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Original poster

Hot desking -touchy subject

39 replies

amazonqueen · 02/11/2009 20:46

I am the line manager of a team of 13 .They arent an 'easy' team at the best of times but I am slowly getting used to them as a team.
My big problem is that we only have 10 desks for the 13 people. So they have to hot desk - or rather desk share as we are supposed to say now. Easily said but not so easily done. If there arent spare desks on the team they have to seek out a free desk elsewhere in our (huge) office.
There are a few who have special equipment etc who cant share desks and this increases the amount of sharing done by the rest. Now 2 have said they will not share as it is too stressful for them.

Aaargh - what can I do to get round this problem? I know they will trot off to the union at the slightest hint of insistence from me.I am new to the team and not too sure of my ground.
I just want to sort it amicably .

Is there a way?

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 02/11/2009 20:48

is there not any way that you can get more desks? seems crazy not to have something as basic as a desk for each person

Original poster
amazonqueen · 02/11/2009 20:52

No more desks .This is a very big office with many teams . The one person one desk argument is what sparked off the refusal but as it is office wide and every other team has more people than desks there is no way my team can expect to have their own desks.

OP posts:
TotalChaos · 02/11/2009 20:53

could they all have their own locker/chest of drawers under the desk, so they at least have a permanent home for their stuff?

thisisyesterday · 02/11/2009 20:56

hmmm so does your team have a specific 10 desks allocated to them in an area? or do you just have 10 desks but you have to take them where you can find them?

if the former then i'd maybe ask if anyone could share permanently and have their desks set up for both people

Ceebee74 · 02/11/2009 20:57

I think part of it is the 'trauma' of having to cart your stuff with you wherever you go so maybe the permanent drawers are a good idea?

We have had several temps in our office who have been expected to hotdesk as there has been no spare desk and they used to have to pack their stuff up every night in a plastic box and move it every the next morning - must get a bit demotivating after a while!!

Have to say I love having my own desk/space so would probably feel the same as your team members

Sorry - not much use

thisisyesterday · 02/11/2009 20:57

and if the latter then maybe you and other team leader people need to take it higher? cos your team can't be the only one struggling with it

i have to say i'd be pissed off if i was expeted to do my job but they couldn't even provide me with a desk to do it at!

maybe this calls for a group of you going higher and saying something has got to be done?

Original poster
amazonqueen · 02/11/2009 20:58

They all do have their own set of (usually lockable )under desk drawers which can be wheeled around.

OP posts:
moondog · 02/11/2009 21:00

I'd go to the bloody union too like a shot.Huge office but you can't find a desk for each? Barking.

notevenamousie · 02/11/2009 21:04

I used to have 8 of us sharing one desk in an office. Now there are 4 of us, and 3. I mean, come on. It's time to grow up and get on with it. I'll work in the hallway if the computer works and there's a chair!

Ceebee74 · 02/11/2009 21:04

What happens if they all turn up at the office at the same time and so there are not enough desks available?? Does that ever happen?

llaregguy · 02/11/2009 21:06

Get them to sort it out as a team. Get them to come with a set of ground rules (or fluffier word if you prefer) to allow them to all work harmoniously.

We implemented hot-desking in a similar environment but also introduced mobile technology and home-working at this same time. This massively cut down on the amount of time people spent at the office but also increased productivity and job satisfaction.

Truthfully if your team aren't out and about as part of their job and need to be in the office then hot-desking won't be that successful.

One of the things that worked with us was to provide touch down desks where you could park yourself briefly and longer-term desks that could be booked. If you search the net there is quite a bit of help and guidance on implementing successful hot-desking. But getting the team to work together to make it work is much better than you imposing the rules.

What can you give them in return? We gave greater flexibility time-wise and location-wise and that was very popular.

