Shared Desk

What is
shared desk?

Shared desk, or desk sharing, is a method of workplace arrangement where one workstation is no longer assigned to a fixed employee, but shared by a team or the entire organization. Like the concept of “Hot Desking”, shared desk encourages teams to work where they can be most productive. It’s often found in organizations adopting flexible working policies (e.g. activity-based working (ABW) and hybrid work) to improve the use of space and lower business operating costs.

Pros and cons of
desk sharing

Advantages

The benefits of workplace desk sharing can run deeper than saved workspace and costs. The idea of flexible seating brings intangible benefits.

Opportunities for flexible working arrangements: part-time, remote, contractors

More vibrant community that drives cross-branch innovations & collaboration. Employees can choose to seat alongside colleagues of different departments, forge new connections, and promote a social working environment.

Happier employees with more choices in the way they wish to work

Non-traditional work arrangements attract more talents

Better office use and lower utility costs

Disadvantages

If not organized properly, desk sharing can bring potential harms to the workplace culture and productivity.

Reduced personal space for employees

Disruptions on shared desks & resource management

More challenges in setting up IT infrastructures for different utilities

Health and safety can be an issue for employees who have particular needs

How to manage
desk sharing
in workplace?

A successful shared desk model requires the technology support. Desk booking software can help company implement a set of desking booking rules to keep things organized. These tools come in handy for the following applications.

See a desk’s availability status in real-time, even remotely

Check out details, facilities, floor maps, and other related information for a particular desk

Search for colleagues and book workspaces near-by

Filter seating options based on a set of criteria

Book desks ahead of time or on demand

Check in a desk reservation to avoid double-bookings

Automatically free up desks that are reserved yet not used

Manage access permissions and restrictions to specific workstations

Generate insightful reports on desk booking trends, popular locations, types, etc.