At a time when flexibility and efficiency are crucial to the success of your company, skilled desk management is essential. It supports the seamless integration of office and remote work, minimizes vacancy and thus contributes to a productive and satisfying work environment.

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But how exactly can desk management be implemented efficiently in your company? In this article, we'll give you valuable tips on how to ensure that everything runs like clockwork in the hybrid workplace.

What is desk management?

Desk management plays a central role in today's working world. But what exactly does desk management actually mean? It involves effectively managing, reserving and allocating workplaces — particularly in office environments where employees are no longer in the office every day. Desk management ensures that desk sharing works smoothly in your company, i.e. that every employee finds a job when they are in the office.

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By making a reservation, you can guarantee that the booked desk meets the individual needs of the team member. At the same time, desk sharing is an ideal way to make optimal use of available office space.

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An example shows exactly how this works: Imagine that your company relies on a hybrid working model, in which the teams are partly in the office but spend the other part of their week working from home. Let's say your company has 100 workstations, but only 60 employees are in the office on any given day.

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Instead of unnecessarily leaving desks unused for 40 people, desk management enables employees to book workplaces flexibly and as needed, thus avoiding vacant offices. This results in more efficient use of space and saves costs in the long term: for example for electricity, rent for unused space and more office furniture than necessary — dematerialization is the key word here.

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But desk management is more than just a technical solution for hybrid work. Because it contributes significantly to productivity and keep your teams happy by creating a work environment that meets both the needs of employees and the requirements of your company. In a working world where agility and flexibility are required, well-thought-out desk management is therefore not only practical but essential.

How can you organize desk management efficiently?

Although hybrid working has many benefits — from more flexible working hours to a better work-life balance — desk sharing also poses new challenges to the organization of workplaces.

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Desk management plays a decisive role in success — because who wants to come to the office in the morning only to find that there is no suitable workplace available? To avoid such frustrations, you should think about how you can design desk management in your company. To help you with this, we have the following tips for you:

Create a desk sharing concept

At the heart of efficient desk management in a hybrid work model is a well-thought-out desk sharing concept. It starts with a thorough analysis of the needs of your employees and the specific requirements of the various work areas, especially in open space offices. 

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In a hybrid work model, where your team members work partly in the office and partly remotely, not everyone will need a fixed desk every day. The goal of desk sharing is to make optimal use of existing resources and to avoid vacancies.

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In order to develop a suitable concept, you should ask yourself the following questions:

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• How many employees need a workplace in the office at the same time?
• Are there teams that need to work together physically on a regular basis?
• Which workplaces are suitable for creative tasks, which for concentrated work?

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By answering these questions, you can set up work zones that meet the various requirements — from a quiet retreat to a communicative team area. It is also important that the concept is flexible enough to be able to react to future changes.

Establish clear rules

A successful desk sharing concept stands or falls with clear, transparent rules. Because flexibility is only an advantage if everyone involved knows where they stand.

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One of the most important rules in desk management is a Clean Desk Policy. This means that every employee leaves their workplace at the end of the working day in such a way that it can be easily used by someone else. That means: No personal belongings, no scattered documents — just a tidy table. This ensures order, guarantees data protection and at the same time makes it easier to switch between different employees.

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At the same time, clear booking rules for desks should be established. How far in advance can a workplace be reserved? Are there any time limits for use? How do you deal with “no-shows”, i.e. reserved but unused workstations?

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Fair and transparent regulation ensures that all team members have equal opportunities and misunderstandings are avoided. Communication is key here: Make sure all employees know and understand the rules.

Adapting office to the new system

Even the best concept with the clearest rules is not enough if the office infrastructure doesn't play along. This is because hybrid working entails various special features, which should also be reflected in the design of the office.

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So set up various areas, such as rest rooms where employees can work undisturbed on concentrated tasks, or telephone boxes for confidential conversations. These retreats are particularly important because not every workplace is suitable for every task.

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The ergonomics of workstations are just as important when several people share a desk. Ergonomic chairs, height-adjustable desks and plenty of natural light are just a few of the elements that make your employees feel comfortable and productive.

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Remember: A pleasant working environment not only promotes health, but also employee satisfaction — and this ultimately has a positive effect on the overall working atmosphere and, last but not least, on the success of your company.

Introduction of a desk management app

If you want to make the most of desk sharing in your company, there is no way around desk management software. Such an app allows employees to conveniently book their workplace in advance, whether from the office or from home. This gives them the certainty that they have a place in the office when they arrive and at the same time helps them to better manage their workplace requirements.

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But the benefits of a desk management app go even further. Because the valuable data that the tool provides should not be underestimated: You can find out which workplaces are particularly popular, at what times your office is busy and when there are the most vacancies. This information helps you to continuously improve the desk sharing concept and identify the potential for savings.

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Desk management apps also promote transparency within the team: Everyone can see who is in the office and when and which seats are available. This creates trust and makes coordination within the team easier.

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In short, the right app optimizes resource usage, increases employee satisfaction and contributes to the efficiency of the entire hybrid work model. But finding the perfect desk management software for your company is often not that easy. Because since the pandemic, the selection of booking systems has been so large that you quickly lose track of things.

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Before you choose a desk sharing tool, you should first analyse your specific needs and requirements in detail. Ask yourself questions like “How many team members work in the office regularly? “or “What additional features do we need?” , because in addition to room reservation, many tools also offer practical integrations into existing systems.

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Of course, it is also important to ensure a user-friendly interface so that the app can be easily used by all employees, no matter where they are. Security standards and data protection are also key criteria that you shouldn't skimp on — especially if your company processes sensitive data. Fortunately, there is a solution that combines all of these criteria:

Flexopus — arguably the most intuitive desk management software

With Flexopus, desk sharing is child's play: Your employees can easily and conveniently reserve their workstations in the office via the intuitive app, whether for a day or for a longer period of time. The booking of parking spaces and meeting rooms and the organization of various buildings is no longer a problem.

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But Flexopus goes beyond simple desk sharing: It integrates seamlessly with your existing systems and helps you organize your office efficiently. Flexopus is also strategically valuable. Thanks to extensive analyses and reports, you get deep insights into office utilization and can make your space management more efficient.

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This means: less vacancy, more satisfied employees and a significantly better ROI for your company. With Flexopus, you are choosing a tool that meets the modern requirements of hybrid work models and is also future-proof. This desk management software is the ideal solution for companies that want to keep up with the times and actively shape the future of work.

Synopsis

Well-thought-out desk management is the key to a successful hybrid work model. With a clear desk sharing concept, established rules, an adapted office design and the right software, companies can not only optimize their workplace usage, but also increase employee satisfaction and productivity.

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Flexibility, transparency and efficiency are the pillars of this — and with a desk management tool such as Flexopus, you can easily master this pioneering way of working.