Tips on setting up a hot desking system within your company
On average, 40% of office space goes unused at any time by most companies this has seen more and more organisations adopt the whole Flexible workspace arrangements that offer employees a greater scope for work-life balance and employers a number of cost-saving opportunities.
One such flexible work program that offers employees greater freedom in their day-to-day working environment is the concept known as hot desking.
Hot desking is an office trend where employees use desks that are available that day, rather than being assigned to a permanent desk or seat.
Interestingly large companies like Microsoft, Citigroup and Deloitte have gone and adopted this new way of working for its employees. In the case of Deloitte for example, the company added hot-desking with 1,000 desks for about 2,500 workers.
Some of the lockers at Nairobi Garage // Karen that our members use to store their personal essentials.
Hot desking is not quite a new concept since coworking spaces like Nairobi Garage offer packages around this allowing you to work from the space occasionally at an affordable rate especially when you do not have to go to the office or you just can’t work from home or a coffee shop.
Hot desking works best when a company offers other flexible work opportunities, such as work-from-home days. This allows employees to trade off days in the office.
So why are so many offices adopting a hot desk culture? Let’s check out some of the main tips that you will need while setting up a hot-desking system
Provide resources: Apart from the desk provide other resources like ethernet access ports, Wi-Fi, extension cables and computers where needed. You can also ensure that you have a café within the space and a kitchen may be accessible to members. You can also choose to provide free tea and coffee to your members as a value add. It’s all in the little things
Make use of technology: If possible, ensure that you have in place a booking system that will help your employees find available desks. One great platform for this could be Office RnD. Create a system for delegating available space, tracking desk occupancy, and locating employees. Centralized management prevents overbooking, space conflicts, and problems in locating employees.
Ensure you have storage: Providing a desk and chair is not enough. Go the extra mile and provide a storage locker, where people can keep their personal items safe. In cases where people want to use the space for a while also, the storage can come in handy since they do not have to carry their work essentials home on a daily basis
Emphasize on Cleanliness: Being a shared space, ensure that the desks are always left clean. You can choose to have litter bins around or even have people who clean or wipe the desks often throughout the day.
Encourage etiquette: Set etiquette standards for hot desks. Usage rules keep hot desks appealing, welcoming, and comfortable for every employee. Institute policies for behaviour, as well as variables like noise. Making employees responsible for their space. Ensure you share the rules and regulations of the space to the people even if they are using the space for a day and let them be responsible for their actions. This promotes pride of ownership and respect for fellow employees.
Offer options: While hot desking is cool it might take some time for some people to adopt. Ensure that you have a section of your office where you have owned (fixed) desks or even private offices, where people or employees who prefer their own space can still feel accommodated. In line with this, also offer skype booths or break out areas where people can pick or makephone calls from.
Diversify workstations: For employees, hot desks are unique. Diversify hot desks by location, atmosphere, and amenities. This encourages employees to choose spaces most conducive to their mood and workflow on a day.
Coworking hot desks at our Karen space on Ndege Road
Enjoy being social: By moving the desk you will sit with different people so will, therefore, learn new things about them and their work. It is a good opportunity to develop new contacts and learn about possible areas for you to work in the future.
Setting up a hot-desking facility within your office can be tasking at times. However, if you find yourself struggling with this, you can also get your employees’ hot-desking facilities within coworking spaces like Nairobi Garage.
Hot desking has numerous advantages and is truly a part of modern work life. But to make sure that it can be successful for your business, it’s important to consider the scale of its implementation and how the scheme will be structured.
Try to get things right, and you’ll probably enjoy the benefits of improved communication and interdependent working.
