Benefits of WFH and disadvantages of Hot desking research?
July 25, 2023 11:16 AM Subscribe
Looking for decent evidence bases/research on the benefits of home working to organisations and individuals and the negatives of hot desking.
Thanks.
Latest Manager desperate to make his mark is going in like a bull in a China shop to return traumatised extremely hardworking staff to hot desk in a loud, unproductive, costly and ergonimically awful environment where we have very unwell (depressed/psychotic etc) patients on the phone asking 'what all the laughing in is the background?" as we lug 3kg bags from desk to desk, room to room or lose time travelling all over the shop instead of being able to crack on with the actual job at hand.
In my view (20 years in the job) it is utter madness. However, I don't know if I can face giving another perspective.
I did raise it may not be a good time to implement changes in the school holidays meaning not fully staffed etc, harder for single parent staff etc to juggle the extra stresses just now (it is supposedly a family friendly employer) and was told boss 'doesn't care about holidays and is not having working from home being used for childcare' which having never done this once, found personally really offensive.
I do understand some need for team connection but I also recognise that staff who are trusted to work autonomously having earned their stripes are far more likely to stick around. Also that the world has changed been by covid trauma, work included.
Latest Manager desperate to make his mark is going in like a bull in a China shop to return traumatised extremely hardworking staff to hot desk in a loud, unproductive, costly and ergonimically awful environment where we have very unwell (depressed/psychotic etc) patients on the phone asking 'what all the laughing in is the background?" as we lug 3kg bags from desk to desk, room to room or lose time travelling all over the shop instead of being able to crack on with the actual job at hand.
In my view (20 years in the job) it is utter madness. However, I don't know if I can face giving another perspective.
I did raise it may not be a good time to implement changes in the school holidays meaning not fully staffed etc, harder for single parent staff etc to juggle the extra stresses just now (it is supposedly a family friendly employer) and was told boss 'doesn't care about holidays and is not having working from home being used for childcare' which having never done this once, found personally really offensive.
I do understand some need for team connection but I also recognise that staff who are trusted to work autonomously having earned their stripes are far more likely to stick around. Also that the world has changed been by covid trauma, work included.
Hot-desking requires lockers if you have people dealing with confidential material - I have a work locker for my laptop and any paperwork. If you have HIPPA or other confidential discussions, you need a separate team space to hot desk within.
Is there a desk booking system? Mine has it so you can book your desk for the days in office which people do for the busiest day. Another strategy was to block book an area for a team to organise their seats inside, or book a meeting room regularly.
Also that this should not be an either/or conversation. My current place is 1-2 days in office, 3-4 WFH. Because of space constraints, the in-office days were distributed over the week - finance came in Thursday, Hr Wednesday, devops on Tuesday etc. Time in office is helpful for coordinating and team things, then WFH to actually do the stuff.
If he insists on hot desking, you need the tools - lockers, department blocks, a booking system for up to a week and every desk needs cables and charging points equally. Sanitation wipes are also nice to have.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 6:20 PM on July 25, 2023 [5 favorites]
Is there a desk booking system? Mine has it so you can book your desk for the days in office which people do for the busiest day. Another strategy was to block book an area for a team to organise their seats inside, or book a meeting room regularly.
Also that this should not be an either/or conversation. My current place is 1-2 days in office, 3-4 WFH. Because of space constraints, the in-office days were distributed over the week - finance came in Thursday, Hr Wednesday, devops on Tuesday etc. Time in office is helpful for coordinating and team things, then WFH to actually do the stuff.
If he insists on hot desking, you need the tools - lockers, department blocks, a booking system for up to a week and every desk needs cables and charging points equally. Sanitation wipes are also nice to have.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 6:20 PM on July 25, 2023 [5 favorites]
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posted by griseus at 12:10 PM on July 25, 2023 [5 favorites]