There are a number of buzz words and phrases within the commercial interior design industry right now that are all closely related, including ‘agile working’ and ‘hot desking’.
While those two particular topics do undoubtedly fall under the same umbrella and are very much interlinked, they do also carry weight in their own right and have a number of unique benefits.
As we did in our article outlining the difference between agile working and flexible working, let’s first start by defining each of the concepts for clarity before exploring their individual features.
What is agile working?
Agile working is a modern approach to operations which enables staff to work where, when and how they prefer.
It’s an inclusive concept which means employees are able to pick the settings, facilities and types of workspace they think would enable them to perform to their full potential.
What is hot desking?
Hot desking facilities are typically comprised of a number of desks arranged as a specific setting which can be used by multiple people are different times.
It is a process by which some or all employees become more nomadic and take up designated ‘hot desks’ or workstations according to location or requirement.
Hot desking removes the need for staff to be anchored to a dedicated desk, encouraging more dynamic ways of working and the freeing up of valuable floorspace for more diverse work settings.
This means hot desking has many benefits for the employer as well as their workforce, the main one being the opportunity to reduce space requirements and cut down overhead costs. For employees, the ability to mix between teams and collaborate with more members of staff is one of the predominant advantages.
What is the difference between hot desking and agile work?
Strictly speaking, there isn’t a distinct difference between the two as hot desking is one of the core components which facilitate agile working.
Being able to reduce the number of assigned workspaces and instead rely on the fluidity and adaptability of hot desking is part of what forms agile working, so the two work intrinsically rather than in difference.
So, while hot desking is a specific tool that feeds into the idea of workplace freedom and professional autonomy of working environment, ‘agile working’ covers a broader concept which encompasses it.
Agile working incorporates a variety of different settings – be it collaboration, social, meetings or break out – to cater for activity-based work and to boost things like productivity and wellbeing. Hot desking is an instrumental part of this approach, as well as a great way to maximise the use of space.
Now you’ve got a better idea of the difference between these two closely linked concepts, click for more information on the pros and cons of hot desking to find out if it’s the right choice for your business.