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You’ve probably heard the term Hoteling, Hoteling Desk or even Hoteling Office. What is it?

A system of providing a workspace that is not owned or used exclusively by one person/entity. Instead, the space is shareable and even bookable. It’s very different from the traditional permanent or assigned spaces that don’t make sense for all businesses and employees.

An alternate method of handling unassigned seating is hot desking,  which has many drawbacks because it does not involve or allow for reservations and is more of a first-come, first-serve /  general seating option.

With hoteling, workers are not assigned their own desks; instead, they reserve a desk for their temporary use for just the days they expect to work in the office.

For example – think of the traditional boardroom or office space that seldom gets used except when a monthly board meeting takes place. Or the regional office that may sit idle when the employee is at headquarters or a different location. In these situations, it makes perfect sense to use the space when not occupied.

Perhaps you have a sales force that spends 80% of their workweek in the field and have minimal requirements for in-office space? What about the freelance graphic designer who wants to work after 6 pm, or the IT professional with an overseas client schedule is in a different time zone.

The concept itself is not new and has been around since the early nineties, however, since the pandemic we have seen a large shift in how, when and where people work. Hotelling is a win: win for employers looking to minimize costs, provide greater flexibility for staff and to put the lions share of their budget into making a workspace great with quality finishes, ergonomic furnishing and perhaps even choosing a location that better meets the needs of the company, clients and staff – centrally located, better parking/transit, neighbourhood amenities.

Do we think hoteling is great? Yes, for many but not all. Hoteling may not be the best fit for employees or companies that do not schedule their work or have little to no control over their workweek, but for many it makes good sense.

Want to learn more about Hoteling for your office or business? Get in touch. We’d love to tell you about our client who moved office space from three floors to one.