The Benefits of Hot Desking
AS A RESULT OF HYBRID WORKING, COMPANIES ARE DOWNSIZING. THERE IS SIMPLY NO LONGER A NEED FOR ROWS UPON ROWS OF DESKS. ENTER, HOT DESKING.
So, your employees are faced with not having a desk of their own – giving up a place for those collections of family photographs and pots of pens. Hot desking can, therefore, be a daunting prospect.
What your employees will have, however, is more time spent with said loved ones at home as the very beauty of hot desking is its ability to facilitate a blend of in-office and at-home working. And that’s not all, hot desking facilitates more agile and collaborative working, allowing for increased productivity through cross-departmental or multi-location teamwork.
Planning is key
The first step before you adjust your working arrangements is, plan, plan and plan some more. How many people will be in the office at one time? In some cases where first come first served is not appropriate, some form of hot desk booking system should be considered. Do some employees still need permanent station? Is your IT infrastructure able to facilitate flexible working? For hybrid workers, a company owned laptops is the asset of choice, coupled with large screens and universal docking options.
The right tools for the job
It is essential to equip employees with the right hardware and software to allow a seamless transition from home to office. Microsoft 365 apps are ideal for hybrid working – including Outlook for instant access to emails, SharePoint for access to files, Phone System for remote calling, and Teams for collaboration.
Security check
With employees accessing data from inside and outside the office, robust IT security is necessary. Microsoft 365 also ensures all cloud services are secure, easing any security concerns about employees accessing files remotely. However, vigilance among employees to cyberthreats is also key so consider upskilling teams with training.
A healthy workplace
A primary concern of hot desking is the health risk posed by sharing a workstation. However, this can be overcome simply by implementing strategies for keeping stations clean – including disinfecting before/after use and ensuring people do not eat at their computers (risky business at the best of times!). Plus, hot desking can offer a range of “healthier†workspace options, such as standing desks.
Ready to embrace hot desking, give your account manager a call.