The world is so close to going back to normal after the height of the pandemic. That means people are going out more, seeing friends again, and, of course, finally returning to the office life.
Remote businesses and freelancers are also shifting from the work-from-home scheme to looking for a workspace to call their own during the work week. And you know what that means — coworking spaces are getting more hype and attention.
But because coworking spaces are quite new and modern, the system isn’t perfect yet. So, it’s important to find ways to make sharing a space with other professionals more organized. One way coworking spaces do this is through a little something called office hoteling.
Office hoteling is an awesome way to keep things peaceful, efficient, and organized in a shared coworking space. But what is it in the first place, and how does it work? If you want to learn more about this system that’s growing in popularity in the world of coworking, stick around and read on – Circle Hub is about to explain.
What is Office Hoteling?
Office hoteling is a system coworking spaces use that allows people to reserve slots at their desired workspaces in advance.
As the name suggests, it’s similar to booking a hotel. You call up the site or go on their website and book the seat or room you want for however long you need it. It can be just a few hours or as long as a couple of days — just like a room at a hotel.
And that’s it! The seat is all yours and you don’t have to worry about showing up at the coworking space and not finding your own little corner to work at.
At Circle Hub specifically, this works for all workspaces. You can book a designated desk that’s exclusively yours for a few days. And if you have a big team that needs a private room for brainstorming, you can book one of our spacious conference rooms.
What’s the Difference Between Office Hoteling and Hot Desking?
Now, when you first hear about office hoteling, it’s easy to confuse it with other types of workspace systems, such as hot desking. And it’s perfectly understandable. They both allow you to book a seat at the workspace when you need to come in. However, one is more short-term than the other.
When you book a hot spot, you’ll likely do it on the spot. You come to the coworking space, check if there’s enough room for you in the common area, and then get a slot for the day.
It’s super flexible, which is one of the many benefits of hot desking. It’s perfect for those without a set work schedule and who like to go with the flow when it comes to doing their tasks.
But with office hoteling, you book your slot for a longer period, and you do it days in advance — just like reserving a room at a hotel. You can reserve your desk or office space for days or even a week if the building allows it. This is more appropriate for those who want a specific seat when they work and know that they’ll come in every day for the duration of their booking.
How Booking a Slot Goes When Office Hoteling
Many spaces that use office hoteling have an online system to book your space. These programs or websites allow you to choose which seat you want to book and sometimes let you pay for it in advance, too. Of course, this differs with every company.
At Circle Hub, it’s even easier. There’s no need to go through the trouble of downloading an app or familiarizing yourself with a complex website interface just to book the space you want.
All you have to do is give us a quick call and ask the onsite community manager to reserve a slot for you. Our team will make the rest of the arrangements, so you can just come over at the time you booked a workspace.
The Advantages of Office Hoteling
There’s a whole lot to love about office hoteling, whether you’re a small business with a team that works remotely or a one-man show that freelances on your own.
So, why should you check for office hoteling options when choosing a coworking space? Here are just some of its advantages:
It Lowers Your Business Expenses for Overhead Costs and Rent
Renting out an office for your small business to operate in might be ideal, but the cold, hard truth is that it can get super expensive. Not only do you have to think about the monthly rent, but you also need to cover overhead costs like utilities, maintenance staff, office supplies, speedy WiFi, and more.
“Renting” seats and areas for the short term might be a more affordable option for you while your business is starting out. And what better way to make arranging workspaces for your team more convenient and organized than office hoteling?
Instead of renting out a huge room or private office suite where your team can work, reserve only the seats and meeting rooms your employees will actually need per week. That way, you can also cut down on costs from unused space and tables.
Plus, coworking spaces like Circle Hub have all the extra amenities your team needs, like high-speed internet and printing services, which they can use for free every day. If you rented out a place on your own, these would all be additional expenses.
In short, moving your business to office hoteling is an easy, convenient way to save some money. It’s undoubtedly one of the best reasons to run your business from a coworking space with office hoteling.
It Ensures that Everyone Has an Equal Chance of Booking a Work Area
One of the most common causes of conflict that arises in a coworking space every day is fighting over available seats and rooms. It’s incredibly frustrating, and onsite community managers always try to step in to settle arguments like this, but it’s the reality of sharing a space with other workers.
