Why is Office Hoteling in High Demand? – A Smart Office Solution

Over the years, we've seen how different alternatives regarding how we work at offices have arisen. We have multiple alternatives to the traditional nine-to-five schedule, and even for the regular cubicle or individual office space. Now we have more options, such as open offices, office hoteling and even hot desking.

One thing that’s worth noting about hoteling office spaces is that they’re sub-types found within the hybrid working model. Thus, if you’re looking for a solution of this kind, Autonomous Hybrid Work has been around for several years and includes hoteling workstation solutions.

However, before you choose what platform you should utilize to keep track of your business, we’d recommend learning about the office hoteling pros and cons.

For today’s article, we’ll explore the motives why office hoteling has become a high-demand office model for several platforms that offer this service.

How the modern office has evolved throughout the years

Most movies and sitcoms feature the same office environment: people coexisting in cubicles or assigned individual offices. We cannot blame the entertainment industry for this – this format has been "the chosen one" for over five decades. When people needed to leave the office, the only moments were whenever they needed to attend a meeting, have lunch, or any other extraordinary reason.

However, all of us have been witnesses of how this format has become hugely obsolete, and we can also categorize it as costly due to the large space required yet not taken advantage of. As the needs of the workers have changed and technology has advanced, office workers don't have to be chained to their desks for eight hours on a daily basis.

As millennials have become the most prominent generation in today’s workforce, they have stated multiple times how they do not wish to settle for this obsolete work model. They would prefer job opportunities that allow them to choose where, when, and how to work.

Furthermore, we also have to consider that this generation has been exposed to high technology devices since their childhood; thus, they expect to keep using them even during their jobs.

Office hoteling has become one of the preferred work models. It may have a similar dynamic to the model mentioned above, with a few differences that accustom it to the new generation and make it more viable for the upcoming ones.

What is office hoteling?

Office hoteling consists of a hybrid working model that allows employees to reserve and schedule beforehand, attending the workplace at the booked time, and completing their daily activities at the selected workstation.

This concept isn’t new. It originated a few decades ago at EY’s Chicago offices. However, it has increased in demand during the latest years, especially with the appearance of hoteling desk reservations systems via apps web-based solutions. In the past, the employee was required to make a call and book a workstation. However, now it is possible to do the same with our smartphones.

Office hoteling management would be challenging without modern systems. One of the main reasons for its popularity is the health concerns that have arisen after the COVID-19 pandemic hit us in late 2019. It then expanded quickly worldwide throughout 2020 as office hoteling can be combined without problems with a hybrid working model.

People can choose where, when, and how to work. However, with a hybrid working model, it will also be possible to keep a certain number of employees working remotely, which means you can take advantage of as much space as possible without risking the health of your workers.

Several large enterprises have been using this working format for several years – including Google and IBM.

Office Hoteling vs. Hot desking

“Office hoteling” and “hot desking” have been interchangeable terms for quite a while. However, in the latest years, multiple people have pointed out the differences between each option.

While office hoteling allows employees to book their workstations and schedule in advance, with hot-desking, they can come to the workplace at their expected schedules and select any available desk without the need for a reservation. This situation also means that people may not be able to work at their preferred spot unless they arrive early, as everything depends on desk availability.

With office hoteling, you can trust that the booking process will be equal for everyone. With all modern office hoteling management software solutions that are available nowadays, managers –or the person in charge of such tasks– are able to keep track of check-ins and check-outs easily.

Why is office hoteling currently trending?

The hybrid working consists of alternating between in-person attendance and hybrid remote working, and office hoteling is one of the most compatible systems with that offer. We can also categorize office hoteling as one of the many flexible workplace options that exist.

But why do we believe that this working model is becoming a trend within a company?

The main factor is that employers are now considering how their employees feel more deeply. Most of them want to provide flexible work opportunities that allow them to reduce costs and promote employee well-being, productivity, and satisfaction.

We have already mentioned a few advantages of office hoteling above, but let's finish this article by mentioning some noteworthy advantages of working together with your company.

Better productivity and collaboration

With office hoteling, your employees may be exposed to new individuals on a daily basis. As they won’t have to engage with the same people all the time, it will be easier for them to collaborate and come up with innovative ideas that allow them to keep up with the corporation’s goals.

Similarly, they will be able to be more productive as they will be choosing where and when they want to work, which is one of the main factors that affect a worker's mindset.

More visibility

Multiple workplaces with rigid norms are missing the opportunity of collaborating with valuable individuals. However, if the employees are satisfied with the results of the new hybrid office layout, it will grant your business more visibility.

Your enterprise will be able to get in touch with freelancers and many other talented individuals who want to contribute to a cause but cannot do so due to schedule concerns.