Desk sharing at Wirtschaftsentwicklung Bochum | desk.ly

Video transcript: read the interview

Lightly edited transcript of the video – filler words and repetitions have been removed.

Mara Frahne (Executive Assistant): Previously, we were spread across six floors plus the ground floor. After the renovation of the first floor, we will be on four floors. The Bochum Economic Development Agency (Wirtschaftsentwicklung Bochum) takes care of all matters related to the economy, but the parking garages also belong to us.

Stefan Schomberg (Accounting): I think hybrid working is a huge advantage for everyone in the company because it makes you more flexible. That's modern working, and it represents the future of the office.

Mara Frahne: Desk sharing is simply a model for us to work in a more agile way. It allows us to exchange ideas much more and to respond much more flexibly to current requirements. It was clear that we had too many workspaces on many floors. That's why it was decided that we would move together onto fewer floors, in order to pool know-how and encourage more exchange. And then we had detailed discussions with colleagues and decided that we wanted a comprehensive booking tool.

We tested several different options and then finally chose desk.ly. It was important to us that we could use desk.ly or the booking tool easily, and that we wouldn't have to use yet another application but could simply integrate it into Teams, for example. Teams is always present in our day-to-day work, so you don't have to switch between apps – no need to switch to another tool or open the browser again. It's just always right there.

At the beginning, we offered our staff comprehensive training sessions on desk.ly, but the vast majority just started booking and learned by doing.

Stefan Schomberg: It was actually self-explanatory, so you just clicked around yourself like you always do at home: no instruction manual, just try it out. That's what we did, it worked, and it was practical.

Mara Frahne: For us, collaboration has simply become more flexible.

Stefan Schomberg: I've now set up a filter for my team: Are they working from home or are they in the office? If so, when? And I think that was also the goal of the whole desk sharing concept – that we network better with each other. When the managing director or a department head suddenly sits next to you, you just get into doing things together, and you share certain topics as a team. The atmosphere is also noticeably more relaxed as a result. There are also fewer barriers.

Mara Frahne: As admins, we analyze the occupancy of the different floors to see whether we need to take countermeasures somewhere, whether we need to act, or whether we can just continue as we are for now. Previously, we were spread across six floors. With the renovation of the first floor, we now have four floors that we use.

The challenge

Less space, more exchange

Before the introduction of desk.ly, the Wirtschaftsentwicklung Bochum team was spread over a total of six floors. It quickly became clear that the existing capacities were not being used efficiently, which is why a suitable solution was sought. The aim was to consolidate the space, not only to save costs, but also to bring employees closer together and intensify communication.

"Desk sharing is simply a model for us to work in a more agile way. We can simply exchange information much more and react much more flexibly to current requirements."

Mara FrahneAssistant to the management

The solution

A tool for Hybrid Work

After testing various solutions, the decision was made in favor of desk.ly. Intuitive operation and the ability to integrate the tool seamlessly into the existing work routine were important:

Seamless team integration - prevents switching between different applications
Intuitive introduction - no major training required, the team largely started with "learning by doing"
Data-based evaluations to optimize space and capacity utilization

"Hybrid working has a huge advantage for everyone in the company because you are more flexible. Modern Work is already the future of the office."

Stefan SchombergAccounting

The results

Synergies through flexibility

Following the renovation, WEG Bochum now only uses four floors instead of the original six. Collaboration is more flexible and the atmosphere in the office has become more relaxed.

Targeted networking - the filter function in desk.ly allows team members to see who is at home or in office.
Breaks down hierarchies - Desk Sharing breaks down fixed structures, allowing managers to sit next to employees from time to time
Efficiency through data - the administration uses the utilization analyses of the floors to continuously check the need for office space

Convincing added value

Data as a basis for decision-making

Thanks to the introduction of desk.ly, the administrators of WEG Bochum can see exactly how the individual floors are actually being used. This data provides a sound basis for deciding whether areas need to be adjusted or whether the reduction to four floors is in optimal harmony with their needs.

As a result, the office is no longer managed by feel, but is managed agilely on the basis of actual requirements.

Easy to use

Integration into existing processes

To make it easier for employees to use, the booking tool was integrated directly into the familiar working environment. As Microsoft Teams is the primary tool in the day-to-day work of the Wirtschaftsentwicklung, the desk booking takes place directly within this application. This not only saves time, but also ensures that the tool is always available without interrupting the workflow.

WEG Bochum

Wirtschaftsentwicklung Bochum is one of the largest and most innovative economic development companies in North Rhine-Westphalia. It actively supports companies, start-ups and investors in opening up new perspectives at the location. They are Bochum's No. 1 parking garage operator, manage numerous technology and start-up centers and develop commercial space.

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