Our team works with organisations across Aotearoa New Zealand, which provides us with a unique perspective on hot-button issues for employers and their employees in the workplace environment. A theme that continues to pop up this year is hot desking anxiety.
Hot desking anxiety has been around for a while, but in the now commonplace world of hybrid work, hot desking anxiety has taken on a few different forms. We’ll dig into some of the reasons for anxiety around flexible desk space in the office, but first, let’s recap some of the positives and why hot desk workspaces have many benefits for both employees and employers.
Why hot desks work in modern workplaces
- Employee flexibility
Hot desks, or shared desks that can be used flexibly by multiple employees are a great way for employers to reduce their required office space and for employees working a mix of at-home and in-office days. Desk space is expensive office square footage, so sharing this space with colleagues maximises desk space and improves the utilisation of your office space – fewer desks are needed for hybrid working employees.
Key to having this work well is to have a desk booking system so that your employees can secure their workspace – knowing they have a desk location, equipment and working space type they need for their in-office days. Some desk booking systems also allow you to see the team you’ll be sitting with, so your employees can sit with team members they often collaborate with, or want to get to know more.
- Reduce operating costs
Businesses will save money with hot desks in their offices. In addition to reducing office space needed, you’ll also need less in the way of office furniture, such as desks and chairs to service your team. Maximising floor space is hugely appealing to businesses – making the most of your fixed cost (office rental) will allow you to be more creative with the space you have and allow you to deliver a better return on investment, especially if there are income generating opportunities for the office space you free up.
- An increasing need for flexible workspaces
Not everyone in your business is likely to need a fixed, permanent desk. More workplaces have team members who work remotely, in a hybrid capacity, or part-time, or who have occasional office days – think interns or consultants. When these team members are in the office, they may not want or need a fixed desk, as they tend to seek collaborative workspaces (open areas of your office) or spend much of their day in face-to-face meetings in meeting rooms. Hot desks or temporary workstations such as bar leaners and standing desks provide short-term desk options, perfect for quick video calls, or to check emails in between meetings.
- A change of pace
A desk switch-up can be just the thing to keep your team mentally engaged and not fall into the same old routines. Innovative thinking often happens in a new or unexpected space, so allow your team to pick a fit-for-purpose workspace, or mix things up with the people they work with.
Ensuring you have different workspaces for different work tasks is crucial to today’s productive workplaces: quiet area hot desk spaces for deep thinking work tasks and more collaborative hot desk options for creative work.
Causes of hot desk anxiety
Despite the benefits of hot desking for employees and their employers, there are known causes of hot desk anxiety for employers to be mindful of. With many employers conscious of managing burnout in their employees, and ensuring flexible work policies are part of their internal culture, hot desk anxiety should not be underestimated.
- Blurring the lines of leadership
Hot desking can remove the traditional hierarchy associated with corner offices, or managers placed at the head of a bank of desks. For many businesses, this can be a positive outcome of hot desking, but can create anxiety in more senior team members with more responsibility and different tasks. It can be difficult for them to complete their required work tasks within a noisier work environment or may make it difficult for them to communicate their level of seniority when they’re sat next to the most junior team members.
- Difficulty locating colleagues
Many people rely on walking past a colleague’s desk each day on their way to grab a hot drink or have a toilet break, as they know it’s an opportunity to ask a quick question or catch up in an informal manner.
If hot desks become a game of musical desks, it can be difficult to build relationships and internal culture if no one knows where their colleague is going to be from one day to the next. In larger businesses this could mean teams working across different floors, making it harder to do the tasks they need to complete.
This is where a hot desk booking system is an important tool to ensure you choose the right hot desking area to sit in and can find the people you need to chat in person with, in just a few simple clicks. The upside is that more informal hot desking configurations can become informal collaboration zones and opportunities to sit next to colleagues you may not sit with otherwise.
- IT complexity
Not everyone is familiar and comfortable with their workplace tech. Logging into the office wifi or connecting to network drives and multiple printers can be a disruptive start to the day for some people. Simplifying this for your team can be helpful, as can supplying laptop and phone chargers so your workday isn’t hijacked by powered-down technology.
- Workplace disruptions
For employees who are creatures of habit, a new desk every day they walk into the office can be unsettling. Some people get reassurance from having their own personal space, surrounded by familiar things, plants and everyday tools that help them get their jobs done. Having a familiar workspace can allow them to more quickly get into their workflow and maximise their working hours.
For other employees, if they can’t get a quiet task-focused desk, their workday can be completely ruined by the distraction of other colleagues.
If you have employees with disabilities or specific needs for their desk height, lighting, IT equipment or quiet working conditions, you’ll need to protect a dedicated working space to allow for them.
Ensure hot desks work optimally for your whole team
Now that we understand the benefits of hot desking and can anticipate potential challenges, it would be a useful exercise to check in with your team as to whether your current hot desking system is working and fit for purpose. Are there simple changes you can make to optimise the way you’re working? How can you address the concerns of any team members feeling anxious about their hot desk experience?
If you’re considering implementing hot desks into your office, now is a great time to understand any reservations your team may have and investigate hot desk booking systems that will work for your office configuration and internal culture goals.
Ensuring you have the right hot desk configuration in place can mean a simple conversation with a workplace design expert – we work like you do, and we’re here to help.
You can create a workspace that meets the needs of your business, your employees and reduces team anxiety at the same time – contact one of our workplace design experts today.
