Hot Desking: Advantages and Disadvantages
Ever heard of the term “hot desk”? It is a fairly new term that companies have been using to make their office space more efficient. What is it exactly and what are some of its advantages and disadvantages? In this article we are listing down what it means and what companies and employees benefit from it and lose from it.
Hot desking is a concept where employees are assigned desks based on who is there at any given time. In this concept, employees who work in different shifts use the same desks. It means that not one person has their own desk. Lockers are provided for people who want to leave valuables in the workplace.
Advantages
Money and Space Saver
Office space is getting harder and harder to come by nowadays. With skyrocket leasing prices, companies are now looking for ways to lower costs without having to hire less people. Hot desking in Singapore is now getting more traction because companies want to utilise their office space fully without having to pay double. It is an attractive prospect for higher management because they get to save a lot of money on furniture, office space, and equipment.
Encourage Interactions
By not having a permanent desk, employees have a chance to interact with people from different departments. This will make the interaction between different teams to be very efficient and it also encourages team work throughout the whole company. Big companies will benefit greatly from this as it eliminates any awkwardness. Plus, it also encourages them to keep their desks clean for the next person.
Flexible
If you have a flexible workforce (meaning they work from home or different locations), then hot desking solutions would work well for you. The concept doesn’t have to be made throughout your whole organisation. If you have a department that has double the employees, then you can focus the arrangement there. A flexible workplace is also perfect for employees who are mobile most of the time like sales and events.
Disadvantages
Health
Health and safety is a serious issue for employees when in a hot desk office space. Because of shared space, employees might catch viruses by sharing someone else’s desk. This could increase the sick leaves your employees might take. However, this can easily be curbed if you have a proper maintenance schedule. Keeping a record of eve.
Personalisation
Employees love to personalise their desks with photographs and sticky notes. This might make them feel isolated or limiting to their ability to feel at ease in the office. Once employees are used to this, though, it can be very liberating to have something new to look forward to every day or week.
With proper execution, hot desking is a great solution that can help your company save a lot of money. Some of the disadvantages, while a real concern, can easily be overcome with comprehensive planning.
Does your company implement this approach? In your opinion, what are some advantages or disadvantages of hot desking?
