Hot Desking Advantages and Disadvantages

Desk sharing is no longer just a modern concept used by start-ups or companies from Silicon Valley. German companies are also increasingly taking advantage of the benefits of desk sharing. What exactly is desk sharing or even Hot Desking What advantages and disadvantages there are, you will find out below.

What is desk sharing?

Desk sharing is a form of work organization used in hybrid working models, which means that employees are not assigned a fixed table, but select it flexibly every day. Since, in a modern working environment, employees repeatedly work in from home, trabel or have customer meetings, it's rare for all employees to be in the office at the same time. The idea of the shared desk is therefore based on the free allocation of existing workplaces and the efficient use of space.

The concept includes space savings, which means that flexibility at the office is promoted. The free choice of seats is intended to avoid monotony and habit. Daily self-organization, on the other hand, promotes productivity and creativity, so that there is greater motivation at work. It is a central component of many modern office concepts and the entire New Work movement.

The most common desk sharing advantages and disadvantages

Various companies, whether young start-ups or global corporations, are already successfully practicing the shared desk principle. However, a flexible office not only has desk sharing advantages, but also desk sharing disadvantages. We have collected the most important aspects that are relevant in this working world.

What are the benefits of desk sharing?

Flexibility in the office

The shared desk concept is ideally suited for an agile way of working and thus promotes flexibility and creativity. The constant rotation that comes into the company has a particular effect on creativity and supports it through new influences, as employees can meet each other anew every day and choose their preferred table or workplace.

Exchange and flow of information

As a result of constantly changing jobs, employees naturally also come into contact with more people than at a fixed job. In this way, colleagues also talk across departments, so that discussions arise about working methods, challenges and best practices and strengthens collaboration between team members.

Efficient use of space

Desk sharing optimizes the use of space in offices significantly. Since not all employees are present at the same time, companies can make do with fewer jobs than they have employees. This results in a reduction in the amount of office space required. The freed up resources can instead be used to design collaborative zones, creative thinking areas or improved communal spaces, which in turn increases the well-being and productivity of team members. It is a smart solution for modern office concepts.

Save costs

With a shared desk office, you can save additional costs. This results directly from the efficient use of space, as companies do not have to rent large office space and also require fewer physical workplaces because not all employees are in the office every day. As a rule, people are always working from home, on business trips, on vacation or ill. This optimizes resources and the organization of the use of existing workplaces.

Promote employee satisfaction

The right equipment in the office, which meets the needs of employees, accounts for a large proportion of workforce satisfaction. With desk sharing, you can contribute to employee satisfaction by optimally aligning all rooms with work processes and increasing well-being at work.

What are the disadvantages of desk sharing?

Inner restlessness

For some, the daily search for a job can be a stress factor. Especially at the beginning, when the process is being re-introduced. To ensure a pleasant introduction and support both the transition in change communication and the test phase for building habits among employees, clear desk-sharing rules and effective workplace management solutions are essential.

Reduction of team dynamics

Although a flexible office promotes exchange across departments, the dynamism and cohesion within one's own team can weaken. In order to counteract this, you should keep an eye on your own team dynamics and, if necessary, measures should be initiated, such as X times a week, the team sits together. This requires a conscious design of the work culture.

Time spent

Of course, finding a suitable job requires time. Therefore, a digital tool for finding and booking the right workplace is usually a sensible investment. In addition, the desk, chair and screen must be set up and wired anew each time. Effective workplace management is essential here.

Handling personal items and filing

One aspect that is often overlooked concerns the handling of personal belongings. With desk sharing, there is usually no fixed space for private things such as photos, plants or office supplies. This requires the introduction of a Clean Desk Policy, which means that every workplace is completely vacated at the end of the day. This means that employees have to pack and unpack their belongings every day, which can be seen as an additional expenditure of time and reduces the feeling of having “their own” workplace. To mitigate this disadvantage, companies should consider providing individual lockers or roll containers to ensure well-being in everyday working life.

Flexopus — probably the most intuitive desk sharing software

In an era where choosing the right workplace takes time, Flexopus is presenting a worthwhile investment thanks to its digital platform and native app. Desk sharing software by Flexopus is characterized by its efficiency and ease of use by making the search and booking more suitable workplaces, meeting rooms and parking spaces relieved. It is the perfect solution for modern workplace management.

Flexopus also provides seamless integration with Microsoft Exchange. This integration enables smooth synchronization of workplace bookings with employee calendars and enables meeting rooms to be booked directly via Outlook. In addition, there is also a Microsoft Teams integration that allows employees to book workstations directly within the familiar Microsoft infrastructure. Data protection is also taken into account.

Conclusion: Does desk sharing make sense now?

Now that the advantages and disadvantages of desk sharing are known, the question is: Does desk sharing now make sense? The workplace booking concept is generally worthwhile when the workforce works flexibly and there are many colleagues who work partly from home offices or are often on site with the customer. It is one of the flexible working models and promotes the efficient use of workplaces.

However, implementation must be done correctly and requires the commitment of all parties involved. Therefore, involve your employees in the decision process. Everyone should have the opportunity to contribute their opinion, ideas and concerns. If there is a works council, it should also be included in the planning at an early stage. Of course, a test phase is a very suitable model for driving the decision-making process and taking employee preferences into account.

Note that desk sharing is a highly interactive concept that thrives on bringing people together at work to encourage collaboration. If the principle is understood by everyone and the rules are clearly communicated, there is a great chance that productivity, satisfaction and cooperation will develop positively. An intuitive and simple workplace booking system such as Flexopus lays the foundation for your successful implementation of this modern work concept.