Companies' RTO plans have a major hitch, and there's no easy fix

"Even if companies do expand their footprint, it won't be so that workers can get their own slice of cubicle heaven. The most common ratio between desks and employees is 1-1.49, and most companies want even more workers for every seat they have. Companies' RTO woes aren't an easy fix. I understand executives' reluctance to snap up more office space. The post-pandemic scars from carrying expensive leases for desks that remained empty still run deep. But hot desking doesn't feel like a silver bullet."

"Sure, you can bet there will always be enough seats because some workers will be sick, on vacation, or taking meetings on a random day. And that'll likely pay off during certain parts of the year. (You'll have your pick of the litter at the office starting next week.) But for other chunks of the year, it could become a constant game of musical chairs."

Companies calling employees back to the office often lack enough desks, producing competition for seats and operational headaches. Causes include poor planning, leaner desk-to-employee ratios, and possible use of reduced seating as a layoff tactic. Typical desk-to-employee ratios hover around 1 to 1.49 while employers seek higher employee density per seat. Expanding office footprints is unattractive after pandemic-era empty leases, so many firms adopt hot desking. Hot desking covers absences and peak variability but can create a recurring musical-chairs problem, reduce productive time as people search for desks, and lose benefits of flexibility when employees cluster on the same days.

Read at Business Insider