Hot-desking surged to popularity in the ’90s, first appearing in the Chicago offices of IBM. We say popularity, but many employees didn’t take to the new system right away. The hot-desking trend of the 90s lasted a few years, but employee attitude towards this style of work remained a constant barrier.
Eventually, it died out in most companies, though some maintained the hot-desking approach.
However, hot-desking now presents a unique opportunity for businesses and commercial landlords in Sydney. This approach presents a solution to a number of issues that both landlords and tenants are experiencing in the current market and the post-COVID changes in working attitudes.
At the end of the day, traditional hot-desking came with a range of benefits and downsides. These days though, businesses are better qualified than ever to address those negative aspects and provide a more attractive and more efficient environment for their employees.
Flexible and financially savvy
Increased use of hot-desking practices makes sense in several ways.
Flexibility is a crucial part of the modern workplace, now more than ever. Companies need to be dynamic in the way that they work and ensure that their employees have access to the right facilities. Hot-desking provides this flexibility for both parties, which works particularly well with employees who spend a chunk of their week working from home.
Property economics is bringing about this resurgence in hot-desking. It’s understandable; paying for more office space than is necessary simply isn’t viable, and this is why so many commercial clients are vacating their space in Sydney.
With most companies sporting a larger remote workforce, downsizing and implementing a hot-desking strategy makes good financial sense. It means less space is required for fewer desks, just enough for those employees who do come into the office on certain days.
However, if it doesn’t work, forget about it
Technical difficulties kill momentum. Computers that don’t work will be sure to eliminate any positive feelings that workers may have towards hot-desking. The good news though, is that these days companies should be better equipped to tackle any problems that arise with computer hardware or software… and they need to be if a hot-desking policy is going to work. In reality, issues like this should be a rare occurrence.
If these problems do crop up, they will have a significant impact on the happiness and productivity of your employees. If they are unable to do their work when they arrive at the office, why wouldn’t they simply remain at home? And the last thing you want is a disgruntled cohort of employees.
Quality office design is a must
The design and layout of a workplace that utilises hot-desking is incredibly important. Pods and desks need to be placed in a way that makes sense, and allows employees to continue to collaborate with one another, build relationships, and complete their work effectively and efficiently. If desks and employees are simply strewn about the office, it makes it incredibly difficult for them to remain productive.
High-quality design is a must for every office, particularly one that is utilising a hot-desking approach. Great design will help boost employee morale, improve mental health, and ensure that the entire operation works as intended. In the end, poor design can be the death of your hot-desking enterprise.
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