What Is Hot Desking?

Hot desking is a modern office setup where employees don’t have assigned desks. Instead, they book an available workspace via desk booking software or on-demand when they arrive at the office.

This approach is gaining popularity, especially in hybrid workplaces where employees divide their time between home and the office. When not everyone is in every day, having fixed desks for each person starts to feel like wasted space and money. Hot desking helps companies optimize their offices by making the most of the space they already have.

Today, hot desking is supported by desk booking systems (typically offered as SaaS), which provide better control over space usage, give employees more flexibility, and help optimize costs.

Why is Everyone Talking About It?

The Covid pandemic changed working habits dramatically. Many businesses recognized this shift as an opportunity, not only to offer employees a more flexible and satisfying work experience, but also to reduce costs by downsizing unnecessary office space.

Since then, hybrid work has become the new normal, and hot desking is quickly shifting from a trend to standard practice. As teams come and go throughout the week, assigning a permanent desk to every employee just doesn’t make sense, especially when those desks sit empty half the time. 

Hot desking helps companies adapt by making office space more flexible, efficient, and cost-effective.

Who Uses Hot Desking?

Desk sharing is used by a variety of modern businesses and organizations seeking to optimize office space utilization.

Some common users of hot desk management software include:

• Corporate offices: Many corporate offices, especially those with hybrid or remote work policies, implement hot desking software to efficiently manage desk availability for in-office employees. This allows them to reduce dedicated office space.

• Government agencies: Public sector organizations use hot desk booking systems to enable employees to reserve desks when working from multiple locations. This improves space usage across sites.

• Educational institutions: Schools and universities rely on desk reservation systems to manage computer labs, study spaces, and other shared campus resources for students and faculty.

• Coworking spaces: Coworking spaces use hot desking to allow members to reserve any open desk or office on-demand. This provides flexibility and promotes community.
  
  

What Are the Hot Desking Advantages and Disadvantages?

Hot desking has become a go-to strategy for modern workplaces, especially those embracing hybrid work models. It's a flexible, cost-effective, and space-saving model, but it’s not without its challenges.

Advantages of hot desking:

1. Better use of office space – Helps companies downsize or repurpose space, cutting real estate and utility costs.

2. Supports cost efficiency – Fewer desks = lower infrastructure, cleaning, and maintenance expenses.

3. Encourages flexibility – Promotes a more agile, adaptive work culture.

4. Fosters Collaboration – May break down silos and encourage communication across departments.

5. Enables hybrid work models – Aligns well with employees who work part-time from home.

Disadvantages of hot desking:

3. Reduced team cohesion – Colleagues might not sit near each other consistently, which can disrupt team dynamics.

1. Lack of Personalization – May reduce employees' sense of ownership or comfort.

2. Potential for daily inconvenience – Searching for a suitable or preferred desk can waste time and cause frustration. Without good systems, it may lead to double bookings or desk hoarding.

4. IT and equipment challenges – Inconsistent setups can cause compatibility issues or delays. Users may face problems with docking stations, monitors, or connectivity.

5. Hygiene and cleanliness concerns – Shared desks require stricter cleaning policies and hygiene awareness.

6. Rules of Effective Hot Desking

While the concept sounds simple, putting it into practice can be a bit tricky, especially in large environments. Without clear rules, the right tools, and a thoughtful layout, hot desking can create more confusion than convenience.

In the sections below, you’ll find proven best practices to make hot desking work. Not just in theory, but in real offices, with real people.

Whether you're setting up hot desking for the first time or fine-tuning your current setup, these tips will help you create a workspace that supports your team and your goals.

1. Start by setting clear policies

Hot desking only works when everyone knows how it works. That’s why having clear, written policies is essential from day one. 

Start by defining how hot desking functions in your office. 

• Can desks be used freely, or must they be booked in advance? 

• Will there be different zones?

• Are some desks reserved for certain teams? 

• What happens if someone leaves belongings behind?

• What are the booking rules?

• What’s the cancellation policy?

For example, one of the most important rules to establish is a clean desk policy. Every employee should leave the workspace as they found it. No clutter, no post-it notes, no coffee cups left behind. This helps keep the environment welcoming and ready for the next person.

Also consider setting a booking window, such as allowing desk reservations up to one week in advance. Too much freedom can lead to confusion or worse, desks sitting “reserved” but unused.

