Desk sharing has been written off by some as a fad, and perhaps that’s understandable: many traditional business leaders fail to see how sharing desks could be a good thing. But this is to misunderstand the culture of desk sharing, which not only offers multiple practical benefits, such as cutting costs and saving space, but can also provide the true agility that today’s workforce requires.
Condeco’s Workplace Report found that global uptake of desk sharing is still surprisingly low. Those opposed to the idea of desk sharing might talk of a meteoric rise, with employees in offices the world over scrabbling to find a desk (we’ll address this particular myth later), but the data shows the opposite:
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Evidently, businesses are only dipping their toe into the desk sharing water – but why is this? It’s apparent that the oft-cited cases against desk sharing are somewhat misinformed. A quick glance at reasons why businesses are loath to give up their fixed desks reveals that most people opposed to the idea are hearing the words “desk sharing” and not much else.
Common complaints include business leaders worried their employees will fight over desks, or inconvenience in booking them (easily fixed with a proper desk booking system); others worry employees will feel uncomfortable without a space to put their personal items (this is what lockers are for – a mainstay of hot desking spaces). Other reported negatives include the physical impact of desks and chairs not designed for daily use (this is a bit of a cheeky straw man argument, since any hot desking system worth its salt is going to ensure workstations are ergonomically correct, and exceptions for permanent desks can be made for those who physically need them).
However, the most common argument against desk sharing is that employees will lose their ability to connect and collaborate, with team members separated from each other, and productivity lost. This isn’t true: an agile space will always encourage collaboration, with different areas set up for different purposes, including non-fixed desks. A good desk sharing system will offer employees the chance to book a bank of desks for teams, and an overlooked positive of desk sharing culture is that employees get the chance to talk to peers they might rarely interact with otherwise – surely that’s contributing to collaboration in a way that fixed desks cannot?
Overall, it seems the resistance to try desk sharing stems from unfounded fears. Perhaps the concept of desk sharing is something that needs to be brought into the traditional workplace gradually, proving its worth, before we can universally embrace it.