What is Office Hoteling? Why your Hybrid Workforce Needs it
Office hoteling and desk hoteling are sometimes used interchangeably. A desk hoteling model allows workers to reserve a specific desk at an office for a day, week, or month at a time.
At some workplaces, employees can book a private office, rather than a desk in a bullpen or open office layout, this is called office hoteling.
Office hoteling eliminates assigned desks in favor of a flexible seating arrangement, making it easier for employees to collaborate, network, and balance their time in the office and at home.
Learn more about the benefits of office hoteling, and how office space management software can help a hybrid setup run smoothly.
Advantages of office hoteling
Office hoteling offers many benefits for hybrid companies of all sizes. Some of those benefits include:
- Improved collaboration and networking: Hoteling naturally creates flexibility for employees. When they need to work on a project with others, they can easily reserve a collaborative workspace, or a private office if they need to concentrate. Without the rigid structure of assigned seats, employees can seamlessly adapt to their team’s current needs.
- Optimal space usage: With the flexible structure of a hybrid workforce, there’s no need for companies to pay for a dedicated workspace for each employee. Office hoteling allows businesses to reduce their office square footage, which can lead to significant cost savings. Companies can also choose to reorient their office layout to create more collaborative meeting spaces.
- Higher morale: Office hoteling gives individual workers greater autonomy — they can choose the workspace that best suits their needs. And with control over when and where they work in the office, employees will feel confident that their managers trust them, helping to boost morale.
User-friendly office space management software
Office hoteling is typically managed with dedicated software that allows employees to reserve an office, desk, or meeting room with a mobile device. Depending on their needs, teams can use reservation software to do the following:
- Map out the office to provide a visual on how workspaces are being used
- Label space amenities like which conference rooms have a projector
- Connect colleagues and check on employee schedules
- Space out workers if privacy is a concern
- Provide wayfinding to help contractors, freelancers, and visitors easily navigate the office
- Remove unattended reservations to help free up extra space
- Share company-wide announcements
- Run analytics on space utilization
Reservation software helps a hoteling model run seamlessly. Without a central platform, employees may run into miscommunications, double bookings, and underutilized space due to canceled or rescheduled meetings.
The more intuitive shared office space software is, the easier the transition to an office hoteling system will be. Leadership teams should choose a platform that:
- Offers a user-friendly interface that works on both desktop and mobile devices
- Integrates with modern office tools, such as Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Exchange
- Minimizes the time employees spend finding a space to work
Moving from a traditional office setup to a hoteling model can be a big change, so reservation software shouldn’t feel burdensome. The best reservation platforms save time and boost productivity simultaneously.
Hybrid workforce solutions: How Robin can help
If you’re ready to move away from a traditional office setup but aren’t sure where to start, Robin is here to help.
Our office space management software allows workers to quickly search, choose, and book the workspace that best suits their needs. Offering complete integration with several popular platforms, we help companies deliver the most efficient hybrid office experience.
For more information about Robin, schedule a demo today.
