How it works
A good policy answers a short list of questions. Who can book each space type and neighborhood? How far ahead can they book (the booking window)? What are the maximum and default durations? How much can one person hold, and how far can recurring bookings run? Is check-in required, and how long is the grace period?
Most rules are enforced by the booking system rather than by memo: booking windows, maximum and default durations, booking credits, priority access for chosen teams, end dates for recurring bookings and auto-release. Write down which rules apply everywhere and which vary by site, so people know what to expect when they visit another office.
The etiquette part covers what software cannot: cancel when plans change, do not book for colleagues who may not come, clear the desk at the end of the day and keep quiet in quiet zones. Publish both parts on one short page and explain what booking data is used for.
How to measure it
- No-show rate before and after a rule change.
- Share of bookings made by people on behalf of others.
- Refused bookings and complaints about popular spaces.
- How often admins override the rules.
Examples
- A company sets a two-week booking window for desks, a one-day window for its most popular rooms and a four-hour maximum on focus pods.
- A policy gives the sales team priority access to its neighborhood on Mondays before the zone opens to everyone else.
Common mistakes
- Writing rules nobody enforces instead of configuring them in the booking system.
- Setting windows so long that a few people claim popular desks weeks ahead.
- Adding so many rules that nobody remembers them.
- Not explaining the purpose of booking, which feeds suspicion that it tracks attendance.
How Kadence helps
Kadence enforces booking policy in the product: maximum and default booking durations, a fixed window for how far ahead people can book, booking credits that cap how much space a person or team can book, priority booking access for chosen teams, recurring booking end-date controls, and check-in with auto-release of unused bookings.
Desk booking software · Space management · Desk booking policy template
Frequently asked questions
What is a desk sharing policy?
A desk sharing policy explains how shared desks work: how to book, how far ahead, how long a booking can last, when to check in, what happens to unused bookings, what a clear desk means and which teams have zones or priority. It sets fair rules for everyone who shares desks.
What is priority booking?
Priority booking lets selected teams or people book certain spaces, such as a team neighborhood, before those spaces open to everyone else. It helps teams that need to sit together on set days get the space they need.
What is desk booking etiquette?
Book only what you will use, cancel as soon as plans change, check in when you arrive, do not hold desks for colleagues who might not come, clear the desk when you leave and respect quiet zones.
How far in advance should employees be able to book desks?
Far enough to plan office days with teammates, but not so far that bookings become guesses. Many organizations allow one to a few weeks for desks and shorter windows for scarce spaces, then adjust based on no-show data.
Related terms
- Auto-release A booking rule that frees a desk or room automatically when nobody checks in within a set grace period.
- Desk booking system Software that lets employees find and reserve a desk before they come in, check in on arrival and free desks nobody uses.
- Hot desking and hoteling Two ways to share desks: hot desking is first come, first served; hoteling means reserving a desk in advance and checking in.
- Fixed vs rolling booking window A rolling window opens one new day each day, always the same distance ahead; a fixed window opens a whole period at once on a set day.
- Closure management Blocking desks, rooms or floors for maintenance, events or emergencies, and automatically notifying or moving affected bookings.
Kadence editorial team · Last reviewed