Sometimes, you could be minding your own business, working in a spot in the common area. You then take a two-minute bathroom break, and when you come back to your spot, you see that a group of people has already staked their claim on it — even if it was yours to begin with. Ugh!
This happens for conference rooms too. You could be eyeing a specific meeting room to hold an important pitch, but come in only to find that someone else has “stolen” that room.
Office hoteling is a great solution to this problem. There’s no hierarchy when it comes to reserving your workspace. As long as you call first, you get the slot — and no one else can step in and take it from you, even if they’re willing to pay more. A first-come-first-served policy is always respected when it comes to the hoteling system.
It Solves the Issue of Having No Seats in the Coworking Space
Another issue that seems to take hold on a lot of people at coworking spaces is coming in to find absolutely no seats left for you to work at.
Picture this — you’re about the have the most important video meeting of your life, like the final interview stage when applying to your dream company or presenting a project to your boss.
You wear your best outfit, practice all your slides, and then drive to your favorite coworking space with just a few minutes to spare before the big call. But when you get there, you find that there are zero desks left for you. You might be forced to drive to the nearest café, or worse, take your call in the parking lot. What a nightmare!
With office hoteling, you won’t have any more of the hot desking anxiety that plenty of freelancers and remote workers dread. Because you already reserved a specific seat or table for yourself, you can be 100% sure that you have a workspace all to yourself before even leaving for work.
Some people might rely on having 24/7 access to the coworking space of their choice to ensure that they’ll always get seats. After all, you can just come in outside of peak hours — surely there will be seats by then! But it’s still a game of chance. Office hoteling gives you a sure seat so that you never stress about having no space to work at.
It Helps Make Your Workspace Less Crowded
Office hoteling also makes sure there’s less congestion in the coworking space. Because people can only come into the space if they’ve reserved a slot, the size of the crowd can be managed.
This is awesome because it makes little to no room for background noise and chatter, also known as the biggest workplace distractions that can lower employee productivity.
That gives the people in the shared space a chance to concentrate better and get more tasks done faster. After all, plenty of people are more productive when they’re alone or are focused on themselves only, not anyone else in the room because of how loud they’re being.
The system of limiting the crowd in the space at any given time gives introverts a more enjoyable workspace that’s conducive to work, feels comfortable, and boosts productivity.
It’s the Safer Option During the Pandemic
Regarding managing big crowds, office hoteling is a safe and conservative option for those who aren’t yet confident about returning to onsite work. Sure, lots of people are pumped that they can go to the office again. But some aren’t as comfortable yet and are worried about being exposed to sicknesses.
Because hoteling limits the number of people in a workspace at any given time, social distancing is easier to comply with. That means it can help lower the number of people transmitting a cold or flu to other people within the space.
If you have visibility on which seats and rooms are available to book, you can also choose the seats furthest away from people. This is a great way to give yourself an extra layer of protection against getting sick from others as you return to the workplace.
Office hoteling isn’t just convenient for those who want to book their workspace in advance. It’s also a safe practice for coworking in the era of COVID-19.
It Allows You and Your Team to Socialize
Office hoteling is also helpful for groups of people or teams who want to be seated near each other when working. If teams rely on hot desking, there’s a high chance they won’t be able to find seats that are close to each other. And whenever they need to ask a teammate a question, they’ll have to stand up and leave their spot for a while.
When you reserve seats together in advance, you can pick out spaces where you and the rest of your team can be close together, even as you work on your own tasks throughout the day.
Studies have shown that there’s a significant correlation between socializing and being productive at work. So, having work friends around you for friendly chats in between work tasks is a huge plus.
It’s even more helpful when you actually have a group project to work on together! Because you can book a conference room in advance, you can brainstorm together in your own private space.
Conclusion
Office hoteling is become a huge trend in the corporate world, especially for more forward-thinking companies and remote businesses.
It helps companies save on overhead costs and boosts productivity for workers in many ways, from keeping the area less crowded to minimizing the stress and anxiety of having to find seats on the fly every day at a coworking space.
Interested in working at a space that does office hoteling? Make working in a shared space easier by contacting us and booking a slot at any of Circle Hub’s workspaces. You can also book a tour to go onsite and check out the place beforehand!