What is Hot Desking?
A workplace model where desks are not assigned and employees take any available desk when they come in.
Definition
Hot desking is a workplace arrangement in which employees do not have a permanently assigned desk. Instead, they choose any free desk when they arrive, usually on a first-come, first-served basis. Personal belongings are stored in lockers, and desks are kept clear at the end of the day so the next person can use them.
The model became popular as organisations realised that many assigned desks sit empty for most of the week because of travel, meetings, leave and remote work. By sharing desks, a company can support more employees with fewer workstations and reduce real estate costs.
Example
A consulting firm has 120 consultants who spend roughly half their time at client sites. Instead of 120 desks, the firm provides 70 unassigned desks in its office. Each morning consultants check the office map to see which areas are quiet, pick a desk near their project team and plug in their laptop. At the end of the day they clear the desk and store their things in a locker.
After three months the facilities manager reviews occupancy and finds that peak use reaches 62 desks on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so 70 desks leave a comfortable buffer without wasting space.
How it relates to an office map
With the Office Map Editor you can draw a shared desk area, label it as a hot desk zone and show it on lobby screens so people see where open seating is. Desk bookings and the Who sits here field help you combine hot desks with a few assigned seats on the same map.
Benefits of hot desking
The main benefit is efficient use of space. Fewer desks mean lower rent, energy and furniture costs, or the freedom to convert spare space into meeting rooms, focus booths and social areas. Hot desking can also encourage cross-team interaction because people sit next to different colleagues over time.
For employees who travel or work remotely most of the week, hot desking simply reflects reality: they would not use an assigned desk enough to justify it.
Challenges and drawbacks
Hot desking can feel impersonal. Some people miss having a place to call their own, and teams can become scattered when members arrive at different times. The daily search for a desk can create anxiety, especially on busy days. Hygiene and equipment consistency also matter: if every desk has a different monitor or chair, people waste time adjusting.
- Uncertainty about finding a seat on peak days
- Teams split across the floor
- Time lost setting up each morning
- Lower sense of belonging for some employees
Making hot desking work
Combine hot desks with team neighbourhoods so colleagues can still sit near each other. Standardise desk equipment so any seat is ready to use. Provide lockers close to the desk area. Most importantly, make availability visible: a live map or booking system removes the morning search and reduces frustration.
Set a clear-desk policy and explain why it exists. People accept shared desks more easily when the rules are simple and applied fairly.
Hot desking versus desk booking
Pure hot desking has no reservations at all. Desk booking, sometimes called hoteling, lets people reserve a specific desk in advance. Many offices use a hybrid: most desks are bookable, a few are left for walk-ins, and certain roles keep assigned seats. The right mix depends on how predictable attendance is.
Metrics to track
Measure peak and average occupancy, the ratio of employees to desks, the number of times people cannot find a seat and employee satisfaction with the workspace. If peak days regularly exceed capacity, add desks or introduce team days. If occupancy stays low, there is room to repurpose space.