According to a survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers, working at the office during the pandemic is difficult to avoid, despite stay-at-home orders. It found that while most employees prefer to continue working remotely even after the pandemic, around 50% say they want to come to the office to collaborate with other team members. 39% say difficulty in collaborating is the number one reason they find working from home to be unproductive.
Another PwC survey shows that employees are worried about getting sick when they return to the workplace and expect their employers to provide the necessary safety measures to protect their health.
If you have employees that still work at the office during the pandemic, or if you’re getting ready to welcome them back to the workplace, it’s your responsibility to provide a safe environment that complies with the guidance provided by the CDC, the WHO, and other health authorities. Technological tools like a desk reservation system can be a big help.
What is a desk reservation system?
A desk reservation system is composed of different pieces of technology designed to support the hot desking workspace concept, where workers are given the flexibility to choose their workstations. The system streamlines the process of searching for desks and helps avoid confusion about their availability.
It includes an app that may be downloaded on a mobile device and can be used on the go. It displays available desks and their locations, and allows you to choose and book one, whether you’re already at the office and need the desk straight away or want to reserve it in advance.
The desk reservation system may also come with optional components, including desk pucks that display if a workstation is currently in use or is available. It can also be integrated with other tools, including a widescreen dashboard that shows the layout and availability of all desks.
How does desk management technology promote safety?
As a cloud service, Meetio allows you to manage the booking activities and the layout of workstations in your workplace using the system’s tools—something that can serve you well in meeting the safety standards for COVID-19 mitigation.
Here’s how you can use the system to implement social distancing protocols:
- Virtually adjust desks’ layout
Observing social distancing involves maintaining a distance of six feet on all sides between workers. With a desk reservation system, you don’t have to physically alter the layout of your office to comply with this guideline. You can simply show certain desks as unavailable so that you can space workers according to standard social distancing protocols.
- Plan the number of workstations versus your office’s capacity
Some jurisdictions limit the occupancy of an enclosed space to a certain percentage of normal capacity. A desk reservation system can help give you a clear perspective on how to optimize the use of work areas based on this while following social distancing standards. You can turn breakout or meeting rooms into socially distanced work areas or make other adjustments according to your employees’ needs.
- Transition seamlessly to a flexible workspace
A flexible workspace is seen as a more efficient workplace solution during the pandemic. If you have not adopted this concept, you can make the transition quickly and seamlessly with a desk reservation system. By simply using the system, employees can be better informed about how the new setup works, saving everyone the confusion that may arise without such technological aid.
While social distancing protocols will require some adjustments to the modern workplace, a desk reservation system can make the process easier for you. Download our guide to know more about how hot desking can benefit your business!
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