IT Archives - Kadence

In any modern workplace, IT managers face the challenge of ensuring that technology supports the dynamic needs of their organizations. One such technological advancement that is proving invaluable are desk booking systems. These systems streamline the management of office spaces, providing a host of benefits that specifically address the pain points of IT managers.

Let’s delve into how desk booking systems enhance the efficiency of IT operations, improve resource management, and ultimately contribute to a more productive work environment.

Understanding Desk Booking Systems

A desk booking system is a software solution that allows employees to reserve workspaces as needed, ensuring that desks, meeting rooms, and other resources are utilized effectively. These systems come with features like real-time availability updates, mobile access, and analytics reporting. For IT managers, the introduction of such systems can transform the way office resources are managed.

Streamlining Resource Allocation

One of the primary responsibilities of an IT manager is to ensure that resources are optimally allocated. Desk booking systems provide real-time data on workspace usage, enabling IT managers to monitor which areas are underutilized and which are in high demand. This data-driven approach helps in making informed decisions about resource allocation, ensuring that office space is used efficiently and reducing waste.

Reducing IT Workload

Managing office spaces manually can be a time-consuming task for IT departments. Desk booking systems automate many of these processes, reducing the administrative burden on IT staff. Features such as automated booking confirmations, cancellations, and notifications streamline operations and free up IT personnel to focus on more strategic initiatives. You don’t need a team to manage desk booking if you have a desk booking system in place.

Facilitating Hybrid Work Models

The shift towards hybrid work models—where employees alternate between remote and on-site work—requires a more dynamic approach to office space management. Desk booking systems are ideally suited to support this transition. They allow IT managers to ensure that on-site resources are available when needed, while also accommodating remote work schedules. This flexibility supports a seamless hybrid work experience, benefiting both employees and IT managers.

Improving Space Utilization

Effective space utilization is critical in managing office real estate costs. Desk booking systems provide detailed analytics on how spaces are used, offering insights into occupancy rates, peak usage times, and trends. IT managers can use this information to optimize the office layout, potentially reducing the need for additional office space and leading to significant cost savings.

Enhancing Security and Compliance

Ensuring the security of IT infrastructure and compliance with data protection regulations is critical. Desk booking systems can enhance security by tracking who uses specific workspaces and when. This data can be invaluable in maintaining compliance with health and safety regulations, especially in environments where contact tracing or other security measures are necessary.

Implementing a Desk Booking System: Best Practices

For IT managers considering the implementation of a desk booking system, several best practices can ensure a smooth transition:

Understand User Needs: Conduct surveys or focus groups to understand the specific needs and preferences of employees. This information can guide the selection and configuration of the desk booking system.
Choose the Right Solution: Select a desk booking system that integrates seamlessly with existing IT infrastructure and offers the necessary features to support your organization’s unique requirements.
Pilot Program: Start with a pilot program to test the system with a small group of users. This allows for the identification and resolution of any issues before a full-scale rollout.
Training and Support: Provide comprehensive training for employees and IT staff to ensure everyone understands how to use the system effectively. Ongoing support is also essential to address any questions or concerns. Once users feel confident, they will feel empowered and will be less reliant on IT support.
Monitor and Optimize: Continuously monitor the usage and performance of the desk booking system. Use the data collected to make informed decisions about office space management and to optimize the system over time.

Real-World Success Stories

Many organizations have already experienced the benefits of desk booking systems. For instance, Softchoice implemented a desk booking system to support its hybrid work model. The system provided real-time data on desk occupancy, which the IT department used to optimize office layouts and reduce the overall footprint. As a result, the company saw a significant reduction in real estate costs and an improvement in employee satisfaction.

Another example is MOPAC who adopted a desk booking system to manage its employees returning to the office. The system allowed the IT team to easily scale operations, ensuring that new employees had access to the resources they needed from day one. This flexibility supported the company’s real estate costs while maintaining a high level of operational efficiency. MOPAC saw a 35% month-on-month growth in desk bookings as employees found it easier to book spaces and return to the office.

Kadence for Desk Booking

Desk booking systems are more than just a tool for reserving workspaces. They are a strategic asset for IT managers. By streamlining resource allocation, enhancing user experience, reducing workload, and supporting hybrid work models, these systems address the multifaceted challenges faced by IT departments. They contribute to better space utilization, improved security, and foster a collaborative work environment.

As organizations continue to navigate the complexities of the modern workplace, the implementation of a desk booking system like Kadence can be a game-changer. IT managers, equipped with this powerful tool, can drive efficiency, support employee needs, and ultimately create a more agile and responsive IT infrastructure.

Find your rhythm for work with Kadence – a desk booking system that will transform the way your offices operate. We empower IT managers to lead their organizations into the future of work.

Luke Christian-Farman

Luke heads up product marketing at Kadence, where he’s all about unveiling cool new features to help customers smash their hybrid workspace goals. When he’s not shaking up the office scene, you’ll find him roaming the Sussex South Downs in the South East of England with his family, sipping tea and chasing pheasants with his boys.

As IT managers, you’re likely spending a lot of time grappling with the complexities of your company’s transition to hybrid work.

It can feel like a monumental task: integrating new solutions into your existing tech stack, driving adoption in your company, and demonstrating clear ROI on these investments. All on top of your other day-to-day responsibilities.

In many ways, you’ve become the architect of the future of your company. But you’re desperately short on time!

The good news is that you don’t have to do it alone. In this guide, we’ll be taking you through a step-by-step approach to hybrid work from an IT Manager’s perspective, giving you all of the information and tips you need to handle the transition to a new way of working.

Understanding IT's Role in Hybrid Work and Desk Booking

Hybrid work is about more than just providing employees with the option to work from home.

