Hot Desking: The Good, The Bad, and How to Make It Work

Hot desking has a PR problem. People hear "hot desking" and think: no personal space, fighting over the good monitors, the slow erosion of office morale. But that's bad hot desking — the kind where you just remove assigned desks and hope for the best.

Good hot desking vs bad hot desking

Bad: First-come-first-served chaos. People arrive at 8am to claim "their" desk. Latecomers get the wobbly chair by the toilet.

Good: Book your spot before you leave the house. See who else is in. Pick a desk near your team. Arrive knowing exactly where you're sitting.

What good hot desking needs

• Booking, not claiming — reserve a specific desk for the day, not a territory
• Visibility — see who else is in the office today
• Neighbourhoods — group desks by team so marketing sits near marketing
• Variety — quiet zones, collaboration areas, phone booths

Does it actually save money?

Yes. Companies with good hot desking typically reduce their office footprint by 20-30%. Fewer empty desks = smaller lease = real savings. The software pays for itself about 50 times over.

Making the switch

Start with a pilot floor. Get feedback. Expand. The key is making the booking experience so frictionless that people prefer it to the old way. Try DeskGo free for 30 days — set up one floor and see how your team responds.