Over the past 20 years, office “hoteling” (sometimes referred to as “hot desking”), or the practice of booking office space and services instead of giving staff members a dedicated workplace or office, has grown in popularity. Thanks to developments in communications and technology, the idea started in the Ernst & Young offices in Chicago. When traveling or “telecommuting” from home, employees would contact the “office concierge” to reserve a workstation, office, or meeting space as needed.
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Numerous industries have seen a rise in popularity for this approach to office space; IBM, Google, and Procter & Gamble are just a few of the businesses that have used it for years, reaping the benefits such as:
Savings in Cash
Ernst & Young highlights that one of the main reasons they adopt office hoteling is the significant real estate cost reductions—they estimate an annual savings of over $47 million. Companies may accommodate an increase in headcount without having to make simultaneous investments in additional office space because employees are not confined to a single office or compelled to spend eight hours a day in the workplace.
Increased Resources for Everyone
This technique frees up office resources. When Sun Microsystems looked into employee attendance at its Santa Clara, California location, they found that at least half of the team was missing most of the time. This implies that, once office hoteling was put into place, the remaining staff members and visiting employees may have access to around half of the office resources.
Better Empowerment of Employees
Beyond the financial and spatial benefits, employees benefit from a flexible work environment and fewer travel expenses, so enhancing their productivity and morale. Employee empowerment is enhanced when space is provided without the strict daily necessity of presence in the same office or cubicle. Employee contact is also encouraged by including hoteling space into spaces where workers are allotted workstations. According to Gartner research, increased workplace agility also leads to increased resilience.
Enhanced Output
One more advantage of office hoteling’s flexibility is that it permits more collaboration. Employees who need or want to cooperate can do so easily since conference rooms and workstations can be reserved based on need rather than position or status in the company. This facilitates autonomous work for workers who require solitude and quiet to concentrate on their tasks.
Although hoteling might have a lot of advantages, it can also have negative effects on the bottom line, staff satisfaction, and productivity.