Hoteling is a method of managing office spaces that allows employees to book in advance a workstation, a meeting room or any other shared space for a specific period. Inspired by the hotel industry — you "take a room", you "return the key" — the system works on the basis of temporary occupation: when the period ends, the workstation becomes available to another user. The objective is to adapt to flexible working methods (remote work, field assignments, client visits) while optimising real estate space.
The company defines a catalogue of spaces: individual offices, call booths, project areas, meeting rooms. Each resource has a calendar synchronised with booking software. From their computer or mobile, employees choose the location, date and time slot, often as simply as scheduling a meeting in their calendar. On arrival, they "badge in" or scan a QR code; the system confirms occupancy and feeds the usage data (fill rate, peak attendance, under- or over-utilised workstations).
Hot desking is based on the principle of "first come, first served": you settle where there is a free space, without guarantee. Hoteling, on the other hand, favours predictability: everyone knows before travelling that their office or room awaits them. This anticipation reduces the stress of the morning search, facilitates the reception of visitors or freelancers, and allows teams to voluntarily regroup for a project or a sprint.
By correlating actual presence with occupied surfaces, organisations quickly measure real estate savings: fewer square metres needed, possibility of transforming fixed offices into collaborative zones. The analysis of occupancy data helps to adjust cleaning, maintenance and air conditioning based on actual use, contributing to the reduction of energy costs and the CSR approach.
For hybrid workers, hoteling offers a consistent experience: the workstation meets the need of the day (silence to write a report, video booth for a confidential call, high table for a creative workshop). The possibility of knowing where colleagues are strengthens collaboration and limits the days when you feel alone in an empty open space. Finally, hourly flexibility combines better: you book earlier or later according to your own rhythm without fearing saturation of the premises.
Like any system, hoteling requires clear governance: cancellation rules to avoid "no-shows", priority management during special events, change management support for employees accustomed to assigned desks. An excess of technical complexity or configuration discourages adoption; the tool must remain intuitive and integrated with applications already in use (calendar, messaging).
Hoteling transforms the office into an on-demand service: you book, you use, you free up. This approach reconciles flexibility for employees and optimisation of resources for the company. Well implemented — thanks to simple software, transparent rules and a results-oriented culture — it becomes a pillar of a modern work environment: more mobile, more collaborative and more efficient.
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