More and more, companies are embracing flexible working strategies and more liberal remote work policies. To help accommodate this shift within an organization, it’s important to adopt the right technology to ensure productivity doesn’t dissipate as a result, and if the new office policy involves the introduction of a hot desking strategy, this means FMs will likely be in the market for desk booking software. However, before flicking the switch and implementing hot desking across an organization, it’s important IT specialists first do the proper ground work to ensure their office is sufficiently equipped to deal with the change.
A successful implementation of a desk booking strategy requires cross departmental collaboration, particularly between FMs and the IT department. Any new strategy will include technology updates that will need to be implemented, managed and measured. As the gatekeeper for all things software and technology within an office, IT teams understand the technical requirements of implementing a desk booking system and can help FMs make the right call. As such, involving the IT team early allows them to communicate any red flags they have early on so that your project doesn’t get derailed. Since desk booking software could make or break an organization’s hot desking strategy, IT teams need to consider a lot of factors when choosing and implementing the new technology.
As a member of the IT team, you’ll want to ensure that all company data is protected with the highest security standards in mind. Any and all software you implement should have proven security strategies in place. Data privacy and protection is key. IT leaders should query potential software services about their data protection measures in the early stages of communication.
Since hot desking means that employees will likely be sitting at a different desk every day, it’s imperative that employees always have access to the documents and programs required to get their job done. However, you don’t want it to be a free-for-all. Make sure your hot desking support software gives adequate control over roles and permissions so that each employee has access to exactly what they need—no more, no less. Your team should be able to help FMs organize and manage this every step of the way.
Any software you choose should not be confined by your company size. As your organization grows, the system needs to grow with you. The point of hot desking is to make the best use of your space in order to accommodate growth and change. The last thing you need is software that isn’t prepared to adapt to a growing, thriving workforce. IT therefore needs to assess any desk reservation software for future and present flexibility.
IT will be the go-to team if anything goes wrong, or if an employee is having a hard time getting a grasp on the new systems. To make sure your team doesn’t get bogged down with user inquiries, opt for desk booking software intuitive enough that even those who may not be that tech-savvy can figure it out in a pinch. The user experience should therefore be at the core of whatever software you choose, giving all employees the ability to hit the ground running with little intervention or instruction.
This is important for IT and FMs alike, but IT in particular can use solid data reporting to their advantage. A system that offers insightful and detailed reports about office usage and employee preferences is invaluable when making recommendations for further growth, system upgrades, cost-saving measures or strategies for maximizing efficiency. As such, a strong reporting feature is of paramount importance when it comes to choosing desk booking software.
An organization’s IT team will know what desk booking software is best suited to the office’s current systems and structures, so they need to be the ones to lead the way when it comes to planning and implementation. IT-approved desk booking software will make sure a new hot desking policy will fit the needs of any company, regardless of industry or size, so it’s imperative that FMs and IT work together to make sure the new strategy is a success.
If you’re ready to explore some options for hot desking, request a free demo of OfficeSpace today.
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