Dedicated Desk vs. Hot Desk — What’s Right for Your Business?

Because the world of work has changed, more and more companies are renting co-working spaces, affording them considerable flexibility and significantly reducing overheads. It’s predicted that coworking will have a yearly growth rate of over 21.3% each year as larger corporations, and not just start-ups and freelancers, adopt this contemporary way of work.

For business owners, there is sometimes confusion over a hot desk vs dedicated desk, especially when it comes to how they can benefit a company. Let’s take a brief look at the difference between the two, so you can make an informed decision.

What’s a Hot Desk?

Having originated in the 1990s, hot desking is a prevalent and flexible work arrangement where professionals take whatever desk is available to them instead of occupying an assigned space. Common in co-working spaces, hot desking offers a noncommittal office in a collaborative environment away from home.

Pros & Cons

There are some hot desking advantages and disadvantages, which keep professionals on their toes. Here is the intangible advantages of community:

• Increased collaboration: Since employees aren’t confined to a desk, they’re more likely to meet and mingle with different professionals, finding inspiration and ways to troubleshoot tasks.
• Affordability: There’s no long-term lease. You pay for desk space as you need, making it far more affordable than traditional lease agreements.
• Zero office clutter: Chances are your team will rotate desks, so there isn’t really an opportunity to leave personal belongings lying around.
• Flexibility: If your company needs to scale, you can just rent more desk space, or upgrade to a private office space at 620 N LaSalle.
• Lifestyle: Hot desking is perfect for companies that offer remote working, entrepreneurs, small businesses, freelancers, and consultants as it caters towards a flexible working lifestyle with modern conveniences needed to operate a successful business.

As might be expected, there are some drawbacks to hot desking as well:

• Disruptive: When it comes to a dedicated desk vs. a hot desk, the latter is often disruptive to those who prefer their personal space or need a quieter working environment.
• Lack of Hierarchy: With everybody sitting at the same desks, it’s challenging to maintain a sense of hierarchy, especially if this is critical to your business operations.
• Disjointed communication: Teams that work together may find it frustrating trying to locate an area large enough for them to sit next to each other.
• Limited privacy: This is often a deal-breaker for companies, so be sure to find a coworking space with private phone booths.

What Is a Dedicated Desk?

Companies and individuals get the best of both worlds with a dedicated desk, meaning they receive the perks of a co-working space but with their own desk, chair, and sometimes filing cabinet. Dedicated desks are perfect if you like co-working but perform better with structure and routine.

Pros & Cons

Just like hot-desking, there are also many benefits to renting a dedicated desk:

• Amenities: Most dedicated workspaces offer amenities like complimentary beverages, shared office equipment, and private storage facilities. Some even come with added lifestyle benefits like gym access, tenant lounges, and boardrooms.
• Dedicated team space: Because staff work at the same desk every day, they don’t have to waste time trying to find a space to sit, enabling greater productivity.
• Personalization: Dedicated desks allow professionals to personalize their spaces, which is beneficial for companies needing additional monitors or equipment.

But, there are also disadvantages too.

• Increased overheads: Dedicated desks cost more than hot-desking, which may be unfavorable for companies looking to keep expenses down.
• Decrease in collaboration: With everyone at their own desks, there’s less chance for cross-departmental or random collaboration with other professionals in the coworking space.
• Less flexibility: Team members don’t have the option to choose a workstation that suits their working style.

How Are Hot Desks and Dedicated Desks Different?

Ownership

While neither hot desking nor dedicated desks offer ownership, dedicated desks do provide a permanent space for the length of your membership, while hot-desking works on a first-come, first-served basis.

Interaction

Hot desking increases the chances of collaboration as workers rotate desks from day to day, whereas dedicated desks diminish the cross-pollination of ideas and collaborative opportunities outside a company’s staff.

Cost

Hot desking memberships are cheaper because you’re not using one desk permanently; you pay for the time you need and choose whichever desk is free. Dedicated desk memberships are more expensive because there’s a degree of permanence, and they often come with secure file storage cabinets.

Flexibility

Hot desking is ideal for companies that are scaling or can’t guarantee they’ll need to rent a permanent desk. On the other hand, dedicated desks are perfect for businesses that don’t require as much flexibility but still don’t want to sign a long-term lease.

Combined Approach

Finally, you don’t have to choose between a dedicated desk vs. a hot desk work arrangement; you can have both. This works especially well for dynamic and flexible companies who have work-from-home policies but still want a contemporary office space.

Conclusion

Dedicated desks and hot-desking are benign solutions for businesses adapting to 21st-century work culture. At 620 N LaSalle, we offer both dedicated and hot desks for rent in our coworking space in River North, Chicago. Contact us today to find out more!