In the field of office design, hot desking is an argumentative issue. Most businesses claim the advantages of this flexible working arrangement, whereas others simply cannot seem to make that work. Disagreements in perspective are frequently caused by a lack of comprehension. Hot desks are neither a cure-all for office overcrowding or a set-it-and-forget-it desking fix. They necessitate forethought and careful control.
Whenever contemplating hot desks as a realistic option for workplace design, assess the big picture. Understanding what hot desks are and how to implement them appropriately will allow you to realize the advantages they provide.
What Is Hot Desking?
A hot desk is a sort of flexible workstation. Whereas conventional desking allows one individual for every workstation at a time, hot desking allows numerous persons to each desk at varying periods.
The adaptability of a hot desk is limitless. Several persons could use the desk on a daily or weekly basis. Desks in fast-paced settings may only be held for several hours at a time without changing hands. The capacity of the hot desk to function as a home station for more than one worker is what renders it beneficial.
In addition to allowing for a greater desk-to-individual ratio, hot desking adheres to the ideal fluid work environment. Workers might not require the same style of a workplace at all times of the day. Hot desks ‘adjust’ as they move from location to location, ready to accommodate the next user.
How Many Hot Desks Are Sufficient?
Hot desks are not intended to replace all seats in your office. They rather incorporate flexibility to work areas to push capability and enhance utilization. Whenever determining how many hot desks your office requires, take into account the current capacity and space available.
Hot desks come into consideration when you have (or are recruiting) more workers than workstations. Similarly, if you want to reduce the individual workstations to make room for shared workstations, hot desks are an alternative.
Minus seats available from total people to get the ‘deskless’ statistic, then find out the ideal desk-to-individual ratio for your business. Generate as many hot desks as necessary depending on the ratio against that of ‘deskless’ workers. Consider impacted workers while transitioning current desks to hot desks.
For instance, 20 workers – 16 seats = 4 deskless. In this scenario, a hot desk ratio of 1:2 signifies that there are two individuals per hot desk, necessitating the use of two hot desks.
How To Maximize On Your Hot Desks?
Hot desks will flop if there is no system in place to allocate and monitor utilization. Open-office hot desking, for instance, necessitates an orderly framework. Fortunately, this approach is simple to implement with a centralized software platform such as a Computer-Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) program or an Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS).
First, establish a check-in or booking spot. This is useful for monitoring real-time usage and use throughout time. This prevents workers from sitting idly and using a workstation for an indefinite period.
The objective is to enable workers to locate vacant hot desks nearby. This should also give a timetable for when specific workstations shall be accessible. Just as a property manager requires a clear image of occupancy, workers require the capability to plan beforehand for desk utilization,
Lastly, devise a method for determining who is present at every workspace. Then, create an interactive link to the personnel directory. Hot desks make workers become nomads, so it would be best to devise a method of locating an individual regardless of where they are operating at any particular time.
Are Hot Desks Appropriate For Your Company?
Having the right objectives and making an effort to install and maintain hot desks appropriately is key to making them operate efficiently in your organization. Hot desks provide various advantages for companies, but reaping them will need some work. Bear these principles in mind and be proactive in dealing with difficulties when they emerge.
