Navigating the highs and lows of desk sharing

Why desk sharing became the norm

When offices reopened after the COVID-19 crisis, a mix of remote and in-office work quickly became the norm. In its 2021 Work Trend Index, Microsoft reported that 66% of surveyed employers planned to introduce or expand hybrid working, and that 70% of employees wanted flexible remote work options to stay.

To make hybrid work, employers need to get the most out of every desk, while keeping people safe and comfortable. That means real-time capacity monitoring and a plan for parking spaces too.

Will desk sharing create the perfect workplace? Like anything, it has advantages and drawbacks. At Waldo we are fans of the hybrid workplace, but we also like to keep it real. So let's look honestly at both sides.

The lows of desk sharing

No room at the inn

Picture a company that is not ready for the return to the office but announces it anyway. Because of distancing rules at the time, the office is limited to 50% capacity. On day one, everyone comes in: naturally, they all want to reconnect.

The first arrivals claim their desks. At 50% capacity, so far so good. Then the second half arrives. Latecomers struggle to find an available workstation, improvise, and end up scattered across the office. Hours of the workday are lost.

The modern fix is a desk reservation system that monitors desk use in real time: employees book a specific desk for a specific time, and release it when they are done. That solves one issue. But what about…

Ergonomics

Shared desks, hot desks: whatever you call them, they lack personalisation. That is bad for ergonomics, because body shapes, posture preferences and medical conditions differ from person to person.

Every time someone uses a hot desk, they may adjust the chair height, tilt or lumbar support. Standard IT equipment suits most people, but those with specific needs (a vertical mouse for repetitive strain injury, for example) may feel discomfort or pain.

The answer: designate some workstations as "ergonomic" and let people with specific requirements reserve them, a bit like an accessible parking space. More comfort for employees, and less work for IT, who no longer have to reconfigure equipment every day. With Waldo, you can set aside specific desks for specific needs.

The highs of desk sharing

In-person collaboration

Some work is simply better done face to face, and creative teams are often eager to meet in person. Even with capacity limits and booking rules, teams can coordinate so that everyone comes in on the same day.

Smart desk booking software makes it easy. With Waldo:

• when your teammates are in the office, Waldo asks if you want to join them,
• it checks desk and parking availability to find you a space close to your team,
• it shows on the map where your teammates are sitting.

Contractors, freelancers and last-minute bookings

Many businesses rely on contractors and freelancers. Without desk sharing, welcoming them properly is hard. They are flexible, as long as the office is too.

With Waldo, an employee can book a desk for a guest, under the same capacity rules as everyone else. It is ideal for IT consultants, freelance accountants, meeting coordinators, anyone. And if guest spaces are under-used, they can become available to employees who switch from remote to office work on the same day. We call it "fluidification".

Make desk sharing simple with Waldo

Waldo helps small and large companies coordinate their hybrid workforce, manage desk and parking use, and reassign workspaces to keep teams happy and productive, all inside Microsoft Teams.

Wondering how to organise your shared office? Start with Waldo's free version, explore the features, or book a demo with our team.