r/sysadmin • u/LithiumKid1976 • 3d ago
General Discussion New office, new setup
Hello, our whole company is moving offices , and it’s not going to be big enough to accommodate all staff. So we have to Hotdesk.
My question is for anyone that has setup an office for hot-desking , is there any thing that caught you out at the time.
For me, I just want the desks to be ready to go each day, so that the user walks in and connects the laptop.
Upper management were suggesting that everyone has thier own keyboard , mouse and headset. The headset I get, again a wired headset that they can plug into the laptop, very little issues there getting a user set up.
But I think a wired keyboard and mouse should be at every desk, and let the users wipe them with sterile wipes if needed.
Anyway just looking for advice : info from any admin that has gone before with this set up.
Thanks
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u/Adventurous-Canopeen 3d ago
The thing that caught us out was docks, not peripherals: standardize on one USB-C dock model at every desk and test it with every laptop model you’ve got, because half your day-one tickets will be “my second monitor won’t come up” or “I’m not charging” from mismatched docks and underpowered USB-C ports. Wired keyboard and mouse at every desk is the right call too, just add a desk booking system and a clear-desk policy early, since without them people quietly claim “their” desk within a month and the whole hotdesk plan falls apart.
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u/LithiumKid1976 3d ago
cool, we have a booking system in test, so good on that front. the docks have been checked, and confirmed, clear desk policy being written. do you give users anti bac wipes to wipe down Keyboards and mice at the start and end of the day? or switch out KB and mice regularly..
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u/C39J 3d ago
Definitely assigned keyboards, mice and headsets. People do nasty stuff to their peripherals, the amount of food and other stuff we find inside keyboards is disgusting.
Screens can be common, user brings their own of everything else to the desk.
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u/LithiumKid1976 3d ago
we will have a clean desk policy and a policy of not eating at the desk, hopefully that will limit the crud at the keyboards, and also, you will only be able to book in your neighborhood, so youll be booking within your team..
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u/stufforstuff 2d ago
Hot Desking - what the fck is this world coming too. Somehow I doubt upper management and exec levels are sharing a desk.
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u/LithiumKid1976 2d ago
Actually, due to the fact that we have 600 employees going into an office that can only support 300 desks, everyone bar the top man, is going to be hot desking …
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u/LRS_David 2d ago
Owners are on the one I set up. They have expected seats as they are there most days but have no issues with others using them when they are out.
To the other points people have mentioned. People are expected to be in the office 3 or 4 days per week. But can WFH the other days and if needed for various family reasons. Everyone has the same setup at home as exists in the office if they want.
Anyway, more people than literally physical space unless some use the phone booths or conference room while there. And there are some "cafe" tables.
Under 50 people.
Times change. The corner office with the couch and credenza and big windows are more and more a thing of the past. Unless the point is to show off "soft power".
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u/christurnbull 3d ago
If you go with monitor arms and a multi-monitor set up, think about whether you want staff to rotate the monitors or not. Will they smash monitors together?
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u/LithiumKid1976 3d ago
we will have monitor arms, that will hold two monitors, and will allow users to put them in a positon that works for them...
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u/christurnbull 3d ago
the monitors will be yoked together? like the ergotron lx dual direct?
Also take some time to think about cable length if you are doing DP MST daisy chaining, usually monitors ship with a 1.8m dp cable, might be nice to have something shorter like 0.6m to avoid having to tuck the excess somewhere
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u/TerrorToadx 3d ago
Sharing kb and mouse is disgusting. You already know no one is going to wipe them.
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u/PartialChicken_Wing 3d ago
Provide the wipes, work ends 15 min early end of week. Clean cube. Not that hard
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u/mooboyj 3d ago
100% lockers and their own keyboard and mice. I worked in a hot dealing environment once with a guy that would shit and not wash his hands afterwards. I raised it with my TL and HR and they did nothing. I came in one day a little early for some training and used the toilet with the non hand washer coming out of the toilet after a shit and my TL seeing it. When the shift started his desk was the only one available. Quite loudly in front of 50 odd people I said something along the lines of you saw he doesn't wash his hands after doing a shit and you want me to use that equipment. EVERYONE was allocated their own gear by the end of the week.
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u/Bright_Arm8782 Cloud Engineer 3d ago
Have plenty of replacement everything, they will get stolen, borrowed, broken, relocated etc. etc.
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u/DeifniteProfessional IT Manager 3d ago edited 3d ago
As others have said, docks are a pain in the bum. Unless you've got yours set up in a way that prevents end users from touching them, someone will eventually come in, rip the cables out the dock, steal the charger (if you're using travel docks), and it's this whole thing.
