Have you ever heard of the term hot desk? This is an increasingly implemented solution in the office spaces of large companies. It consists in the fact that none of the employees has their assigned office, so every day they make a new choice of the place from which they will perform their duties on a given day. What is the purpose of a hot desk and what are the advantages of implementing such a rule in the daily activities of the office?
Hot desk – what is it?
The idea of “hot desking” in offices appeared as early as the 1980s. This is a way of organizing office space, otherwise known as a hot desk. This means exactly that the places to work in the office are not assigned to specific people. What does it look like in practice?
- When an employee enters work, he chooses the position at which he wants to work on a given day.
- After finishing work, the employee takes all his belongings so that someone else can sit next to him the next morning.
Increasingly, a modern office uses such a solution, especially in the case of large office spaces, such as open space. We are used to the traditional division of places and managing this space according to private preferences. Although it is difficult for us to imagine how this mechanism works in practice, this solution has more and more supporters. Why?
Hot desk – advantages
Undoubtedly, the advantages of using a “hot desk” are many, so it’s no wonder that this method of space management is being implemented more and more often in large offices. What are the benefits of a hot desk?
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Minimalistic space
Surely you know what a typical desk looks like. A pile of papers, a family photo and a lot of often unnecessary items. When there is a hot desk in the office, each employee is obliged to take all their belongings so that someone else can use it the next day. In this way, a minimalist space is created without unnecessary items. In such a room it is definitely easier to focus, because our concentration is not disturbed by other stimuli, e.g. visual.
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Keeping order
A constant element in practicing a hot desk is leaving the workplace with your items after each day. This activity keeps your desk tidy! No more messy documents, papers or dirty coffee cups. Due to the lack of an assigned desk, hot desking mobilizes employees to keep order on a daily basis.
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Choice of place
What is interesting about the hot desk is that we can work from a different place of the office every day, and everyone has a choice. Perhaps some places seem more attractive than others – then everyone has a chance to choose them. This puts all employees in the same light, on an equal footing. In addition, it breaks a kind of daily routine. Although this variety may seem like a small difference, it can have a positive impact on the level of focus at work.
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A way to save
What savings are we talking about? – exactly about space and money. In large companies, some employees perform their duties remotely, hybrid or spend most of their time on business trips. So it is not necessary that the number of desks be exactly as many as the company has employees, because most of the time it would simply get dusty. Studies show that up to 40% of desks remain unused. Instead of spending money on new office workstations, it is worth investing them in a rest room or an acoustic booth that can improve the comfort of your employees’ work.
Hot desk – disadvantages
Despite the fact that a hot desk definitely has many advantages, it is not for everyone. This form of organization requires familiarization, especially when it comes to the older generation of employees. It is not easy to drastically change their working style and their attachment to one position, which is why it is worth taking care of training in the way of working, maintaining a clean desk policy and the ergonomics of the position. It may be that employees, despite their attempts, do not feel comfortable with changing their desks every day. It is worth remembering that not every solution will work in every office, and introducing innovations by force is not a good idea.
We recommend introducing hot desks in office zones. It is also worth preparing such a space so that it is ergonomic. In this case, it is important to ensure proper acoustics in the office. In addition, we recommend introducing various types of telephone booths or acoustic cabins that will allow employees to have comfortable working conditions, even in a full and noisy office. Many people may lack a private space. This type of solution will also not work for people who rely on a large number of documents. It is hard to imagine carrying e.g. binders with papers on a daily basis. However, it will be perfect for people who only need a laptop to work. There is also always a risk of conflicts – after all, a constantly occupied window seat can be frustrating. Is the hot desk form for everyone? – In our opinion, it is worth testing, because it can bring many positive changes to the office space, but it will not work in every case.
