Hot Desking vs. Assigned Seating: Which Model Works Best for Financial Services Firms?

Hot Desking vs. Assigned Seating: Which Model Works Best for Financial Services Firms?

The financial services industry has been known to have a more structured approach to office layouts, with strict seating arrangements for trading desks, client-facing teams, and compliance offices. But as more firms adopt hybrid work, they are having to rethink how they use their offices. One of the first decisions? Whether to try hot desking or keep with assigned seats. Both models are useful, but which one to select depends on considerations such as collaboration requirements, legal needs, and space utilization.

What is Hot Desking?

Hot desking is an office layout model which allows employees to change locations in their workspace depending on their needs for any given day. This approach optimizes office space and is well positioned to meet the needs of hybrid work.

Pros of Hot Desking for Financial Firms:

✔ Optimized Real Estate Costs – Commercial real estate costs are at an all-time high, particularly in large hubs like New York and Los Angeles with average spaces running $40 a square foot to $103.42 a square foot.
✔ Supports Hybrid and Agile Teams – Many roles in banking require split time between being onsite in office and being onsite at client sites. Hot desking allows for a more flexible arrangement when the need for a permanent desk is not needed.
✔ Encourages Collaboration – Enables dynamic seating arrangements, allowing employees to work closely with different teams on a project basis.

Challenges of Hot Desking:

✖ Regulatory & Compliance Considerations – Some financial roles require fixed locations for compliance monitoring, particularly in trading and risk management.
✖ Data Security & Confidentiality Risks – Financial professionals handle sensitive client information, and shared desks require strict security protocols.

What is Assigned Seating?

Assigned seating gives employees a dedicated desk that remains theirs whenever they’re in the office. This model has long been standard in financial institutions due to the need for specialized workspaces and secure access to trading platforms.

Pros of Assigned Seating for Financial Firms:

✔ Ensures Compliance & Security – Dedicated desks allow firms to maintain strict data security and compliance oversight, particularly for traders, analysts, and client services teams.
✔ Supports Productivity for High-Intensity Roles – Roles like investment banking can be hectic and fast paced. Having a permanent seating situation would allow a more customizable approach in having multiple monitors, secure logins, and direct access to the trading floors for investment professionals.
✔ Enhances Stability & Team Cohesion – Fixed workspaces provide a sense of routine and structure, which can improve employee engagement in a high-pressure environment.

Challenges of Assigned Seating:

✖ Underutilized Space in a Hybrid Model – Many financial institutions are sticking to the hybrid model, so permanent seating could lead to empty spaces would result in wasted real estate costs in an organization.
✖ Reduced Flexibility for Growing Teams – Financial firms are rapidly growing and expanding, fixed seating could make office expansion or reconfiguration more complex.
✖ Higher Office Costs – Financial services firms tend to lend themselves to high priced markets in large cities. Maintaining assigned seating for every employee to be in office five days a week could lead to increased real estate expenses.

Finding the Right Balance

As many financial institutions are embracing a hybrid model, where critical teams (such as trading and compliance) have assigned seating, while relationship managers, consultants, and tech teams leverage hot desking, striking the right balance for your organization could become complex.

This blended approach allows firms to optimize space, support flexibility, and maintain regulatory compliance—all while ensuring a seamless experience for employees.

How Maptician Helps Financial Firms Optimize Office Space

Maptician’s workplace management platform provides financial institutions with real-time occupancy data, desk booking systems, and space utilization analytics, ensuring firms can maximize office efficiency while maintaining compliance and security.

Want to see how Maptician can help your firm optimize workspace strategy? Schedule a demo today.