Desk sharing and home office a win-win in the pandemic
Even before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, home office, mobile working, and desk sharing were integral parts of the new workplace in the 21st century. This was still at a small percentage. However, the pandemic has taken these workplaces to a whole new level of importance as companies and their employees around the would have had to address these issues, along with many other challenges. Why? Simply to maintain operations and protect your own employees.
We’ve now become familiar with so many paradigms shift that decoupling work and the workplace is and attractive topic. This is precisely because the pandemic has taught us that it works even where it once seemed impossible.
We were able to learn that desk sharing is also affordable in companies and areas where, due to the given task, one always said, “No, that doesn’t work here!” Meanwhile, the most stubborn executives are realizing, partly because home office is mandatory in some places, that there are interesting aspects and benefits to many business processes that make it a win-win working model.
Of course, some large corporations took this approach a few years ago. They were isolated projects, they served as test runners, and were seen as very ambitious and often had mixed results. Before the pandemic, the desk sharing approach was still an ambitious undertaking in medium to large companies.
Even if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, some people still find it difficult to accept that their own desk is no longer “theirs.” After all, the desk was “mine” and it was the only ideal place to work, “decorated” according to personal preferences. As a result, many are the first to react very sensitively to decisions that reshape their work environment and thus their own daily routine. The first reaction often ends in resistance.
My job doesn't belong to me anymore! 😤
Honestly, they’re learning to share… that’s what their parents said in the sandbox. 😉 And the same applies to desks in the office: sharing is caring! So, keep an open mind and book a desk or an office in the future to inform your boss about your booking on which days you’ll be in the office. Booking places or keeping track of things is relatively easy for smaller companies with fewer colleagues via email or Excel. In larger companies, however, a software solution is necessary. In such cases, an intuitive booking system such as DeskNow is used.
Desk sharing workstations are used by everyone and of course there is no room for small personal items, picture or postcards from your last vacation. After all, you no longer sit alone in your seat. You have the balance in the home office where there is plenty of space for your personal pictures and small decretive items. But that doesn’t mean the office is dreary at all, because desk sharing means you can sit somewhere else every time. In some companies, this can also be the desk of the managing director. Yes, you read that right, work where the company director usually sits, or book a meeting room right away and invite your colleagues to work on a project together.
We can also look at desk sharing from a different perspective, namely as an accelerator!
The desk sharing model helps to force changes in the organizational structure, to increase flexibility and, in some cases, to redesign or rethink processes or procedures. Used skillfully, it is a support tool for achieving the set goals.
And then there are the social benefits, the interpersonal one.
One of the main problems faced by many teleworkers is the habit of not engaging in much social interaction, clarifying more via email, increasing a sense of isolation.
This is definitely an issue for teleworkers working from home: recent studies show that around 45% of people who work from home show more signs or loneliness than those who regularly work in the office with colleagues. Another problem in the home office is the fine line between work and private life, which sometimes leads to overtime and thus to additional difficulties in maintaining social contacts.
The desk sharing model is a fantastic opportunity to compensate for these deficits and to maintain social contacts through direct contact with colleagues. This form of social interaction promotes general well-being and ensures that all parties find their way around their roles better.
Do you need to put the finishing touches on your project? You and your team have already collected all the necessary points, but the final document is not ready yet? This is exactly the right place for working from home, focused and without external distractions.
Offer your employees the flexibility of the new world of work and be won over by growing results and a better mood within the team.
Any questions? You need help? Our external NewWork consultants are also happy to assist you.