January 10th 2023
In recent years, remote working has become a new way of life for many, with a new wave of people opting for a less permanent place to base themselves for work each day. Even businesses utilise different ways of allowing their employees to work. Enter ‘Hot Desking’ – a successful and endlessly customisable way to get work done. Co-working spaces have been around for a long time, but there are offices out there that cater to a very specific type of worker. A worker that wants the freedom to change desks with each passing day.
Today, we’re going to discuss what hot desking is, the good and the not-so-good, and what role it could play in the future of your working life.
What is Hot Desking and How Does it Work?
There are two types of hot desking. One which uses larger offices to accommodate many different people from different businesses (and freelancers too), and another which can be used within a company to maximise space and not tie their employees down to a single desk each day.
Think of these as ‘hot desking at a company’ and ‘hot desking as a service’.
When used at a company, businesses can utilise a hot desking set-up within their own office to give their employees the ability to move around throughout the day, sit next to those they get on with, and generally just have more freedom whilst at work.
As a service, hot desking is a co-working set-up where you can rent a single desk or small space for yourself for a very short period of time – typically per hour or per day. These spaces are situated within a wider office/complex, which can see many freelancers and small businesses of different types occupying the same space in a given time period.
What are the Benefits of Hot Desking?
Hot Desking at a Company
At a company, hot desking can improve the space that’s used each day. With no employee tethered to a single desk, it improves moveability throughout the office, and allows for more focused collaboration on projects. With the space being used more effectively, it can save on real estate costs too, and make floor plans much easier to figure out.
Hot desking allows for more interaction between employees too, which can lead to better employee satisfaction with relationships being strengthened the more they are able to see and interact with one another. This means more efficient and streamlined work on projects as morale goes up.
With a flexible hot desking set-up, it can also allow a company to successfully implement hybrid working too, where spaces are not reserved for specific team members, giving more freedom to those who are present in the office on any particular day.
Hot Desking as a Service
When considering a hot desking office as a freelancer or small business, it’s impossible not to mention the costs you’d be saving versus a traditional office. These spaces allow someone to rent by the hour or day, meaning that you are in control of the time you spend there, making budgeting much easier, and that’s only one of the benefits of renting daily office space.
Entering into a hot desking office also affords you the opportunity to collaborate with other small businesses around you. Whilst not always a given, if you occupy the space with the same people regularly, you are likely to have a chat every now and again, which could lead to a professional working relationship further down the line.
Another positive about hot desking offices as a service is that they are usually very clean and tidy. Renters have the responsibility to clean up after themselves after they are done, so if cleanliness is your thing, you’d find no better office set-up!
What are the Challenges to Hot Desking?
Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of hot desking, we feel like we have a duty to tell you some of the issues that could arise.
Hot Desking at a Company
Within a company, there can be many different types of people working there. Some of these people may be resistant to change and prefer to have their own spot within the office. This would mean as a company, you’d either have to win them over, or stay as you currently operate if too many are against the idea. Those that have a dedicated spot might like the idea of leaving things in the office overnight, and hot desking may prove a disruption to that habit.
Hot Desking as a Service
It goes without saying that when using a hot desking office as a freelancer or small business, you’d have no control over who you’re sitting next to. While this technically applies to hot desking at a company too, in this case they would be people you’ve never met before and may be a distraction to you if they’re too loud or chatty.
Hot desking services also require you to book ahead of time, which means getting those desired spots may be challenging at times. They typically use online software to assign seats to renters, and in some cases, you may have no choice whatsoever on where you’re seated.
What is the Difference Between Hot Desking and Hoteling?
Whilst very similar concepts, hot desking a hoteling are different in one fundamental way. Hot desking allows employees to reserve a desk for an hour or a day, whilst hoteling allows for the booking of desks for much longer, usually days, weeks or even months. So, the clear difference between the two is the time in which a reservation can be held.
It’s easier to think of office hoteling like when you book a hotel room (hence the name!). You don’t book it for an hour at a time, but rather an extended stay.
How do you Know if it’s is Right for You?
When considering the implementation of hot desking in your office, think about whether your space is able to accommodate it. You may find that moving to a hybrid working set-up may be advantageous first, and then move to hot desking afterwards. If you simply want to give your employees more freedom during their workday, then there’s nothing stopping you.
As a working professional looking for a place to base yourself, especially if working away/abroad, then hot desking is likely the best and most affordable option out there right now. This is even more relevant if you’re no longer getting enough out of working from home and want to return to the office world on your own terms.
Hot desking is a staple in business for those wanting less hassle in how they use an office space. We hope you’ve taken something away from what we’ve discussed today, and how hot desking can benefit you, whether you’re a company CEO looking to change things up, or a solo working professional.
If you’re looking for a new space that can accommodate a hot desking set up for your employees, head over and take a look at our serviced offices and managed office spaces today. Or if you’re a freelancer or small business after a co-working experience, take a look at our co-working offices and hot desking opportunities today.
