The do's and dont's of hot desking etiquette
Introduction
Open-plan offices and coworking spaces let you work at various desks whenever you enter the office, in contrast to the typical workplace. You can work with numerous coworkers, interact in a distinctive social setting, and access extra services. Nevertheless, working with unfamiliar people in a somewhat stimulating environment in an open-plan office or coworking space presents problems for your privacy. A flexible workspace has the benefit of requiring less office space. Fewer people on the premises may allow you to shrink your space, saving money on rent, energy costs, and other related costs. However, it’s also likely to lead to a decrease in the number of desks you have, which presents its own difficulties.
For many people, the days of having a set desk in the office are likely past. Instead, hot desking is the new reality where people create their base at an available spot rather than the one they always choose when they arrive at work. Employers have a genuine potential to transform their office space into a more enticing and efficient setting. Despite the benefits, it may take some time for people to change their attitudes about hot desking. Making the office a pleasure rather than just another location might help draw employees in today. Otherwise, they may feel that their personal space is being invaded.
Workplace solutions, like reservation systems, can serve to lessen this uncertainty, boost clarity, and improve the efficiency of work arrangements, including fostering greater collaboration. Analyzing the data produced by these systems can also provide feedback for further optimization and capacity expansion.
Etiquette guidelines are actually necessary to prevent disputes over territory, noise, mess, and storage space. Here are some suggestions for dos and don’ts that you might want to include in your list of hot desking regulations.
How should you handle hot desking?
For this reason, team members at work or independent contractors must follow and put into practise good coworking etiquette in order to promote peace and camaraderie among coworkers. Furthermore, in light of the current pandemic, it’s crucial to follow a few guidelines for a successful, secure, healthy, and welcoming workplace.
Observe the void. Be mindful of those who are attempting to concentrate on their work. Consider your volume when using a shared workstation as the first general rule. In an open office, sound travels more quickly, and some areas are built with noise transmission in mind. The hot desk policy varies from workplace to workplace for private communal and private work locations.
How do hot desk policies work?
The term “hot desk policy” refers to a set of implicit or explicit common sense guidelines to follow when utilising shared desks, workstations, or conference rooms. In some coworking spaces, you are free to speak on the phone in public in a designated area, but in others, you must be careful when arranging your equipment so as not to annoy other people with the clicking and connecting noises of your items. Additionally, some workplaces are generally noisy, particularly in areas where networking and other activities take place.
Establishing a noise policy, a conference schedule, and spaces, where you are permitted to sing aloud, are essential.
Be mess free
The desk should be organised as though it had never been used. For the safety of your coworkers and the maintenance team, leave no trace behind when finishing your workday or assignment. Leave no wrappers, snacks, or beverages behind. Do not rely on someone to clean the workstation after you leave; instead, wipe the surface and disinfect it with alcohol.
Be considerate
As a courtesy to your employees, be aware of how your coworkers are acting in public spaces. When speaking with coworkers, tone down your voice. Some workers use the kitchen as a workspace for their laptops, and some companies even offer gyms, meditation spaces, bars, or yoga studios. Make sure your behaviour in the designated workplace zones doesn’t distract them.
Utilize services and luxuries sparingly.
Use the designated area or conference when you have made a reservation for it, and remain inside the area you have reserved or rented.
If your workspace is insufficient, look for a different place that is open where you may operate without interruptions and within reasonable constraints.
Make the most of the resources you have.
Workspaces are not all made equal. Depending on the culture and character of the space, some coworking spaces might not be able to give you the tools and accessories you need for your career, although they are getting better at serving particular niches. Being independent is essential whether working flexibly or as a freelancer. If other members need to borrow some of your resources and services, you can share with them and vice versa. Additionally, remember to maintain track of your tools, such as pens, headphones, notepads, and tumblers, and refrain from sharing more than is necessary. Keep your personal items close to you and refrain from sharing them.
Confidentiality
Keep topics private while speaking with clients or superiors. In sensitive professional scenarios, shared space is problematic since some business needs to be handled privately. To avoid awkward situations and disclosing private information, be careful with your words and behaviour when in a public space.
Stay at home if you're feeling under the weather.
Everyone should adhere to the common sense principle of staying at home if they are feeling under the weather. Stay at home to avoid spreading the illness, whether you have the basic flu or not. You don’t want to put the coworkers’ or employees’ safety at risk. When you are ill, you must let the employees at the workplace or your supervisors know so they can keep an eye on your contacts with coworkers and colleagues.
The Takeaway
When working with coworkers or other individuals in a shared space, there are unwritten conventions. Users are responsible for maintaining the security of the shared space in an open-plan office and coworking facility. Standard office etiquette demands frequent desk cleanings, a decrease in contamination, and a sense of responsibility for activities in the workplace due to the pandemic. Hot desks, coworking spaces, and open-plan offices are excellent places to work together with others on a team and meet new people. It enables you to forge bonds amongst team members from various corporations. In order to make these more efficient and simpler to achieve, the Neoffice hybrid workspace tools, including hot desking, does a wonderful job of making the process smooth.
Neoffice Workplace Management Solution
Neoffice is built with a suite of workspace tools that help employees choose how and where they work while providing organizations with a platform to manage their hybrid workplace with ease and complete control.
The solution comes with 9 features on one single app – Team planner to manage a collaborative effort for a team, Seat Scheduling, Meeting room Booking, Hot Desking, Car park Slot Booking, Digital cafeteria to pre-order your meals at work, Employee commute solution, Survey forms. All Features are modular and the client can choose to subscribe to the relevant solution.
To know more about the solution, do drop a mail to [email protected] or a call us on our Helpline +91 80 4680 5757
