Hot Desking Policy Template

[Company name] Hot Desking Policy
Version: [1.0] · Owner: [Facilities / People team] · Effective: [date] · Review: [12 months]

1. Purpose

[Company name] operates a hybrid working model. To use our office space efficiently and give everyone fair access to a desk, desks are not permanently assigned. This policy explains how desks are booked, used and released.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all employees and contractors at [location(s)] who use desks in our offices. Meeting rooms, parking and lockers are covered by their own policies.

3. Booking a desk

• All desks must be booked in advance through [Reservete / booking system], by app or web.
• Desks can be booked up to [14] days ahead and no later than [30] minutes before your arrival.
• Each employee may hold bookings for a maximum of [5] days at any one time.
• Bookings are personal and must not be made on behalf of other people.

4. Anchor days and team zones

• Team anchor days are [Tuesday–Thursday]. On anchor days, [team name] seats are held in zone [zone] until [10:00].
• Outside anchor days, all desks are available to everyone on a first-booked basis.
• Neighbourhood (zone) allocations are reviewed [quarterly] with team leads.

5. Check-in and automatic release

• Desks must be checked in within [30] minutes of the booking start time, via the mobile app, the desk QR code, or a badge tap.
• Unclaimed desks are released automatically and become available to others. You will be notified if a booking is released.
• If you are delayed, rebook immediately from the app — do not leave a desk held while you are not present.

6. Cancellations and no-shows

• Cancel bookings you no longer need as early as possible, and always by [07:00] on the day if you will not travel in.
• Repeated no-shows (more than [3] in a rolling 30 days) are reviewed with your manager. The goal is fairness, not blame.

7. Desk etiquette

• Leave every desk clear and clean at the end of the day — this is a shared space, not a personal one.
• Use lockers for personal items. Do not leave belongings overnight on a desk.
• Clean up spills and report broken furniture or equipment to [facilities contact].
• Take calls in phone booths or meeting rooms, not at open desks.

8. Exceptions and adjustments

• Employees with a documented health or accessibility need can request a fixed desk or a designated area. Requests are handled confidentially by [People team].
• Teams with hardware or security requirements (for example [finance], [lab]) may be assigned fixed zones.
• Approved exceptions are recorded in the booking system so they are respected automatically.

9. Support

Questions about this policy or the booking system: [facilities@company.com]. Booking issues: [IT / helpdesk].

1. Decide the numbers before you publish. The booking window, weekly limit, grace period and anchor days are the parts people will test. Pick values you can defend.
2. Fill in every bracket. Policies lose credibility fast when placeholders remain.
3. Configure the system to match. A policy that is not enforced by software becomes advisory. Set the same windows and grace periods in your booking platform so the rules are automatic.
4. Communicate with the "why". Land the message as "more space to collaborate and fewer wasted trips", not "rules".
5. Review after a quarter. Adjust limits based on real utilization and no-show data.

Decision	Recommended starting point	Why it matters
Booking window	14 days ahead	Short enough to prevent hoarding, long enough to plan
Weekly limit	5 days	Matches a normal hybrid week; stops speculative booking
Check-in grace period	30 minutes	Recovers no-show desks without punishing commutes
Anchor days	Tue–Thu	Concentrates demand so teams overlap
Team zones	Yes, reviewed quarterly	Makes shared seating feel less random
Desk ratio	0.7 desks per person	Enough for peak days; frees the space you are paying for

Benchmarks for utilization and no-shows are in our 2026 hybrid office benchmark report, and you can size your desk ratio with the ROI calculator.