A desk by any other name

The hot seat.

You wouldn’t want to be in the hot seat all day would you?

The idiom the hot seat is about discomfort. One particularly compelling origin story explains that the term comes from jailhouse slang for the electric chair at the end of Death Row. 

In business, it generally refers to a difficult position of responsibility. Of pressure. Not comfortable at all either (thought much less morbid). This could make anyone a little hot under the collar.

And what about the hot potato? 

Like a hot potato, you probably want as little contact as possible with the hot seat.

So why then would anyone want to be at a hot desk?

🔥

Lucky for us, there are other words to describe desks that are not occupied by the same people every day (along with their family portraits, stale snacks and old post-its).

These rogue furniture pieces can also be referred to as

• unassigned seating

• unreserved desks

• free address desks

• shared desks

• and more!

Desks are still a founding element of the office. But the spotlight is moving away from all the action happening at my desk and instead moving towards our space.

These days there are other work settings available that offer task-specific support that the desk simply can’t compete with. These can be settings for collaboration or individual focus; spaces to display project plans, or throw ideas around. And social areas. 

From pause areas to chat booths, there are now so many more options than the tiny territory of the desk. 

So in letting go of my desk and moving to unassigned seating you’re actually opening up to many more options of where work can get done. And you're acknowledging that work doesn't only happen at a desk. 

For a team or organisation to occupy an office together and share work settings (like desks, breakout rooms and pause areas) requires purposeful setup. This is about creating environments that invite people to share and participate.

These environments should be warm and welcoming.
Not hot. 

What are you doing to make your office a warm and welcoming place to be? Reach out if you'd like to hear about some tactics that work.