Love it or hate it, hot-desking has taken offices by storm. The trouble is, the buzzy “future of work” move can leave workers feeling as if they’ve been taken hostage. The cost benefits may seem abundantly clear, especially as hybrid working becomes the norm and companies require less real estate. Yet progress in adopting flexible seating remains slow.

In 2023, 52 per cent of companies had dedicated seating arrangements, only slightly lower than the 58 per cent before the Covid-19 pandemic that forced workers out of the office, a CBRE survey published in June found.

The shift may be slower than workplace gurus envisioned, but the trend is set in place. By 2025, only 20 per cent plan to retain fixed seating, the survey shows.