How to Make a Hot Desking Policy Template?

Businesses are searching for new ways to improve their productivity and efficiency in the workplace. As much as the pandemic is loathed for disrupting life and basic operations, there are many discoveries, especially when it comes to workplaces. The benefits of remote working were not previously known as much as they were highlighted by the pandemic. A study carried out by Stanford claims that people working from home have experienced a 13% rise in their productivity.

As much as the hybrid working model seems to be the future of the workplace, it is important to realize the various concerns that come with it. Modifications of the hybrid workforce such as hot-desking policy or hoteling software need to be implemented properly to observe the required results.

What is a Hot Desking Model?

What is a hot desking model? - It’s a popular way to maximize efficiency per square footage by multiple employees using a single desk at different times of the day. Hot desking is applicable for desks when employees spend less than 60% of their time sitting and other time in different working activities. Hot desking improves productivity in many ways.

To define the term hot desking, employees take up any free desk or book their hot desking requirement before time through various hot desking apps. This ensures no space goes unused and the overall unproductive square footage of a workplace is reduced. There are many pros and cons of hot desking, but the proper implementation of this system can give some real benefits, as proven by various studies.

List of Hot Desking Policy Elements?

The right hot-desking policy is effective and easy to implement. It helps you outline various rules and regulations that will ease employees into this new rotating system. Moreover, with the right hot desking policies, offices can save cost and space effectively. With this hot-desking policy template, you can modify your company's needs to improve productivity and get desired results with the policy implementation.

Scope

This hot-desking policy is usually applicable to employees who have a flexible work nature or don't have a specific desk job. Moreover, the hot-desking policy does not apply to managers and receptionists.

The First element of the hot-desking policy is to have several desks that are not assigned to any particular employee but are shared. Employees can pick a desk of their choice and choose any unoccupied desk. Hot desking usually works on a first-come, first-serve basis, and a basic rule is that no desk belongs to a particular person.

The Purpose of Hot Desking Policy

The purpose of establishing a hot-desking policy is to have many benefits. The initial benefits include cost-saving and space-saving advantages. This allows offices to have a greater number of employees without appointing each of the individual workstations. By arranging working times differently and in a way that they do not collide, employers can use a single space for multiple purposes.

Hot Desking Etiquettes – Employees’ Responsibilities

Hot Desking Policy also includes various hot desking etiquettes. And without a proper guideline or a series of hot-desking etiquettes, this practice is not effective enough to be implemented. For starters, you need to have a hybrid working software that ensures the seat reservation works properly and there is no chaos in the workplace. To avoid hot desking problems, there are some etiquettes every business should follow:

Proper Reservation

Hot desking is usually on a first-come, first-serve basis, or if your office is modern enough to have a software system, the application of hot desking is a breeze since there is no particular desk that belongs to anyone during hot-desking, so each employee should understand the need of reserving their desk if they want a particular place.

Off Limits

Not all desks are under the hot desking system, so avoid thinking about desks that are off-limits. Most organizations have seating arrangements through mapping systems that highlight the available desks and indicate those that are off-limits.

Use Storage Cabinets

Don't try to mark your territory by leaving your things on a desk. With hot-desking, employees are often given storage cabinets and lockers to place their things there. Leaving your items behind and hoping to reserve the desk that way is against basic hot desking etiquettes. Also, it may result in you losing your precious items.

Hygiene

Just because you don’t have to sit on the same desk tomorrow doesn’t mean you don’t care for the other person to come. Leaving your desk tidier than before is important with hot desking. It is a basic etiquette of the workplace whether your office follows a hot-desking model or not.

Company’s Responsibilities

Without an employer actively participating in making the most of hot-desking policy, it is hard for employees to get on board with it. For instance, employers should not persist in implementing this policy until or unless a majority of the employees are on board with it. Employees need to be productive and comfortable on the work desk and not favor a particular desk type. An employer should:

•    Have uniform desks that are assigned to hot-desking policy, so each desk offers the same comfort and features

•    Have proper and updated software and hardware systems

•    Must have enough desks to accommodate most of the employees

•    Have suitable connections for each working desk

•    Must have a strong Wi-Fi connection for all corners of the workspace.

•    Provide employees with lockers and storage cabinets to keep their items safely.

•    Use hybrid workforce model to provide flexibility to employees

•    Create zones that allow team members of a project to work together

•    Make use of the electronic storage system so that each employee can access data anytime needed.

Hot Desking Software

Without suitable software, it is hard to keep track of occupied and vacant spaces. Hot desking software allows employees to book their seats, and the software should also work properly. It is better if the employers educate the employees about the system before the implementation.

Hot Desking Policy in the Workplace

The hot desking policy is considered the future of many organizations, especially those willing to promote a hybrid workforce system in their workplace. Using a hot-desking template, you can easily form a system that helps you grow and become more productive.