From Corner Offices to Hot Desks: Why the Office Is Changing
It wasn’t long ago that having your own dedicated desk, maybe even with a nameplate, was a mark of belonging at work. But times are changing fast.
Across industries, companies are rethinking how office space is designed and used. One trend gaining momentum is the move from dedicated desks to shared workspaces, hot-desking, and activity-based setups. In this new model, employees don’t “own” a workstation. Instead, they choose where to work each day, whether it’s a quiet focus pod, a shared project table, or a lounge area.
For some companies, the shift is about cutting costs in the wake of hybrid work. For others, it’s about encouraging collaboration, flexibility, and better use of space. But for HR and compliance leaders, it’s more than just a facilities decision, it’s a shift that reshapes culture, people strategy, and risk management.
Let’s unpack what this trend means for your people, and how HR can help make it work.
Why Shared Workspaces Are Gaining Ground
As hybrid work becomes the norm, many offices sit half-empty on any given day. That’s pushing companies to rethink their real estate needs.
Some key drivers behind the rise of shared workspaces:
- Space efficiency: Companies can reduce office footprints and costs.
- Flexibility: Employees can choose the environment that fits their tasks, whether that’s quiet solo work or group brainstorming.
- Collaboration: Removing fixed desks can break down silos and foster more interaction across teams.
- Adaptability: As headcount shifts, companies can scale space use without major redesigns.
It’s a smart business move on paper, but it has real implications for how people experience work.
What HR Leaders Need to Consider
For HR, the shift to shared workspaces isn’t just about moving furniture. It touches on core people issues that shape productivity, engagement, and trust.
1. Psychological Safety and Belonging
Dedicated desks offer more than just a surface to work on. For many employees, they symbolize belonging, stability, and personal space. Moving to a shared model can trigger anxiety about losing one’s place, both literally and emotionally, within the company.
HR teams need to help employees adjust by:
- Clearly communicating the reasons behind the change.
- Providing spaces for personalization, even within a shared setup (for example, lockers, shared pinboards, or digital profiles).
- Offering forums for feedback to surface concerns and improve the rollout.
2. Inclusion Across Roles and Personalities
Not every employee thrives in a free-for-all workspace.
- Introverts may struggle in open, dynamic environments.
- Neurodiverse employees may need consistency or specific sensory conditions.
- Hybrid workers may feel disadvantaged if they can’t claim preferred spots when they come into the office.
HR leaders should work closely with facilities and managers to ensure shared spaces accommodate diverse needs — not just in physical design, but in the cultural norms that shape how space is used.
3. Performance and Productivity
A key risk in shared workspaces is the “friction tax”, time and energy spent finding a seat, setting up, or negotiating space with colleagues. Without clear systems, hot-desking can hurt focus and productivity.
Practical HR strategies include:
- Helping define guidelines around space booking, noise management, and shared space etiquette.
- Equipping managers to support teams in setting norms that balance flexibility with accountability.
- Monitoring engagement data or pulse surveys to catch early signs of declining productivity or satisfaction.
4. Compliance and Privacy Risks
Shared work environments also create new compliance challenges.
- Data security: Employees handling sensitive information need private, secure spaces.
- Health and safety: Shared desks require clear cleaning protocols, especially post-pandemic.
- Accessibility: Workspaces must meet legal standards for employees with disabilities.
HR’s role is to collaborate with IT, legal, and facilities to proactively identify and mitigate these risks, ensuring that flexibility doesn’t compromise compliance.
What Success Looks Like: Shaping Culture in Shared Spaces
Done well, the move to shared workspaces can reinforce key cultural strengths:
- Agility: Teams adapt quickly to changing needs.
- Collaboration: Employees interact across functions and build new networks.
- Empowerment: Individuals have choice in how and where they work.
But success doesn’t happen automatically, it requires HR leadership to embed the right mindsets, systems, and supports.
Some winning practices we’re seeing:
- Leadership role-modeling: Senior leaders work in shared spaces, not private offices.
- Clear communication: Employees understand why the change is happening and how it benefits them.
- Focus on experience: Space design is guided by employee needs, not just cost savings.
- Flexibility with accountability: Teams have autonomy to choose how they work, within agreed boundaries.
Looking Ahead: What HR Leaders Should Watch
As this trend accelerates, HR leaders will face key questions:
- How do we maintain culture and connection in a fluid, deskless office?
- How do we fairly balance hybrid and in-office employee experiences?
- How do we measure the impact on engagement, wellbeing, and retention?
Importantly, HR needs to keep listening to employees and avoid a one-size-fits-all approach. Shared workspaces should be about enhancing flexibility and connection, not creating new stressors or inequalities.
Final Thoughts: It’s About People, Not Just Space
At its heart, the shift to shared workspaces is about reimagining how we come together to do our best work. For HR, it’s an opportunity to lead culture change, support diverse needs, and shape a workplace that’s agile, inclusive, and human-centered.
