What Is Office Hoteling and Why Your Company Needs It

Ever heard of “office hoteling”?

As workplaces continue to adapt and offer more flexible options, office space hoteling has gained traction in our post-pandemic work routines. Similar to the concept of a hotel stay, a hoteling desk offers the desk space workers need, without having to commit to a home base. This will include all the office essentials workers need, without the nameplate or designated spot old office models included.

So, what is hoteling office space, and what are the benefits of this growing office model? To help you understand this option and how to integrate it into a workplace, 620 N Lasalle are sharing the perks of a hoteling workspace and how it acts as the perfect alternative to traditional desk arrangements.

What Is Office Hoteling?

Office hoteling, also referred to as desk hoteling, is a flexible desk reservation option to provide you with a workplace as needed. This option can refer to both a single desk or a room and allows you to book whenever you like, without being constrained by long-term leases and rentals. Similar to a hotel, hoteling office space allows you to make a reservation, check in, stay for the designated amount of time, and check out.

This is wonderful for those who typically have work-from-home jobs and are looking for a change of scenery, with many employees from different companies permitted to book the hoteling space.

What Is Hoteling Office Space vs a Hot Desk?

Let’s start by clarifying any confusion when it comes to workspace hoteling vs hot desks. These two terms can often be used interchangeably, however, there is a difference between the two work options.

A hoteling desk involves the process of booking and checking in to access the space, as you would in a typical hotel experience. To access a spot, even if a room is full of empty desks, a person must check in to find the one that is right for them.

On the other hand, a hot desk offers a little more freedom. With this option, desks are unassigned and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Anyone is welcome, but without reservations, there's no guarantee you will get a spot. This will just depend on the capacity and availability at the moment.

While the two options are clearly similar, it comes down to clear access and control of the environment. By opting for workspace hoteling, you can ensure that your desk is reserved, while a hot desk will provide the same space as it’s available.

Why Is Hoteling Office Space Becoming Popular?

There are a number of benefits of office hoteling, leading many workers today to opt for this office offering. The reasons this has become such a popular model are:

• People prefer flexibility: Post-pandemic, many people are enjoying the benefits of working from home and flexible office schedules. Studies have shown this arrangement allows for increased focus, as well as a boost to savings, too. In fact, 56% of adults in the U.S. have jobs that offer at least partial remote work. 
• People want more control: The daily commute took a lot of time out of employees’ days, but now, with flexible office schedules, workers have more control of their time, something they really enjoy. 
• People have the technology to support WFH: Technology developments today allow many to easily work from home at least part-time. With virtual meetings and other enhancements, everyone can be accessible, without being in-person. 

Hoteling Office Space Benefits

Now that we know the answer to “what is office hoteling?”, it’s time to dive into the benefits. Hoteling spaces offer a number of benefits to both companies and their employees, helping promote everything from collaboration and productivity to reducing costs for the office itself.

To help you better understand if hoteling out work is right for you, here are the benefits of hoteling coworking space.

Reduced Costs Per Square Foot

A big benefit of a hoteling workplace is that it offers big saving potential when it comes to real estate costs. Due to the fact that individuals are not tied to a specific space and don’t have to be in for a full workday, offices can actually increase the number of people that cycle through their space, allowing for more payments to be made to use the space than in a standard office.

Improved Resources

Since a hoteling model office doesn’t require that everyone comes in every day to work, resources are abundant. As many opt to work from home, or at least do so part-time, desks, rooms, and equipment are readily available to those that actually do come in, removing that common wait time we used to have in bustling offices.

Boosted Productivity and Collaboration

With hoteling spaces, collaboration flourishes. Hoteling model office options tend to offer not only desk space, but conference rooms and workstations that allow groups and teams to more easily collaborate and converse, ultimately boosting productivity as they can gather in one space and quickly bounce ideas off one another and answer questions. This will not only encourage productivity but innovation, too.

