Hot Desking

What does Hot Desking mean?

Offering limited desk space that is not assigned to anyone in particular

Hot desking is a practice where office-based workers don’t have a fixed desk but instead use any available desk space. This approach gained popularity during the covid pandemic, as more employees started working from home (WFH) and didn’t require a permanent desk at the office.

Companies often resort to hot desking as a way to save money and maximize office space, especially in high-cost areas. It’s also seen as a useful tool for maintaining social distance among employees in the office.

Despite its advantages, some employees aren’t big fans of hot desking. They argue that it can cause feelings of isolation and uncertainty when they work in the office, lacking a fixed space to call their own.

In some organizations, workers need to book a desk before they can work in the office, a practice sometimes called hoteling. This reservation system ensures everyone has a place to work, but it doesn’t give any employee a permanent desk.

Example for using ‘Hot Desking’ in a conversation

Hey, have you heard of hot desking?

Yeah, it’s when companies provide random desk space instead of assigned desks, right?

Exactly! It’s a way for employers to save money and give employees flexibility.

I can see how it saves costs, but I prefer having my own desk.