Understanding the Shift to Hybrid Work
With the onset of hybrid work models, the traditional concept of a fixed office layout is rapidly evolving. This shift means that workplaces are becoming more dynamic, requiring organizations to rethink their communication infrastructure. In the past, the arrangement of desk phones and workspaces was straightforward—each employee had a dedicated phone at their assigned desk. However, this approach is no longer feasible as more companies adopt flexible working arrangements.
The Complexity of Managing Communication Tools
The transition to hybrid work introduces new complexities in managing how employees interact with office hardware. It raises questions about how they access their work environments and communicate effectively. The need for a solution that accommodates this fluidity is paramount. This is where Free Seating comes into play, offering a fresh perspective on managing desk phones in shared workspaces.
What is Free Seating?
Free Seating is a flexible solution that allows employees to log into any shared desk phone and immediately access their personal settings, contacts, extension number, and voicemail. It’s akin to hot desking, but specifically tailored for communication devices. By enabling users to move freely between work areas, Free Seating maintains a consistent experience without sacrificing personalization.
Benefits of Free Seating
The implementation of Free Seating offers significant advantages for organizations, IT teams, and service providers:
- Reduced Hardware Waste: Instead of assigning a dedicated phone to each employee, shared phones can be utilized by multiple users, decreasing the need for excess hardware.
- Simplified Device Management: Centralized control via the Service Management Portal enables easy monitoring and support for Free Seating across various locations.
- Cost Efficiency: Businesses can minimize their phone hardware expenses while ensuring a uniform user experience.
Practical Application: A Case Study
Consider a medium-sized logistics company that recently redesigned its offices in response to a hybrid work model. With a requirement for employees to be in the office three days a week, the facilities team faced the challenge of creating a workspace that accommodates a fluctuating number of onsite workers.
With fewer desks than employees, a fixed phone system was impractical. The organization sought a compliant, efficient, and secure way for staff to share hardware, leading them to adopt Free Seating. This solution allowed employees to sit at any desk, log in, and instantly access their personal extension, enhancing flexibility and user satisfaction.
Moreover, the IT administrator capitalized on Free Seating to streamline onboarding processes. Rather than provisioning new devices for each user, employees were trained to authenticate their access through shared desk phones. This approach resulted in quicker setups, reduced costs, and improved scalability.
Seamless User Experience
Free Seating ensures a seamless experience for users, whether they are visiting satellite offices or rotating through a flex-desk schedule. The simplicity of the process allows employees to focus more on their work rather than navigating complex systems.
- The user approaches a shared desk phone.
- They press the designated Free Seating login button.
- They enter their unique extension ID and PIN code.
- The phone binds to their profile, loading their settings, contacts, and voicemail immediately.
Once logged in, users can make and receive calls using their business identity, mirroring the experience of using their own assigned device. Upon finishing their tasks, they can either log out manually or allow the phone to automatically release their session after a set period of inactivity.
Value for Service Providers
Free Seating not only benefits users but also delivers substantial value for service providers by enabling zero-touch provisioning through domain-based profile assignments. This capability allows providers to:
- Create organization-level profiles for shared desk phones.
- Assign a default profile for each customer domain.
- Ensure immediate access to correct button configurations right after login, eliminating the need for customer admin setup.
This setup means that end customers only need to plug in a phone and log in to access basic functionality enabled by the assigned profile. For those requiring more advanced configurations, there are options available:
- Organization-specific profiles for tailored needs.
- Vendor-specific or model-specific variants for enhanced compatibility.
- User-specific button setups for advanced use cases.
The layered profile system supports default organization profiles, variant profiles for different models or vendors, and user-level profiles, allowing for comprehensive management by service providers. The Free Seating Profiles interface in the Service Management Portal (SMP) provides an intuitive way for service providers and administrators to manage, assign, and preview profiles with ease.
Aligning IT Policy with Employee Behavior
Free Seating aligns directly with Dstny’s commitment to supporting hybrid work by enabling secure access to communications from any shared phone. This adaptability leads to lower costs, maximum efficiency, and a more productive work environment suitable for businesses of all sizes.
By incorporating Free Seating into their communication solutions, companies can improve their operational efficiency while enhancing employee satisfaction. Dstny continues to empower service providers with innovative solutions that cater to modern work styles, ensuring they remain competitive in this rapidly changing landscape.
For further insights on how Dstny can facilitate hybrid work for your organization, visit their website or follow them on LinkedIn for the latest updates and product news.
Source Article: https://www.dstny.com/blog/how-free-seating-enables-desk-phones-for-hybrid-work-environments
