Improving efficiency at your workplace – or rather, getting rid of inefficiencies – is crucial for staying competitive. Office space is one of your most expensive resources, and if it’s not used well, it’s a money drain for your company. To make the most out of every square foot and ensure your workplace serves your team well, you can use the principle of office hoteling.
What’s hoteling, you’re probably wondering? And how do you implement it?
We’ll unpack all this below, see what its pros and cons are, and explain how you can use it to create an office where everyone thrives.
Understanding the concept of hoteling office space
Hoteling is a new approach to using office space, where your team can book desks or workstations on an as-needed basis, rather than having dedicated desks. This enables you to optimize the space you have available, accommodate team members’ schedules and work-location preferences, and build a hybrid culture where everyone feels engaged and seen.
But what exactly does hoteling office space mean?
In short, office hoteling is a flexible desk booking system for the office. Instead of having a permanent desk, employees can book a spot when they need it, a bit like checking into a hotel. It’s handy for hybrid workspaces and enables people to reserve desks, meeting rooms, or even quiet zones, for example via a desk booking app like Officely.
It has become an integral part of many modern offices and helps cater to different working styles and preferences.
Key features of a desk hoteling reservation system
For a smooth hoteling experience for everyone, you need a dedicated desk booking system. Here are the key features to look for:
- Digital desk reservation: Desk booking should be straightforward. Look for options to reserve desks, meeting rooms, equipment, quiet areas, or any workspace you need in just a few taps.
- Workspace amenity filters: Having filters for things like quiet zones, standing desks, or proximity to windows is a big plus, so employees can pick a spot that best suits their work style or task.
- Real-time availability updates: Instant updates on which spots are free helps your people make the right choices and decide when to come into the office.
- Integrations: Integrating with your collaboration tools (like Slack or Microsoft Teams) and calendars (like Outlook or Google Calendar) means that employees don’t need to open yet another app – and this, in turn, guarantees high adoption rates.
- Analytics and usage reporting: Attendance visibility and reporting helps admins understand booking trends, optimize office layout, and improve everyone’s experience.
- Notifications and reminders: Automatic reminders for bookings keeps everyone on top of their reservations and helps everyone know when’s the best time to come to the office.
Office hoteling vs. hot desking
That all sounds very much like hot desking, right? Is there even a difference between hot desking and hoteling?
Here’s the difference, at least in theory:
- With hoteling, employees reserve a specific desk or workspace in advance, almost like booking a hotel room. It’s structured, and people know exactly where they’re going to sit before they arrive.
- Hot desking functions on a first-come, first-served basis. Employees show up and pick any available spot. It’s a bit more spontaneous and works best when people are in and out without needing a set desk.
In practice, however, in both cases it’s best if you have a desk booking system in place to avoid chaos and inefficient office space use. So, today both terms are used nearly interchangeably.
The benefits of office hoteling
Office hoteling has a lot of advantages that can make a big impact in a flexible work setup.
Maximizes space efficiency and helps you cut costs
Hoteling provides a system that supports flexibility without requiring permanent desks for everyone. By letting people book desks only when they need them, hoteling reduces unused workstations and makes the most of every square foot, helping you save on rent.
Improves the employee experience
Employees crave location freedom and are even willing to change jobs for it. Hoteling helps you provide your team with enough space to work together when they need it, have enough desks for everyone, and use the equipment they need, but without forcing them to come to the office daily.
Boosts collaboration and networking
With hoteling, people can book spots close to team members they’re working with, which helps them chat whenever they need it, without crossing the entire office or disturbing others. With the right app, they can also instantly see who’s coming in and when, and know when is the best time to go to the office.
And, if you plan your office layout well and design strategic common areas, you can create a fertile ground for spontaneous interactions – which really help with coming up with new ideas.
Simplifies workspace management
Hoteling apps with usage data and analytics give you insights into desk use, peak times, and workspace needs, helping you improve your office layout, plan for growth, or make adjustments as necessary.
Plus, as your company grows, it becomes easier to accommodate extra employees without needing more office space.
Challenges to overcome to benefit from office hoteling
While office hoteling is a great option for many businesses, it does have its challenges.
Overcoming employee resistance
Handling employee resistance can be difficult. Resistance can come from:
- People who like working remotely all the time and would rather not come to the office
- People who love working in the office and would rather not work remotely
- People who like having their own desk and don’t like switching workstations
Each group requires a slightly different approach – but in all cases, talking to your people and understanding where they’re coming from is a must.
One effective way to support adoption is by involving employees in the decision-making process. So, make sure everyone can all participate in building a system that works for them, rather than a system that they need to work for and that doesn’t feel intuitive.
Provide training and ask for feedback
Quick training sessions or workshops on desk organization and booking, desk sharing etiquette, and time management can make employees feel prepared and comfortable in the new setup.
Regular feedback is key, too, and workshops are a great way to collect it. See how employees feel about hoteling and make improvements as needed. This continuous feedback loop helps create a workspace that aligns with everyone’s needs.
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