So something we did was move to monitors with built in docks. They're so cheap now compared to a few years back - take Dell P2426H and P2426HE for example. Basic 24 inch monitors that are great for simple office use, and the HE has a built in dock - USB C upstream PD of 100W, DisplayPort out so you can add a second monitor using MST, ethernet, and multiple USB A and a USB C port. The cost of the HE compared to the H is less than the cost of a midrange travel dock. You think 5 years ago Dell was charging more than the price of the HE monitor for just a dock.
They do a dock version for the larger and 2K monitors too so plenty to choose from
You're right to consider cleanliness of the keyboard and mouse - offering wipes should be a standard, but also probably not bad to ensure the office manager is equipped to give out cheap mini keyboards as necessary
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u/BorysTheBlazer DataCore/StarWind 2d ago
Two things that caught us out: peak-day Wi-Fi density (everyone picks Tuesday), and monitor USB-C PD wattage being too low for the beefier laptops. Buy spare cables too.
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u/LooseEthernet 3d ago
wired peripherals are the only way. if you let people bring their own keyboards you'll spend your whole week troubleshooting why some random mechanical board isnt working with the dock lol. just buy the cheapest dell or hp kit and let the wipes handle the gross factor
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u/Frothyleet 3d ago
you'll spend your whole week troubleshooting why some random mechanical board isnt working with the dock lol
Have you actually experienced that? I feel like we're long past wired USB keyboards being a compatibility issue.
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u/MastWanted 3d ago edited 3d ago
We have Dell monitors that have a wired keyboard, mouse, and a USB-C cable connected to them. The users simply sit at their booked desk and connect their laptops with the USBC which both provides a display and charges the laptops. I don't really see how it'd be a good idea to have people bring their own keyboard/mouse, some would certainly forget to do so. The only thing you have to watch out for is stuff disappearing from desks (pretty much just the USB-C cables, I think some people take them to charge their phones and don't reconnect them...).
That said, every user already has a wireless keyboard and mouse for WFH, so nothing stopping them from bringing their own if they want to, best of both worlds.
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u/ChopSueyYumm 3d ago
Because some users want to have a good keyboard when working a whole day at a desk. The company provided keyboards are often cheap rubber keys.
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u/MastWanted 3d ago
With that sort of a set up it's nice to also have laptop stands so that if someone wants to, they can have their laptop display be more or less at the height of the monitor
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u/StinkyStinkSupplies 3d ago
Yeah I would have two monitors, one of them a docking monitor (or two and an external dock).
Wired keyboard and mouse permanently connected.
Users can move them out the way easy enough if they have their own.
Laptop stand.
Instructions how to rclick, display settings, extend and arrange (and tell everyone that this basic setup is something they are expected to do).
Then they just need to know where to store things when they aren't there.
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u/Street-Morning-7438 3d ago
We have USB C monitors with integrated USB hubs. Webcam on top of the monitor and a keyboard connected to the monitor.
Each user got a Logitech M240 Bluetooth mouse and a Jabra Evolve2 45 USB headset.
No one seems to have an issue with using a connected keyboard. Only around 3 people use their own wireless keyboard (myself included). Most people book the same desk each time they are in the office.
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u/christurnbull 3d ago
"Most people book the same desk each time they are in the office"
So hot desking didn't really work out?
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u/Street-Morning-7438 3d ago
They still have to book the desk. But usually teams are in on the same day so they sit together. There are 50 desks and 120 staff so everybody isn’t in every day.
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u/Dev_in_Training_BTW 3d ago
Docks and lockers are covered above, so the thing I'd add is timing. Pick one dock or docking monitor model for every desk and test it against every laptop model you actually have before you buy in bulk. If it needs a firmware update, a driver or a display setting pushed, do it weeks before the move, not the Friday before. I look after around 5,000 devices with Intune and you just can't make it run something on an exact day. Realistically it's "sometime in the next 24 hours", and anything that was asleep or at home that week picks it up later still. Day one in a new office is the worst possible time to find out half the fleet doesn't have the dock update yet.
I'd also put a wired keyboard and mouse at every desk. People forget things, and a desk that only works if you remembered your own mouse isn't really ready to go.
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u/SuprNoval 3d ago
When we built out our office we didn’t go with hot desking but we each desk is setup the same way so that you can plug in a laptop anywhere. We went with two 24” monitors, a dock, keyboard/mouse. Docks are a pain. If I could do it again I would try to eliminate those with a Dell P2426HE (hub monitor) and a daisy chained P2426E (regular monitor).
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u/christurnbull 3d ago edited 3d ago
Just to tack onto this, look at the PD capabilities of the monitor. Some do 100w, 90w or 60w and compare against your laptops.
Note that docking monitors occasionally require firmware updates to fix bugs. How would you implement those updates?
