How shared desking and remote work can reduce your office overhead costs

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While there are potential productivity concerns with moving to remote work, there are numerous cost savings that also result. This article explores the key savings that can come from hot-desking and desk sharing – all the ways that you can save by including a component of remote work in your office arrangements.

Key savings from desk sharing and hot-desking

Rental for the building

The most direct benefit associated with remote work is saving on the cost of the building. Rent is often a significant cost for organizations – particularly if offices are located in the middle of a costly city. Having a proportion of employees work remotely can significantly cut back on the number of desks that you need and in turn, the rental costs associated with your office. 

Cost of office equipment

Beyond the direct savings that come from reducing office space, shared-desking also allows you to reduce the amount of office equipment that you need. The costs associated with chairs, desks, and other office equipment can mount substantially. By sharing such equipment across a greater number of employees, you can substantially reduce the associated costs. 

Cleaning costs

Another hidden cost saving that comes from having fewer office spaces is the reduced costs associated with cleaning the office environment. Halving the number of desks that you have likely halves the cost of keeping that space clean and tidy.

Utilities and electric costs

A final saving that results from cutting back on your office space by sharing it across employees is reduced utilities and electricity. Again, the more desks that you have, the greater the costs associated with the space.

Final thoughts: Consider the long-term office environment that you want

When deciding your office space, you should consider how you envision your firm to look many years down the road. Do you foresee an office where everyone comes in every day, or do you see an environment where a large proportion of your employees are remote? Having an understanding of how your ideal office will look can help guide decisions on whether the cost-savings associated with desk-sharing and hot-desking are sufficient to justify the switch. To really take advantage of the savings you need to actively downsize your office environment – and this relies on having a clear commitment to remote work long-term.