Recent office trends, such as hot-desking and working from home arrangements, are proving to be more problematic than productive. The practice of hot-desking involves the removal of individually allocated workspaces and the introduction of a first come, first served or free-for-all policy.
While supporters of the arrangement boast the change saves costs, increases productivity and collaboration between employees, and strengthens inter-departmental relationships, things may not always be as they seem.
A recent study involving the assessment of 1000 Australian employees in a shared office space revealed that hot-desking was associated with a number of undesirable consequences, such as increases in distraction and negative relationships.1
Despite what was generally thought, the study revealed that shared environments did not in fact strengthen relationships or improve supervisor support and that collaboration between colleagues was less common and less pleasant. What’s more, under such an arrangement, valuable time can be wasted searching for a vacant desk, setting up in the morning and packing up at the end of each day.
So, should your organisation be hot-desking?
Any business considering the transition to a hot-desking model should first consider the potential risks and costs. As mentioned above, hot-desking sees employees spending time finding a space to work, setting up for their day and of course, packing away when it’s time to go home. Depending on your office and the equipment that the employee requires, this may be a cumbersome task that takes more time than first thought and costs your business valuable time and money.
You should also consider the individual needs of each of your employees. Employees with specific needs, such as requiring ergonomic desks and chairs, may struggle with this arrangement, which could lead to further reductions in productivity and the potential for a workplace injury claim, as was the case for the Australian Taxation Office in 2011.
With all of this in mind, the decision to introduce such a policy should be an educated one, with consideration paid to the multiple elements that could affect your employees and organisation.
What about working from home?
Another increasingly popular workplace structure involves a flexible working from home arrangement. This can manifest differently in organisations, but will typically involve staff being permitted to work from home one to two days a week.
Work from home (WFH) arrangements have been said to significantly increase staff productivity. Without having to endure the stresses of commuting to work, employees are likely to be less fatigued, and therefore more energised and ready to work. Some studies have also revealed some employees work harder or longer if working from home as the elimination of office distractions may result in a boost in productivity.
However, as with any organisation-wide policy, it’s not one-size-fits-all. While for most, working from home will boost their productivity, there could be a select few who aren’t as self-motivated and who may struggle to complete their work.
A new set of distractions arising from a WFH arrangement, such as unfinished household tasks, may also contribute. Finally, it can present issues for your IT department, as they work to ensure employees have access to relevant resources from home in a secure way.
While added flexibility may have a beneficial impact upon an organisation’s productivity, this may not be the case for everyone. Therefore, when reviewing your policies, you must consider the needs of your organisation and the characteristics of your staff and ensure that any change is communicated and rolled out effectively and efficiently.
Before introducing hot-desking or working from home arrangements in your business, speak to us – we may be able to help you avoid a few pitfalls.
