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We’ve been encouraged to work in the office a few days a week, but some of my colleagues within our company didn’t get the memo that there is a hoteling reservation process in place. I’m tired of going into the office, only to find someone working at the desk that I reserved for the day.

Elaine Varelas provides tips on how to implement best practices for hotel and hot desking.

Q.  My company uses a hoteling system at our office for both desk and offices. It can be frustrating though when colleagues from outside offices visit our office and have no regard for the fact that I reserved a particular desk. I’ve often come into the office, only to find that someone is working at the desk that I reserved that morning and is on a call. Our office is extremely short on desks. Management wants us to come into the office three times a week, but I really hate this hotel desk model and the lack of etiquette guidelines and management of the system.

A. As hybrid workplaces have become more common, so has desk hoteling. It is called hoteling because there's a reservation system and it’s similar to booking a hotel room, except you reserve a desk for a day or a few hours. Typically, these hoteling/hot desking reservation systems/software are online or accessible via mobile apps. Workers can look at what's available and what's not available for them to sign up for and reserve a desk or office in advance.

If people are not paying attention to the reservation system, then they do need to be called out on that. If you have an office administrator who can put a reserved sign on desks that have been reserved by the online system, that's one way to recognize that these areas are reserved, and these etiquette guidelines are not to be ignored. People choose different offices or desks either for proximity to other colleagues or because they need a private space. So, this isn't a first come, first serve basis.

If someone is working at the desk that's reserved, the person who had the reservation is well within their rights to be able to say, "I know you're comfortable here, but I've reserved this desk so that I can work closely with my colleague. If you wouldn't mind moving, that would be great. In the future, here's the link to the reservation system." If they're on a call, I'd consider writing them a note recognizing that they're tied up right now, but that you had reserved the desk and as soon as they're done with that call, you would welcome the information about when your desk will be available. Share with them that you've used the reservation system that's been made available to you to make your workday more productive by having a space that's been reserved.

Often the first reminder typically can come from leadership or whoever runs the reservation system to remind people that there are guidelines to be followed and proper etiquette related to the reservation system. Workers who have reserved desk space or an office should be aware that if the process is not being followed, they are encouraged to ask others to vacate the space. Workers should avoid storing items in an office, on the desk, or in desk drawers to allow for a clean workspace for the next worker who will utilize the space.

For employees who reserve the space and then don't show up to use that space, the space manager should find a way to ensure that space won't be as available to them in the future. With desk hoteling systems in place and with less office space available, all these new business etiquettes need to be followed to allow people to be their most productive while using hybrid workspaces. Workers should also be given a hot desking option, which allows workers who may not have reserved a workspace the flexibility to choose a workspace when they arrive at the office. Today’s hybrid work environments require a lot of creativity in offering employees different workspace solutions to help them maintain productivity and eliminate employee conflict.
  Boston.com

By Elaine Varelas