Office Wars: The Dark Side of Desk Booking

In this episode of intheOffice Cast, Jon and Adam discuss the challenges employees face with desk booking systems in various workplaces. Jon shares stories from three different companies: a law firm, a medical company, and a software company. Each company has implemented desk booking systems to manage hybrid and remote working, but these systems have led to unintended consequences and frustrations.

In the law firm, senior employees book desks far in advance, leading to empty desks and trainees or paralegals staying up late to book desks for their teams. In the medical company, limited parking spaces and desk bookings result in random and forgotten bookings, causing empty desks and parking spaces. The software company faces issues with strategic bookings and cliques, leading to similar problems.

Adam emphasises the importance of communication and understanding the purpose of desk booking systems. He suggests that rules should be implemented after understanding employees' needs and that the focus should be on collaboration and productivity rather than rigid rules. Jon agrees and highlights the need for continuous improvement and flexibility in managing office spaces.