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Why, why, why would an employee want to hot-desk?

The arguments I hear from companies about hot-desking are that it will aid collaboration and get colleagues mingling. I have even read that it combats fatigue, although I would be very interested to see the research on that claim.

However, according to one recent survey, over 80% of UK office workers would much rather have their own designated desk or work space.

Who wants to use a keyboard, mouse or telephone that many other people regularly use and is harbouring a cocktail of germs? Who doesn’t want to have a familiar layout to work in, one where you can leave personal and work-related items in order to make the work environment more comfortable?

Of course there are good reasons why a company might want to bring in hot-desking. For example, if a company has a work force that should be out on the road all the time, or in client offices, or indeed if the company wants to encourage its staff to work remotely from home for some reason, then for sure hot-desking is likely to persuade them to stay away from the office.

But beyond those types of companies, the only real reason hot-desking is introduced is cost efficiency. It must be the case in most offices that on a day to day basis the number of desks is greater than the headcount. This will almost certainly lead to someone asking if this is an area where costs can be reduced. In this case, if office cost reduction is deemed to be of the utmost priority then of course hot-desking makes sense. But, if you don’t want the benefits of reduced cost to be undermined by the reduced productivity of a demotivated work force, then you need to honest with your staff.

Don’t tell them you are doing it to so they meet colleagues they might not otherwise see. Bring them along with you. Get them on your side and explain to them that costs need to be cut and that by bringing in hot-desking, and with their help and support, the company can be more profitable, provide a more secure future for itself and all its employees, and who knows, if results are good at the end of the year there could be a bonus in it for everyone!