It has become a key tool for companies looking to empower their employees and IT Managers to do their best work wherever they are and boost performance as a result. Hybrid work software enables companies to manage their office and workspace desk booking, and room booking, and coordinate their teams so that employees can collaborate where and when they need to.

Kadence Smart Suggestions help IT Managers organize teams. — Desk Booking Software that offers you Smart Workplace Booking Suggestions so you can connect with your teammates.

As IT Managers, you play a crucial role in the move to hybrid. You are responsible for identifying and implementing the right hybrid work software into your company’s existing workflow.

Your work is likely to encompass:

Understanding and catering to the in-office and remote work needs of your company
Defining the requirements for hybrid work software and desk/room booking solutions
Ensuring system compatibility and smooth integration of new tools
Supporting tech proficiency and adoption of new solutions among employees

The ultimate result of your work will be introducing an entirely new tool to your teammates. But what kind of tool do they need?

How to Identify Your Needs for Desk Booking Systems

Identifying the specific needs of your organization is crucial to choosing a hybrid work solution that will work best for you.

Whether you’re a small startup or a global company with offices in every continent, you’ll have your own specific daily operations, workflows, and collaboration patterns.

Here are three steps IT managers can take toward understanding where a hybrid operating platform will fit into your company’s unique setup:

Conduct an assessment of your current workflow and employee work patterns.

How often and why do teammates collaborate in person, or choose to work from home? How do they currently use technology to help them navigate the day-to-day of hybrid work? How should any desk booking software integrate with your company’s tech stack?
Collect input from as many departments as possible.

How do hybrid work habits and needs differ from department to department? Who is likely to be an early adopter of hybrid software, and who might need more time to adjust? Consider identifying key personas in your company and how they respond to hybrid work.
Zoom out. What is the bottom line?

Where are you looking to move the needle? How can a hybrid work platform help you to be more productive as an organization, by encouraging in-person collaboration or enhancing individual contribution? How can it help you save on real estate costs by giving you insights into the real-time usage of your spaces?

By getting to grips with the current dynamic of office-based and remote work, and taking time to understand how that dynamic can evolve, you’ll start seeing where any future solution could fit into your wider plans.

Evaluating Hot Desk Booking Software and Space Management Solutions

So you’ve understood why IT is important to the hybrid work conundrum, and done some thinking about your specific organizational needs.

Now it’s time to choose the desk booking software that works best for you.

Let’s break this into two main areas: your technical needs and your cultural needs.

In order to evaluate the tech side, consider the specifications of solutions, their integration capabilities, and the security features required to support your infrastructure efficiently. You could ask yourself…

Does the solution integrate within our current tech stack? (Slack / Microsoft Teams / Google Workspace)
Will the minimum viable implementation work for our organization?
Is the software available as both a desktop and mobile app?
Can we uphold our data security and privacy standards?

Hybrid Workplace Integrations help IT Managers smooth workflows. Diagram showing all the integrations Kadence partners with. — Kadence integrates with leading software for efficient hybrid work processes

For your cultural needs, consider how different desk booking feature sets complement your existing hybrid work dynamic, and how they can help it evolve. For example…

Do you anticipate needing to set office days or regular team meetings?
Do you require detailed reporting about the use of your offices and workplaces?
Do you want an AI-driven platform for smart recommendations on scheduling and space management?
Is the UI and UX up to scratch, and easily understandable to all kinds of employees?

The hybrid work platform you eventually go for should be one that integrates seamlessly to both your technical infrastructure and company culture.

Driving Adoption of Desk Hoteling Software and Ensuring ROI

You’re almost there! You’ve done your research into different hybrid work platforms and chosen the one that you think will fit perfectly into both your tech stack and the company’s vision.

Now it’s time to introduce it to your team and get them using it!

Although you might think this is the responsibility of your Operations or HR team, there are still plenty of things you can do as an IT manager to help your teammates navigate and understand their new tool.

Give a tutorial on your new tool

After all of your research and due diligence, no one likely knows your hybrid operating platform as well as you. Consider talking your team through the ins and outs of your new tool (or sending around a company memo!) so that everyone knows exactly what it’s capable of — and how it can benefit them.
Offer onboarding help

If people are still struggling to use your hybrid work tool — consider helping them onboard. Whether it’s you or your IT colleagues hopping on a video call for 15 minutes to give a quick bit of assistance, your team plays a crucial part in ensuring everyone has the same access to the new software.
Ensure ROI by aligning with finance and operations teams

If you’ve gone for a platform that provides full analytics and data insights into desk and room booking, this information will be invaluable to your finance and operations teams. Giving them access to real-time data on how your physical spaces are being used will help them make the best possible decisions about your company’s real estate moving forward.

Kadence as Your Hybrid Work Partner

At Kadence, we deeply understand the challenges for IT managers navigating a new way of working. Through years of speaking to our customers and fine-tuning our product, we’ve come up with a solution that we are confident addresses these challenges.

From desk and room booking to smart space management and in-depth insights and analytics, Kadence provides organizations of all shapes and sizes with a full feature set to streamline workflows and boost productivity.

With a strong focus on seamless integration, security, and ease of use, we provide IT managers with an out-of-the-box solution for your unique tech stack. That includes integration with Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Workspace — and plenty of other tools.

At the end of the day, your hybrid work software should work for you, not against you. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to help IT managers simplify the process of integrating their new hybrid work tools. Our team will go above and beyond to ensure our public API can be plugged into your native system to get Kadence up and running as quickly as possible.

If you want to learn more about how Kadence can integrate with your company’s tech stack, you can find out more here.

If you’d like to see Kadence in action, don’t hesitate to get in touch and book a demo with us.