Bramshott · 02/11/2009 21:06

If I were you I'd try to explain calmly and unemotionally that the desk sharing policy doesn't come from you, and that it applies to everyone in the company. Then suggest that if they are unhappy with the policy, they write down exactly why they are unhappy, and what their suggested solution is, and you will help them to submit it to senior management. That way if there's a thought through plan / point as to why the policy is not working, and what might work instead, you'll have it on paper, and if it's just general whingeing and "I don't see why I should have to do this - let everyone else do it instead!" then it will probably go away [hopeful emoticon]

Original poster
amazonqueen · 02/11/2009 21:06

The 10 desks are all in 'our' area.
Not sure how a permanent share would work as all the desks are occupied every day. We work with computers and phones so it isn't just the desk top that matters ,its the equipment too that is important.

And I do agree with them that it is stressful not to have your own space but that is the way things are in this building.

OP posts:
TheMysticMasseuse · 02/11/2009 21:09

we have hot desking too. it is the most ridiculous system and everyone hates it, but, if it's the way it is, it's the way it is. i mean you can't really produce them desks can you, against company policy? it's simply not your responsibility, and if they don't like the way things are done within the company, well, tough. they can take it to HR/office services.

sorry i am a bit harsh

now in terms of practical suggestion: how are desks booked/allocated? could you establish some sort of rota system so that everyone knows what to expect and disruption is minimised? is working from home once in a while an option when space is tight? if "stuff" is the issue- coudl you maybe have a think about what hte filing system/space is like? it may be that there's no need for all that stuff in the first place

GhoulsAreLoud · 02/11/2009 21:09

We have hot desks at work.

Rents in London are so high they 'rationalised' the office space they had an sub-let some of it. They saved about £750k a year doing it. It was that or make people redundant.

I have no idea why your staff are hotdesking, but perhaps if there's a good reason they might be more tolerant.

said · 02/11/2009 21:22

Loads of people have to desk-share. It's crap but it's cost-cutting "progress". I woudl be mightily pissed off if some team members refused though and got their own way. Desk-sharing suits no-one. I would let them speak to the Union but I doubt the union would unquestioningly support them if it was co/dept policy and there was no other reason they couldn't desk-sahre other than they don't want to.

ILiveinhope · 02/11/2009 21:22

I am the union rep at my office, and we have "rationalised" office space like GAL stated, if they came to me, they would get an understanding ear, but also told that they would need to approach you, and find a way to make it work.

Yes it would be lovely to all have personal space, but ultimately in these economic pressures, they have a job.

Original poster
amazonqueen · 02/11/2009 21:22

Working from home is not an option and most people are in full-time now that holidays are well and truly over.
The only reason for hot-desking (bah -desk sharing -I really must remember the terminology ) is that management want more bums on seats and have increased the population in the building from under 300 to almost 500. Looks good on paper but horrendous on a Monday morning when everyone is in.

So far Im liking the idea of pushing it back to the team and asking them to come up with a workable solution. There is some resentment about the non-compliant members. Also giving them the address of the upper management and letting them get on with it. But that doesnt solve my immediate problem of how to get the non-compliant to not kick up a stink tomorrow.

OP posts:
said · 02/11/2009 21:23

Yes, agree the working from home has to be allowed here.

said · 02/11/2009 21:25

Are there enough desks in the building if everyone is in? If not, there has to be working from home/another office; can't see how it can be disallowed.

GhoulsAreLoud · 02/11/2009 21:26

Tell them to tuck their skirts in.

Ivykaty44 · 02/11/2009 21:29

We have a similar situation in our office - too many staff and not enough desks, we do though have two lap tops so people can work from home....

Would this be a soloution?

SixtyFootDoll · 02/11/2009 21:31

If everyone needs to use a computer/ phone to do their job then surely they need a desk?
My job is mainly telephone meetings using PC, I didnt have my own desk for two months and had to use others who were on leave/ day off.
It was so demoralising.
Also impractical haveing to cart all my papers and staionery around.
Now have my own desk and feel much more 'settled' and part of the team

mazzystartled · 02/11/2009 21:32

Is yours the only team who have to share?

Are there always available desks elsewhere?

I think some kind of rota-ing so they know when they will need to share, and also have an idea of which desk would be available to them at that point would help.

Is there a clear desk policy or are people having to sit amongst other folks' baby pictures, paperwork and gonks?

LynetteScavo · 02/11/2009 21:34

Are they all full time?

Actually, I'm thinking this will teach them to get into work early.