Seamless Visitor Management

Typically, hoteling workspace options offer clean, organized technology that helps book and track attendance, which comes in handy when guests, consultants, and clients come to visit. With this system, spaces can be booked in advance to ensure there is room for visitors in the office, making their office visit much easier.

Insight into Space Availability

Due to the technology used in office space hoteling, those that use these spaces can actually check out the occupancy and density of the location they are hoping to visit in advance. This can help them plan their visit accordingly, stopping in when spaces are free and opting to stay home on days where it is particularly busy.

Agile Workforce

With many people working side jobs or contracting work on top of their primary job, an office hoteling system can help create a more agile, flexible work environment. As many businesses experience fluctuations in the workforce, office hoteling can ensure they have a space to collaborate with some features, no matter how many people are meeting at the time.

Consistency Across Offices

With large companies that have offices and bases across the country, office hoteling is a wonderful alternative that allows employees to work from anywhere their company’s satellite offices are. This way, employees have the resources they need, without being stuck in just one city to get them. This is wonderful for employees that travel for work, allowing them to find the comfort of their office and be productive, no matter how far from home they may be

Take a Tour Today!

Ready to switch up your remote work environment? At 620 N LaSalle, you can take advantage of our office hoteling and hot desking options, working in a new space as your schedule permits. To explore our offerings, contact us today.

How Do You Know If Office Hoteling Is Right for Your Business?

Now that you know all about the benefits of office hoteling, is it time to implement office hoteling for your business?

There are many businesses that office hoteling will work well for, particularly:

• Businesses looking to scale: Start-ups and other businesses with plants to grow may not quite be ready to pay for a large office space. With hoteling, you can have the space you need while saving as you grow your workforce.
• Businesses who are sharing co-working space: Hoteling is a large part of the co-working model. For those considering this model, hoteling will allow you to trust that your space is reserved for you when you want it. 
• Businesses who are 100% remote: Hoteling is a wonderful option for those that have gone fully remote, but want to visit an office location occasionally. This allows for more collaboration and a change of scenery. 
• Businesses looking to reduce their office footprint: For those that aren’t getting the most out of a large workspace, you can majorly reduce your footprint with hoteling. This allows you to adjust to a more efficient space that affects the workforce. 

How to Implement Office Hoteling: Best Practices

To implement office hoteling for your business, there are some best practices to consider to ensure you get the most out of this model. Here’s what we recommend.

Get Opinions First

Before committing to this approach, it’s important to see if your employees like the model. Understanding your people’s needs is essential before opting for office hoteling, as they are who you are hoping to better serve. Ensure that all employees are confident in the new model and understand the expectations. If not, there are other options, such as hot-desking, that may better suit your needs. 

Invest in an Employee and Visitor Sign-In System

To have a successful hoteling model, your employees have visibility on who is coming into the workplace and when. This way, they can decide if they should come in as well, or if they are better off remaining remote. Additionally, the workplace manager must know who is expected in the office to ensure all the necessary space is available. 

Consider Room and Desk Booking Software

Beyond just reserving a desk with office hoteling, employees can also book a meeting and conference rooms. This can help a lot with organization and any misunderstandings, but to get the most out of this, you’ll likely want to invest in room booking software to ensure everyone can see what is booked and what’s available ahead of time. 

Conclusion

Growing and expanding your business in the wake of the pandemic is essential, and adjusting to the workforce’s desires and needs is a must, and office space hoteling is one key way to do this. By future-proofing your business with flexible, rentable hoteling workspace options, you can ensure that employees have the freedom and space they need to create and innovate to the best of their abilities. And with a number of benefits of this office model, workspace hoteling is only expected to flourish.

For the best hotelling model office options in the Chicagoland area, 620 N Lasalle knows how it’s done. With a number of different office models to suit the needs of different companies and individuals, the right workspace for your business is within reach. For help finding your new space, contact us today at 312-800-1997 or [email protected].