Yahoo Finance Is hot desking good or bad for us?
Hot desking is becoming increasingly common, with an estimated two-thirds of 400 multinational companies planning to implement shared-desk workplaces by 2020.
Touted as a way to improve productivity, improve professional relationships and save money, hot desking is when no-one in an office has their own desk – but sits wherever there is a free seat.
But is it actually good for workers and businesses, or is it an unnecessary disruption?
Encourage conversation
Hot desking makes it easier to move around the office, which can lead to conversations between different employees who might not normally talk to one another. The point of hot desking is to avoid people working in silos and to encourage people to share ideas, views and knowledge – which may boost creativity and productivity.
Cost efficient
It can also be an effective way for companies to save money, too. Employees often outnumber desks in open plan offices, and assigned seats can be a costly and inefficient use of space. According to research by Vodafone, the UK could save £34bn by freeing up desk space and encouraging flexible working, which would also help improve the sense of community in businesses.
Rather than renting larger offices or buying extra desks, hot desking can create extra spaces where employees can bring their own laptops to work from. With cloud software, staff can store and backup files without the need for a large, expensive desktop computer.
Flexible working
The idea behind hot desking ties into the move towards flexible and remote working. Jeroen Hoencamp, enterprise director at Vodafone UK, said in a statement at the time: “Companies that think their employees must always be present in their offices in order for them to work has been a bone of contention in recent weeks and it is good that the issue is being discussed.
“The best solutions will differ from business to business but flexible working is more than just working from home. It’s about working from wherever you need to be, whether that’s from a café with a client, a customer’s HQ or during your commute,” he added. “By making best use of technology such as audio and videoconferencing, instant messenger and mobile internet this can be achieved while strengthening collaboration and enhancing a sense of community between colleagues.”
Some argue hot desking helps create a more equal environment too, as staff are free to sit where they want – regardless of whether they are a manager or not.
Negative behaviour
Research suggests hot desking isn’t all positive, however – and that it has the potential to negatively impact behaviour.
A recently study of 1,000 Australian employees found that shared-desk environments had various problems, including distrust, distractions and uncooperative behaviour. The researchers added: “We found that, as work environments became more shared (with hot-desking being at the extreme end of the continuum), not only were there increases in demands, but co-worker friendships were not improved and perceptions of supervisory support decreased.”
Loss of own space
Another study from the University of Bedfordshire suggested the practice of moving desks itself “generates additional work and a sense of marginalisation for hot‐deskers”.
Study author Alison Hirst wrote that her research “suggests that loss of everyday ownership of the workspace gives rise to particular practical and social tensions and shifts hot‐deskers’ identification with the organisation”.
Less valued
Hot desking also risks employees feeling less valued, which can impact productivity and morale. A study by the University of Wolverhampton in 2011 showed that unwanted noise and competition for space can make employees feel less valued.
Another disadvantage is a lack of team cohesion, as staff members may not be seated in close proximity to the people they are working with on particular projects, the research found. The same study also raised concerns about wellbeing, as having to find somewhere to sit every day can make it harder for some people to deal with stress.
Whether or not hot desking is a good idea depends on the company and the work being done. It’s also important to give employees a say in whether it works for them before implementing any big environmental changes in an office, too. While some might benefits from the change of scenery, others prefer to get work done in their own space.
