FM in hot-desking

Tarek Nizameddin, senior executive director, Ejadah Asset Management Group, writes about the pro and cons of hot-desking and the role of FM in it

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When the pandemic began and amidst the implementation of lockdowns, there was a real concern across the industries about the inability of going back to the offices. Few weeks later, everybody was surprised that telecommuting not only benefits employees by eliminating their daily commutes but also increases productivity and leads to healthier lifestyles. Remote workers are undoubtedly more productive vis-à-vis their office-bound counterparts.

Thanks to the strong infrastructure that we have in the GCC, companies were and are still able to use online meeting platforms, and we found ourselves stepping into a new work reality building on the role and value of video conferencing in driving better and effective business outcome. These communication evolutions have impacted our mindset and the way we work and will be even more revolutionary in the future as and when more innovative technological solutions start to materialise.

As the pandemic threat is being contained and mitigated to some extent, many businesses are now questioning the viability of going back to normal office practices or considering working from home as the “new normal” or even coming up with a hybrid model that satisfies the business needs bearing in mind that telecommuting has proven to drive up employee efficiency.

Some companies have started implementing the ‘work anywhere, anytime’ alternative workplace (AW). The ‘desk’ becomes a shared resource rather than something that is allocated or attributed to an individual. In other words, employees become workspace consumer, meaning that employees consume space on demand. Employees choose where, how and when they work, reaching out to a wide range of working hubs spread across their neighbourhood.