Looking to make your hybrid office more efficient? Want to make sure you’re making the most out of your office space, while also giving your people a smooth and intuitive hot desking experience?
In this article, we'll see how office hoteling software can help you achieve all this, and more – and encourage employees to come more often to the office without mandating it. Because, let’s face it, employees don’t want freebies or benefits they aren’t using – they want flexibility.
We’ll also cover the six best hoteling apps on the market today and help you choose the one that fits your needs – and that can help you build a smart and efficient hybrid workspace for your people.
What is office hoteling software?
Office hoteling software helps you manage your office space more efficiently by enabling your employees to book desks, meeting rooms, or other workspaces whenever they need them. Instead of having assigned desks, your people can book a space in advance, similar to booking a hotel room (hence the name).
This approach is great for businesses with hybrid teams, where not everyone is in the office every day. It enables you to make better use of the space you have available by giving you accurate information on who’s in the office and when, and giving your people an easy way to book a spot – and also see who’s in the office on that day.
You can figure out exactly how many desks you need – and save money by optimizing the space you own or rent.
Hoteling vs. hot desk booking software: What’s the difference?
Hoteling and hot desking are often used interchangeably, but they actually mean slightly different things.
With hoteling, employees reserve a specific desk, office, or meeting room in advance, kind of like booking a hotel room. You pick the exact spot you want for the day (or even a few hours), and it’s yours when you arrive. It’s organized and predictable, making it perfect for people who like to know where they’ll be sitting.
With hot desking, you can also usually book a desk, but not necessarily a specific workstation on a floor plan. Some companies might also use hot desking on a first-come, first-served basis, with no booking system at all – although, as you can imagine, this might lead to chaos when done at a scale. It’s somewhat more unpredictable and enables employees to spontaneously choose their spot on the fly.
So, while hoteling means reserving a specific desk or space, hot desking can be a bit more casual and flexible.
In practice, however, both terms are nearly always used to mean exactly the same thing, especially when talking about software.
So, is there a difference between hoteling, hot desking, and desk booking software?
Not really – you can use most apps out there to fit whatever booking system makes most sense to you and your people.
How to choose the best hoteling and hot desk booking software
When you’re looking for an app that will help you optimize your office space and make sure you’re able to motivate people to actually come to the office, there are a number of features you should consider.
Here are the top features you should consider:
High adoption rates
Your hoteling app must be easy to use – otherwise you’ll be paying for a tool no one actually uses. Achieving high adoption rates from the start is critical, otherwise people will be frustrated when they come to the office only to find that the last available desk is taken… or that no-one else is here.
Therefore, look for apps that:
- Are super simple and intuitive
- Enable your team members to book a desk with a few clicks
- Fit into your existing workflows and integrate with other apps you’re already using
Officely meets all those criteria. It works seamlessly inside Slack and MS Teams, meaning that your people don’t have to open yet another app; they can simply book a desk from the communication platform they’re already using all the time.
Detailed utilization metrics
Office space is expensive, so you’ll want to know whether you’re making the most of it – and if not, how to use it better. For efficient space management, you need to make sure you’re collecting the right metrics:
- Usage insights: Track desk usage patterns, peak times, and space occupancy.
- Employee behavior: Understand how often employees are booking desks and what their preferences are.
- Capacity reports: Make sure you have the capacity to accommodate your employees – and that you’re not wasting precious space.
Plus, easy hot desk scheduling will inspire workers to visit the office more.
Real-time updates
Real-time visibility in a desk booking app is essential for hybrid offices. By enabling your employees to book a desk last minute (or to update their status to let everyone know they’re no longer coming), you’re making it easy for everyone to see when is the best time to go to the office.
Instant notifications also keep things running smoothly. If a desk becomes available or plans change, employees are in the know and can react quickly.
Easy integrations
Your solution should work smoothly with your other business tools so it doesn't waste worker time. Integrations with Outlook or Google Calendar enable you to avoid double-booking and display all reservations in one spot.
Plus, if it integrates with your communication tools, such as Slack and MS Teams – like Officely does – your employees can book desks without needing to open yet another app.
Lastly, integrations with your HR systems such as BambooHR or HiBob enable you to tailor your workers’ experience to the things and relationships that matter most to them.
Officely integrates seamlessly with all those tools and more – check out all our integrations to find the full list.
Budget-friendly
Many hoteling solutions have tons of features you might not need, which, of course, makes them more expensive, too.
Shop carefully to make sure you’re getting exactly the features you’re looking for, and not overpaying for an overbuilt solution that you simply have no use of. And check pricing plans carefully; sometimes they can be pretty confusing.
Officely’s pricing is very straightforward: You get a forever free plan for small teams (of up to 10 people) and simple, flexible, and enterprise plans that start at $2.50 per user and per month for an annual subscription.
6 powerful apps to book desks
1. Officely
The best tool is one that sticks to just the features and budget you need, and that your team is actually going to use. It should be easy to implement, learn, and use.
Officely is all about making hybrid work work for everyone, and providing your employees with a simple and intuitive booking experience. It integrates directly with Slack and Microsoft Teams, so your team can book desks right within the apps they already use every day.
With its intuitive interface and quick setup, the app helps you manage your office space and resources without any hassle. To boost adoption rates, we’ve built an app that’s super easy to use – and that fits seamlessly into your existing workflows.
Pros:
- Works within Slack and MS Teams – no extra apps needed
- Simple and intuitive, so everyone can use it without a learning curve
- Straightforward plans starting at $2.50 per user per month – or free, if your team is of up to 10 people
- Provides useful data and analytics on office space use
Cons:
- Focuses on core features, so it’s not as complex as other apps out there
Ready to see how Officely can streamline your hybrid workspace? Book a demo to see for yourself.
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