How can desk management be organized efficiently?

In a time when flexibility and efficiency are crucial to the success of your business, skilled desk management is essential. It supports the seamless integration of office and remote work, minimizes vacancy, and thus contributes to a productive and satisfying work environment. 

But how exactly can desk management be implemented efficiently in your company? In this article, we give you valuable tips on how to ensure that everything runs smoothly in the hybrid workplace.

What is Desk Management? 

Desk management plays a central role in today’s working world. But what exactly does desk management mean? It is about the effective management, reservation and allocation of workstations – especially in office environments where employees are no longer in the office every day. Desk management ensures that desk sharing runs smoothly in your company, meaning that every employee has a workstation when they're in the office. 

By making a reservation, you can guarantee that the booked desk meets the individual needs of the team member. At the same time, desk sharing is an ideal way to make optimal use of available office space.

An example shows exactly how this works: Imagine your company uses a hybrid working model, in which the teams are partly in the office, but spend the other part of their working week in the home office. Let's say your company has 100 workstations, but only 60 employees are in the office on a given day. 

Instead of leaving desks for 40 people unused, desk management allows employees to book workstations flexibly and as needed, thus avoiding empty offices. This leads to more efficient use of space and saves costs in the long run: for example, for electricity, rent for unused space and more office furniture than necessary – dematerialization is the key word here.

But desk management is more than just a technical solution for hybrid working. Because it contributes significantly to the productivity and satisfaction of your teams by creating a working environment that meets both the needs of your employees and the requirements of your company. In a working world where agility and flexibility are required, well-thought-out desk management is not only practical, but essential.

How can you organize desk management efficiently?

While hybrid work offers many advantages – from more flexible working hours to a better work-life balance – desk sharing also presents new challenges for the organization of workplaces. 

Desk management plays a crucial role in success – after all, who wants to come to the office in the morning only to find that there is no suitable workstation available? To avoid such frustrations, you should think about how you can organize desk management in your company. To help you, we have the following tips for you:

Create a desk sharing concept

The heart of efficient desk management in a hybrid work model is a well-thought-out desk sharing concept. It begins with a thorough analysis of your employees' needs and the specific requirements of various work areas, especially in open-plan offices. 

In a hybrid work model where your team members work partly in the office and partly remotely, not everyone will need a fixed desk every day. The aim of desk sharing is to make optimal use of available resources and avoid vacancies.

To develop a suitable concept, you should ask yourself the following questions: 

• How many employees need a workstation in the office at the same time? 
• Are there teams that need to work together physically on a regular basis? 
• Which workstations are suitable for creative tasks and which for concentrated work? 

By answering these questions, you can create work zones that meet different needs – from a quiet retreat to a communicative team area. It is also important that the concept is flexible enough to respond to future changes.

Establish clear rules

A successful desk sharing concept depends on clear, transparent rules. Because flexibility is only an advantage if everyone involved knows where they stand. 

One of the most important rules in desk management is the Clean Desk Policy. This means that every employee leaves their workstation at the end of the working day in such a way that it can be easily used by someone else. This means: no personal belongings, no scattered documents – just a tidy table. This ensures order, guarantees data protection and at the same time facilitates the transition between different employees.

At the same time, clear booking rules for desks should be established. How far in advance can a workstation be reserved? Are there time limits for use? How do you handle "no-shows," i.e., reserved but unused workstations? 

A fair and transparent arrangement ensures that all team members have equal opportunities and misunderstandings are avoided. Communication is key here: Make sure all employees know and understand the rules.

Adapt the office to the new system

Even the best concept with the clearest rules is not enough if the office infrastructure does not cooperate. Hybrid working brings with it various special features that should also be reflected in the office design. 

So set up different areas, such as quiet rooms where employees can work on concentrated tasks without being disturbed, or telephone booths for confidential conversations. These retreats are particularly important because not every workplace is suitable for every task.

The ergonomics of the workstations are just as important when several people share a desk. Ergonomic chairs, height-adjustable desks, and sufficient natural light are just some of the elements that ensure the well-being and productivity of your employees. 

Remember: A pleasant working environment not only promotes the health but also the satisfaction of your employees – and this ultimately has a positive effect on the overall working atmosphere and, last but not least, on the success of your company.

Introduction of a desk management app

If you want to make the most of desk sharing in your company, there is no way around desk management software. Such an app allows employees to conveniently book their workspace in advance, whether from the office or from home. This gives them the security of knowing they have a place to work when they arrive at the office and also helps them better manage workspace needs.

But the benefits of a desk management app go even further. The valuable data that the tool provides should not be underestimated: You will find out which workplaces are particularly popular, at what times your office is fully utilized and when there are the most vacancies. This information will help you to continuously improve the desk sharing concept and identify the potential for savings.

Desk management apps also promote transparency within the team: everyone can see who is in the office and when, and which seats are free. This creates trust and facilitates coordination within the team.

In short: The right app optimizes resource utilization, increases employee satisfaction, and contributes to the efficiency of the entire hybrid work model. But finding the perfect desk management software for your company is often not that easy. Since the pandemic, the selection of booking systems has become so large that it's easy to lose track.

Before you decide on a desk sharing tool, you should first carefully analyze your specific needs and requirements. Ask yourself questions like "How many team members work in the office regularly?" or "What additional features do we need?" Because in addition to room reservation, many tools also offer convenient integrations into existing systems. 

Of course, it is also important to ensure a user-friendly interface so that the app can be used easily by all employees, no matter where they are. Security standards and data protection are also crucial criteria that you should not skimp on – especially if your company processes sensitive data. Fortunately, there is a solution that combines all these criteria:

Flexopus – probably the most intuitive desk management software

With Flexopus, desk sharing becomes child's play: Your employees can easily and conveniently reserve their workstations in the office via the intuitive app, whether for a day or longer. Booking parking spaces and meeting rooms, as well as the organization of different buildings, is also no longer an issue. 

But Flexopus goes beyond simple desk sharing: It integrates seamlessly into your existing systems and supports you in efficient office organization. Flexopus is also strategically valuable. Thanks to comprehensive analyses and reports, you gain deep insights into office utilization and can make your space management more efficient. 

This means: less vacancy, more satisfied employees and a significantly better ROI for your company. With Flexopus, you choose a tool that meets the modern requirements of hybrid working models while being future-proof. This desk management software is the ideal solution for companies that want to move with the times and actively shape the future of work.

Summary

Well-thought-out desk management is the key to a successful hybrid working model. With a clear desk sharing concept, established rules, a customized office design, and the right software, companies can not only optimize their workspace utilization but also increase employee satisfaction and productivity. 

Flexibility, transparency and efficiency are the key pillars – and with a desk management tool like Flexopus, you can easily master this future-oriented way of working.