How Hot Desking Can Revolutionize Your Workplace
In the current workplace environment, trends are moving away from divided workstations and moving toward a more integrated work space. According to a Deloitte University Press study, 90% of executives realize the importance of employee engagement. However, less than 50% comprehend the best way to handle this issue. Using hot desking is an effective way to engage your employees and revolutionize the workplace.
Defining Hot Desking
Hot desking eliminates the traditional design of the workplace, where cubicles were the usual workstation layout. The trend of hot desking does away with that conventional arrangement and eliminates boundaries that used to separate employees. The idea is that teamwork increases productivity. Hot desking opens a world of opportunity for employees to grow and develop as individuals and viable team members because flexibility is the key factor. Employees are given free rein to trade off workspaces, be more productive working in open spaces like conference room tables or the sofa in the break room, or are not given an assigned desk.
This is so contradictory to the conventional way to run an office. However, the younger millennial and generation Z workers can adapt well to this type of environment and excel. Using hot desking to enhance employee engagement is an important first step in personalizing the workplace and increasing productivity.
Breaking Down Barriers
Hot desking breaks down barriers. Employees will begin to stop seeing themselves as individuals and realize that they work better together as a team. The new management trend focuses more on creating a workplace culture that doesn’t keep individuals stagnated in defined spaces. An Oxford Economics Study revealed that employees have often been dissatisfied with the confined space of the cubicle and having to deal with distractions from neighboring cubicle mates. Hot desking is a great way to break down those barriers and invite employees to become better team members.
Handling the Distractions
Having an open space work environment where hot desking is the norm can have its own set of problems, like handling different types of distractions. However, hot desking can revolutionize the workplace if it is implemented in such a way as to reduce distracting elements. The following steps can effectively remove the distractions and ensure that maximum efficiency is reached.
- Create Practical Policies — Management needs to have clearly defined policies in place that formulate exactly what is expected of the employees. Freedom with hot desking is important. However, boundaries still need to be implemented so that distractions don’t rule the day.
- Track Employee Progress — In this type of open space office, employees have the freedom to choose their workstation. Yet, management needs to effectively track the progress of each employee. The hot desking mentality cannot become anarchy. Chaos won’t bring success.
- Assign Accountability Partners — Working with an accountability partner is a viable way to ensure that all employees work productively and accomplish tasks. Of course, the partnership needs to be symbiotic and not one where one team member is constantly complaining to management about the other employee.
- Stay Flexible Yet Focused — Throughout this process, it is vital that management stays flexible with employees. Employees need to feel free enough to thrive in the open space work environment, while enjoying the benefits of hot desking. Flexibility should be fused with a focus on the end game, which is a highly productive workplace environment.
Hot desking can radically enhance the company culture and create viable success for the company. With the right policies in place, management can properly motivate employees to succeed in their tasks and enjoy increased freedom.
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