2. Implement the right hot desk booking software

Trying to manage hot desking through spreadsheets or sticky notes? That’s a recipe for frustration. A dedicated desk booking system is a must if you want things to run smoothly.

Software should support your policies, not shape them. Select a hot desking solution that aligns with your policies, gives you flexibility and ease of use. The best hot desk booking software comes as SaaS and delivers benefits for office managers such as:

• Ease of onboarding your team

• Centralized control over bookings, zones, and desk types 

• Real-time visibility into desk occupancy

• Easier enforcement of workplace policies

• Efficient space planning and optimization

• Reduced administrative workload and manual coordination

• Data and reports for decision-making (e.g. usage trends, peak days)

• Support for compliance with health/safety guidelines

Hot desking software like Dibsido makes it easy for employees to see available desks and reserve them in just a few clicks.

The best systems deliver features such as interactive floor maps, desk booking calendars with attributes and filters, usage analytics and reporting for data-driven decisions, access controls and permissions to restrict bookings, mobile apps, and integrations with third-party tools like Google or Outlook calendars.

Navigate to our dedicated article on choosing the best hot desk booking software to learn more.

3. Ensure everyone understands how hot desking works

Even the best system won’t work if people don’t understand how to use it. That’s why a short onboarding session or a simple step-by-step video guide to hot desking can make the difference. 

Show employees how to use the desk booking software, explain the desk reservation policies, outline the do’s and don’ts of using a shared desk, and let them know who to contact in case of any issues.

Just as important, leadership should embrace the system, too. When managers and team leads also use hot desks, it sends a clear message that flexibility is for everyone, not just certain roles.

By normalizing this behavior, you reinforce that hot desking is part of your culture, not just a logistical solution, but a reflection of how your company works: agile, open, and inclusive.

We talk about this topic deeper in our article focused on employee onboarding.

4. Balance flexibility with personal comfort

Even in a shared environment, employees still need a sense of stability and support. If people know they have a safe space for their job, they’ll be more willing to embrace a non-fixed workspace.

One of the key hot desking best practices is zoning. Not every desk is suited for every type of work. Create quiet zones for deep focus, collaborative zones for team huddles, and perhaps even dedicated desks for departments that need to sit together more often. This thoughtful approach helps everyone find the right fit, not just any empty seat.

Also, let employees reserve recurring time slots at the same desk to maintain consistency and personal comfort.

5. Make workplace setup seamless

Few things frustrate employees more than struggling with cables, missing adapters, or incompatible setups. A seamless experience is essential to making hot desking work smoothly.

Equip each desk with plug-and-play setups such as adjustable chairs, dual monitors, universal docking stations, and pre-configured devices so employees can settle in quickly and work comfortably.

Also, make sure there’s easy access to tech support if something goes wrong. Whether it’s a QR code at each desk, a hotline, or an internal chat system, fast help keeps productivity flowing and minimizes downtime.

A one-size-fits-all approach just doesn’t cut it when people have different working habits and needs.

6. Collect feedback and improve as you go

Hot desking isn’t a “set it and forget it” system. Even if you use good hot desking software that automates manual work, your environment evolves with your employees’ needs.

To keep the system running smoothly, conduct regular surveys to gather employee feedback. Maybe people want more collaborative areas or quieter corners. You won’t know unless you ask.

Also, take advantage of the analytics provided by your hot desking solution to make data-informed adjustments. For example, Dibsido offers insights into user behavior, detailed workspace usage, and other useful stats, helping you identify overbooked zones, fine-tune policies, and adjust layouts based on real data (see our article on how desk booking software impacts the future of office design).

These ongoing improvements not only keep your setup efficient but also contribute to greater employee satisfaction.

Conclusion: Hot Desking Done Right

Hot desking doesn’t have to be chaotic. With the right strategy, tools, and policies, it becomes a smart way to save space, encourage collaboration, and support your hybrid workforce.

Let’s recap:

• Set clear desk booking policies

• Choose an easy-to-use booking system that supports your needs

• Ensure everyone understands how hot desking work

• Balance flexibility with comfort and personalization

• Ensure the workplace setup is seamless for an employee

• Use data and feedback to continuously improve

Ready to take the next step? Try Dibsido, a flexible, user-friendly desk booking software proven by your peers. You can try it for free and benefit from a free version for up to 20 users.