Hot Desking Uncovered: Is It Right For You?

If you’ve been in the working world for a while, you’ve probably experienced a range of office environments — cubicles, open-floor setups, and home offices, to name a few. Another office style that’s been trending in recent years? Hot desking. 

But first, what does hot desking mean? A quick overview: Hot desking is essentially a shared office space where specific stations aren’t assigned to specific workers. Rather than assigned cubicles or offices, employees come to work and pick any available spot. First come, first served — office edition. 

Curious to learn more? Here we’re sharing a deeper look at hot desking and a lowdown on the meaning, benefits, and drawbacks. Plus, we included a list of tips and essentials to make a hot desk office space better for employees. 

The Top 5 Benefits of Hot Desking

Now that we’ve answered the question of what is hot desking, here’s a rundown of the top perks of the work approach — including cutting costs, maximizing space, and fostering more collaboration among employees. 

Makes The Most Of Space

One of the biggest benefits of hot desking is that it makes the most of real estate. Especially for offices that operate on staggered schedules or have a hybrid-remote approach, hot desking helps ensure that desks are less likely to go unused while cutting down on wasted space. 

May Cut Costs 

Looking to shave costs by downsizing your office space? Hot desking is flexible, capitalizes on real estate, and is a surefire solution to trim a budget by reducing rent.  

Fosters Potential For More Collaboration 

As you’d imagine, hot desking makes room for more interaction among employees. Rather than sitting next to the same person every day, you’re more likely to sit next to one person on Monday and a different person on Wednesday — which can improve collaboration and team culture.  

Puts Autonomy First

Saying “no” to seating charts is saying “yes” to employees choosing where they want to work for the day. This allows team members to have a little more autonomy over their day and change up their scenery throughout the week, month, and beyond.

Allows Flexibility

There are so many reasons why organizations might need to adjust their offices quickly — whether you have new hires, different work styles, or evolving needs overall. Hot desking makes it easier to meet some of those changing demands.  

The Top 5 Cons of Hot Desking

Like nearly anything, there are pros and cons to hot desking. Here’s a breakdown of some of the drawbacks. 

Makes It Difficult To Personalize 

Hot desking makes it difficult to leave framed photos, a favorite mug, and little personal touches that can go a long way in making team members feel happier and more in their element. 

Might Not Suit Busy Days

Where should I sit? Not a fun question to ask when you’re trying to get your workday started. Especially on busy days when more employees are in the office for a big meeting or another event, employees in hot desk settings might struggle to find their spot. This can be frustrating, undermine team morale, and lead to less productivity overall. 

Hinders Privacy

Hot desk offices are typically less private, which can make it difficult for employees to have confidential conversations — and also make people less comfortable while talking casually with team members. 

Tends To Harbor More Germs

Shared desks have a fifth more germs on them than desks used by just one person, research by Initial Washroom Hygiene suggests. And a shared computer mouse has 40% more germs than a mouse with just one owner.

There’s Less Consistency

Especially for team members who thrive on routine, hot desking can add an extra barrier to their day-to-day. For some, not knowing where they’re going to sit can set a stressful tone for the rest of the day. 

How to Facilitate Hot Desking

If you’ve decided hot desking is the way to go, there’s a lot that can be done to maximize the benefits and minimize the drawbacks. Here’s a list of tried-and-true tips to make hot desking better for everyone.

Create A Balance Of Private And Collaborative Areas

Being strategic with furniture is a super-effective way to create a mix of collaborative and private work areas. One easy way to do this is to add a variety of ergonomic seating options (couches, office chairs, benches, and stools) and different types of tables (desks, cafe tables, etc.). 

Tip: Check out our lounge collection of roomy sectionals, comfortable chairs, and the coziest poufs — all key ingredients to make any office feel like a haven for creativity and good vibes. 

ENSURE EVERYONE HAS AN ERGONOMIC STATION  

No employee should have to work in a non-ergonomic setting — whether they’re first in the office for the day or the last. Set an equitable standard across the team by offering ergonomic chairs, along with high-quality lighting, ergonomic desks, and office accessories. 

Tip: Our Fern Chair is a bestseller for a reason! It delivers maximum comfort and all the supportive features you want in a chair — think lumbar support, adjustability, tilt tension, 4D arms, and so much more. Plus, it comes in a variety of colors and materials so you can make sure it’s exactly what you want. 

Put Boundaries  In Place

Sometimes you need to lock in, put your head down, and focus. You should still be able to do that in an office that doesn’t have assigned seating. Adding physical boundaries — like the Belong Territory Screen — can help make it much easier. 

Tip: Another way to create boundaries is by using bookcases to divide a room. Even large plants can be an effective way to give employees a little privacy. 

Control Noise

Employees in hot desk settings sometimes complain about the noise — but luckily, there are many acoustic solutions to block unwanted sound. Look into our office acoustic design guide to improve your office soundscapes.

Tip: Our BuzziFree is an acoustic screen that helps reduce sound transfer and get employees into a feel-good flow. 

Keep It Tidy And Convenient

We’d be remiss to not mention that a tidy workspace is a safer, happier, and all-around better place to be. Especially in hot desk office spaces, make sure there’s a generous supply of hygiene essentials like hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes. To keep the space organized, wire management accessories and office trays help give everything a clutter-free and happy home. 

Tip: Keep power accessories handy — like charging trays and magnetic chargers — so no one has to spend time finding extra power for their device.

Is Hot Desking Right for Your Business? 

Still unsure if a hot desk office is the move for your team? Here are some questions to ask yourself as you weigh the pros and cons. 

• What’s your why? Think about the reasons you’d want to shift to a hot desk. Do the advantages outweigh the drawbacks? If so, then you might have your answer. 

• How does the team feel? Gauging the team’s feelings on the concept is a helpful way to get an idea of whether or not it’s a good fit. 

• What’s the typical in-office schedule? Generally, hot desking is more popular with teams that aren’t in the office every day. 

• How does your team currently work? For example, if your office is filled with lawyers who need to have quiet phone calls and piles of paperwork on hand, hot desking probably doesn’t make sense. But if it’s a more flexible team that just needs laptops and pens, it might be the perfect environment. 

Overall: Hot Desking Is Hot! 

Beyond the basics of what is hot desking, we hope this article helped you navigate the pros and cons and understand why it’s become such a popular office trend. No matter what environment you work in — hot or not — there are plenty of ways to make it work for you and your work style. When in doubt, an ergonomic chair, a spacious desk, good headphones, and some organization essentials can help set you up for success. 

Want to learn more about hot desking? Chat with our design experts to get fresh insight. We’re here to help!