Desk sharing in crafts: tradition meets flex office

The Stuttgart Region Chamber of Crafts has around 220 employees spread across two locations. In addition to fixed workstations, there are 25 flexible desks that can be booked via the Flexopus app. 

How does it work, and how is desk sharing being received? Our contact, Peter Pfeiffer, Head of IT and Communications at the Stuttgart Region Chamber of Crafts, answered these and other questions about workplace management with Flexopus.

A brief overview of the organization: As the central representative body for the skilled crafts sector in the Stuttgart region, the Stuttgart Region Chamber of Crafts supports over 32,000 businesses, ranging from carpentry to precision engineering. Beyond representing the political interests of craft businesses in the state, the Chamber also provides them with advisory services.

Introducing Desk Sharing: Modern work concepts with flexible and fixed workstations

“Due to the growing number of employees and modern working time models, it became necessary to establish a shared desk model alongside a concept for mobile working,” says Peter Pfeiffer.

Hybrid working and the ability to start and end the day at different times required a smart solution for desk booking. Ultimately, the Chamber decided to introduce desk sharing and, in the process, implemented different types of desks in their offices. The Stuttgart Region Chamber of Crafts categorizes its workstations based on usage and booking rules. This resulted in the following workstation variants:

Flexible workstation: All employees can book these desks.

Fixed workstation: An employee has a permanent desk (e.g., because they work with sensitive data).

Anchor workstation: Reserved for a specific group; if not booked by a certain date, the desk becomes available to everyone.

Intuitive and affordable workplace management that fits the budget

While searching for an affordable solution that is intuitive and easy to use, the Stuttgart Region Chamber of Crafts discovered Flexopus. Additionally, the uncomplicated and quick creation of floor plans by the Flexopus designers, as well as the simple administration of the software, were convincing factors. 

When introducing desk sharing, the right change communication and the implementation of an accepted clean desk policy are also crucial. At the Stuttgart Region Chamber of Crafts, the introduction of desk sharing was initially met with skepticism, but it was quickly embraced by employees thanks to modern workplace design and effective communication. Flexopus contributed to this with its user-friendly and simple interface.

The Stuttgart Region Chamber of Crafts has ideally organized its workstations for its specific needs and made them bookable with Flexopus. Although Flexopus is a standard solution, it adapts to the usage and individual requirements of companies. “The flexibility that Flexopus offers us here provides immense added value for our organization,” says the Chamber’s IT manager.

Tips and tricks for introducing Flexopus from the Stuttgart Region Chamber of Crafts

What was important during the introduction of Workplace Management Software challenging, and what does Peter Pfeiffer advise when introducing shared desks?
“The biggest stumbling block is equipping the employees. Lockers and a uniform office and IT standard are essential prerequisites.”

In addition, Pfeiffer recommends establishing a clean-desk policy when introducing desk sharing, as well as planning the exact layout of the offices in advance. When desks are equipped precisely according to work requirements, every employee can work efficiently and without any concerns.

What is the HWK's conclusion after nearly 3 years of desk sharing with Flexopus?

Peter Pfeiffer summarizes the HWK Region Stuttgart's use of Flexopus in one sentence:

“With Flexopus, we have a simple and effective booking system that is significantly more convenient than the Outlook calendars we used previously.”

Flexopus does not replace Microsoft 365; instead, it cleverly complements existing systems by providing the ability to book workstations and meeting rooms. Furthermore, the analysis functions in Flexopus offer a comprehensive overview of the utilization of all resources at any time. This enables efficient building management and allows for the reduction of unused space. This significantly lowers ongoing costs such as rent and energy expenses.