In the wake of work style reforms and the COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing number of companies are reconsidering their office seating arrangements. In addition to "assigned seats" where each employee has their own seat, companies are choosing seating arrangements to suit their work style and culture, such as "free hot desking" where employees do not have their own seats and can work at any seat of their choice, or "group desking" where hot desking is only used within a department.
However, there must be many people who are wondering what Advantage and disadvantage of each seating arrangement are, and which is the best fit for their company.
In this column, we will thoroughly compare the two major seating arrangements, "assigned seats "and" hot desking," with their Advantage and disadvantage! We will also explain the optimal office environment. We hope you will find this useful in creating your company's office environment!
Basic knowledge of the office environment: layout and seating arrangement
The office environment has a significant impact on employees' work comfort and productivity. First, let's look at two important elements when considering office space: layout and seating arrangement.
| item | explanation |
| Layout | This refers to the spatial design of an office and the arrangement of furniture. Factors that determine the functionality, efficiency, safety, atmosphere, and comfort of the office. |
| Seating arrangements |
The rules that determine where employees can work. Assigned seats: Each employee is assigned a dedicated desk and always works in the same place Hot desking: No specific desk, employees can choose any available space in the office to work. |
By combining these elements effectively, you can create an office environment where employees can work comfortably and be more productive.
The difference between assigned seats and hot desking, Advantage and disadvantage
assigned seats or hot desking, which is better for your company? By comparing the differences and Advantage and disadvantage of each, you can see the best option for your company.
Advantage and disadvantage of assigned seats
Advantage of assigned seats include:
[Advantage of assigned seats]
-
You can have your own space
└ Keep your personal documents and tools organized and work at your own pace.
└Create an environment that makes it easier to concentrate and improve work efficiency. -
Easy to implement security measures
└It is easy to restrict access to important documents and personal information, making it relatively easy to manage confidential information. -
Easy to communicate with team members
└Members of the same department sit close to each other, making it easier to consult with each other and exchange information.
On the other hand, disadvantage of assigned seats include:
Disadvantage of assigned seats:
-
Space inefficient
└Even if empty seats arise, they will not be utilized and office space will be wasted. -
Communication across departments is difficult
└Since there are many opportunities to communicate with members of the same department, it may become an environment where it is difficult to foster cross-departmental exchange or generate new ideas. -
Difficulty in responding to changes in the environment
└The disadvantage is that it is difficult to respond when there are layout or organizational changes.
Advantage and disadvantage of hot desking
Next, let's look at Advantage of hot desking.
[Advantage of hot desking]
-
Activating internal communication
└It becomes easier for workers to communicate naturally with each other across team and department boundaries.
└New ideas can be generated through interaction between different departments. -
Promoting diverse work styles
└You can work in the best environment according to your work content and mood, such as when you want to concentrate or communicate. It is also compatible with work remotely. -
Easy to change office layout
└Compared to assigned seats, it is easier to change the office layout.
└We can flexibly respond to business expansion or contraction, changes in team composition, etc.
On the other hand, disadvantage of hot desking include the following:
[Disadvantage of hot desking]
-
It takes time to adapt to the operating rules and environment.
It will take some time for all employees to get used to the new rules. In particular, it may take time for employees to adapt to rules that are different from the previous rules, such as where to store documents and how to manage their belongings.
-Until people get used to the environment of not having their own seat, there may be complaints such as not knowing where to sit. -
Difficulty communicating within the team
└Because there are no separate areas for each team or department, it can be hard to know where the member you want to talk to is.
└Ingenuity is needed to maintain teamwork. -
Difficulty concentrating
└If you are bothered by noise or gazes from the surroundings, your concentration may decrease.
◇ ◇ ◇
Whether assigned seats or hot desking is better depends on various factors, such as the size of the company, the nature of the work, and the culture.
For example, industries that need to place a high priority on security, jobs that have a high presence rate and require communication only with specific members, and companies with a lot of work that requires concentration will find assigned seats Advantage.
On the other hand, for companies that want to "promote freedom in how employees work," "make efficient use of office space," or "invigorate communication between employees," hot desking would be an effective option.
It is important to choose the optimal seating arrangement based on each company's situation and needs.
[Recommended]
What is a "group desking" for sharing locations on a team basis?
One style of seating arrangement that has been gaining attention in recent years is "group desking." workers are assigned areas by department or team, and can freely choose seats within those areas to work at.
group desking combine the best of both assigned seats and hot desking. Let's take a look at Advantage and disadvantage of group addresses as well.
Advantage and disadvantage of group desking
Compared to the traditional assigned seats system, group desking are expected to help stimulate communication within teams and promote flexible working styles.
The main difference with hot desking is whether or not seating areas are designated. With a free hot desking you can sit anywhere in the office, but with group desking, the area is limited.
Advantage of group desking include ease of management, team cooperation, and human resource development. Since it can be implemented on a team basis, it is Advantage to introduce than hot desking and can be operated more freely.
On the other hand, disadvantage are that if the area is not specified well in advance, there may not be enough seats, and because the area is limited, the same members may always use specific seats, which ends up being no different from operating with assigned seats.
How to use unreserved seats efficiently
There are two main ways to operate unreserved seats installed in hot desking or group desking.
The first way is to be able to use any available seat freely.
The second method is "hoteling," which involves reserving seats in advance.
Hoteling has Advantage of being able to secure a seat when you need it and being able to choose your preferred location in advance, but it also has disadvantage, such as the fact that reservations are always required and it cannot accommodate sudden requests.
It is important to choose the most appropriate operation method according to your company's situation and working style.
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This IoT tool allows you to check and reserve vacant seats in the office using your smartphone or PC, even when you're out or at home. It also makes the locations of workers visible, helping to ensure smooth operation of hot desking.
Find the right seating arrangement for your office
Assigned seats, hot desking, and group desking each have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Creating an office environment that suits your company is an important decision that affects employee satisfaction and productivity. Find the optimal seating arrangement based on the characteristics of your work, your company culture, and your employees' needs.
At Itoki, we provide total support in creating office spaces that meet the diverse needs of our customers, no matter what kind of office they are.
We also provide seminars, downloadable materials, and other content that will help you consider seating arrangements. If you are unsure about the issues or ideal appearance of your office environment, please feel free to contact us.
[Recommended for those considering assigned seats]
This article introduces surprising ways to improve your office by "rearranging the functions and space to suit your current work style" while still making use of the assigned seats system. It is worth a look for anyone who wants to improve their office while still keeping assigned seats.
[Recommended for those considering hot desking]
Hot desking Diagnostic Guidebook│Documents / Contents
This is a guidebook that allows you to easily check which departments are suitable for hot desking and which methods suit your company. It is a must-have book as the "first step" for those who are just starting to consider hot desking.
[Recommended for those who are having trouble managing hot desking]
A guide to recovering from a "failure" hot desking system│Materials and Contents
A must-read for those who have introduced hot desking but feel it is not working. This book explains three common issues that arise after the system is introduced and their specific solutions. This is a guidebook that will lead you to the ideal hot desking system.