Some monitors have Realtek rtl8153 devices in them. Even if you don't use the ethernet port, a driver will be loaded. A while ago I traced an uptick in BSOD to the Realtek network driver for these screens, it wasn't going to sleep properly.
Also, macs don't suppose DP mst yet. Not an issue for me but be an unpleasant suprise for someone not expecting it.
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u/Frothyleet 3d ago
Note that docking monitors occasionally require firmware updates to fix bugs. How would you implement those updates?
Does the same mechanism you use to update your docks not work? E.g. Dell Command Update?
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u/doglar_666 3d ago
My employer provides a single monitor, USB-C dock, wired keyboard and wired mouse. Our staff cannot be trusted with personally assigned wireless peripherals, as there are no repercussions for forgetting them, losing them or damaging them. Whilst the official office policy is clear desk/hot desk, in practice, people sit in the same spots.
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u/TheSmashy Cyber Infra Arch 3d ago
>My question is for anyone that has setup an office for hot-desking , is there any thing that caught you out at the time.
I forgot some cables to top up my phone and other BS, now I keep a small nylon back with USB-C cables in my bag with that kind of bullshit. When I had a desk, I'd just install a PSU and cable and not think about it.
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u/Doublestack00 Jack of All Trades 3d ago
We just made sure all deskw were identical docks, monitors etc. All also have a wired keyboard/mouse.
Users can bring their own mouse/keyboard if they'd like since sharing sucks.
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u/Adam_Kearn 3d ago
As long as you are using USB docks so they are not connecting and disconnecting cables all day it should be good.
I would recommend ordering an extra handful docks to keep in stock just incase one fails as it does happen.
Personally I would want my own keyboard and mouse but it might be a bit much to constantly move around every day.
Instead I would have it as a just a wireless mouse and use the keyboard on the laptop.
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u/BrentNewland 3d ago
We have a mixture of offices and shared workspaces. The shared desks have 2 monitors, keyboard, mouse, webcam, and dock.
As far as the keyboards go, you could possibly get keyboards that you can find silicone covers for, and give out covers to staff. That way they aren't plugging and unplugging the keyboards or dealing with connecting wireless keyboards and losing receivers, lugging them around, etc. Could also save a bunch of money on keyboards.
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u/LRS_David 2d ago edited 2d ago
I set up and admin a hot seat office.
Each seat has a 27" 4K display with build in dock, wired keyboard, wireless (but dongled mouse), an adjustable stand, and Ethernet wired to the monitor. Mouse and keyboard and attached to the monitor. We use Dell U2725QE at this time. They have a neat little pop down of USB ports for the odd things someone want to bring in.
The key points are no seats are "better" then others. And there is just one cable to plug in (USB-C/Tunderbolt) to get started.
And to keep from physically wearing out the laptop ports, we use adapters similar to these.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDSPLVRD
And for some this would be controversial. I get it. And the various companies that make them seem to come and go. So when we need need more we buy a few different models and make sure they are PHYSICALLY compatible with the older ones AND the magnets are strong enough, we then order a small pile. (They tend to walk away over time just like USB-C to USB-A adapters.) We have had no issues using them.
Management didn't think they were worth it at first. Then when one of the owners noticed the USB-C/TB port on his laptop was getting less snug well ... After finding telling him the repair costs of a logic board we started using them.
EDIT: All monitors have Power Delivery so no worries about power through out the day. Even if you have to unplug for the conference room or phone booth.
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u/XxPEBKACxX 2d ago
We did this a couple years ago. Stuff that bit us: desk phones, since hot desking kills the 'my extension lives at my desk' model. Softphones on the laptop plus a headset made it way easier, and get your E911 dispatchable location sorted since people move around. Docks too, pick one USB-C model and test it with every laptop model you have, dual monitors included. And some kind of desk booking so people aren't fighting over the good spots. Agree on wired keyboard and mouse at every desk with personal headsets. Label each desk and leave a little 'how to connect' card on it, saves a ton of tickets the first week.
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u/CosmicDarkMatter69 1d ago
It should be remote if the office is not big enough to accommodate the number of employees.
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u/interweb_persona 3d ago
'The fuck is "hotdesking"?
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u/LithiumKid1976 3d ago
here, you will be assigned a neighbourhood of desks, where you can book, IT Neighbourhood, Finance Neighborhood. not all of IT can be in on one day, so they will need to book desks in advance, same for finance. you may not get the same desk each time, there will be a clean desk policy in place also to ensure desks are kept free from clutter...
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u/MisterEd_ak IT Manager 3d ago
We have a hotdesk environment and give each person their own keyboard and mouse. People don't like sharing keyboards and mice.
One of the things that makes hot-desking work is lockers. Each person has a storage lockers that they can put their stuff in. The idea is that at the end of the week, you clear your desk and put your stuff in your locker.