shared workspaces indeed does increase productivity and ensures a flexible working process, it still needs to be appropriately controlled and maintained. Thus, implementing a shared desk strategy demands serious preliminary planning and analysis of the roles that would need this solution the most. And there is still a need for proper implementation of a shared workspace system, and that’s where the software comes in handy.

There are some tools and programs that assist in the utilization and management of the hot-desking concept. There are several main benefits your shared workspace strategy gets from the hot-desking software usage.

• Interactive scheduling and booking. Employees can reserve a workspace via unique mobile apps or the internet.

• Flexible management. Choosing to use a check-in program can assist in keeping everyone informed about the workstation vacancy.

• Analytics. Some digital solutions provide many analytical options that help with scheduling and increase hot-desking overall efficiency.

Applying those digital solutions results in a drastic increase in employee flexibility and overall work experience.

Advantages of using UnSpot

Due to the nowadays’ tendency for remote or part-time labor, hot-desking is often irreplaceable. And when it comes to workspace booking software, UnSpot offers many efficient enhancements for this strategy.

The UnSpot software has all the essential functions that enable the employees to reserve their favorite workstations when they need them. The program also features a variety of analytical procedures and several unique additions.