Design your office, your way
Mix and match space models to ensure your office works for you - today and for the future.
Powerful controls to get more out of your office
Calven goes beyond the basics with configurable booking windows, overflow logic, group allocations, priorities, and waitlists. This means you can be more efficient and more fair with your resources. We also understand that every workplace is unique - contact us for more details on how to solve your particular office challenge.
How to configure your space
Calven offers several different space types that can be mixed and matched within an office, depending on how you intend to work:
Space Type #1
Assigned Workstations
Best For:
Individual consistency
Specific desk needs
In-person most days
What Sets Calven Apart:
- No need for auto-booking
- Seamlessly works within other models
- (Optional) Bookable by others when assignee is out of office
Space Type #2
Shared Neighborhoods
Best For:
Individual flexibility
Designated team areas
Semi-hybrid
What Sets Calven Apart:
- Allocate groups to specific neighborhoods
- Allow specific control over space planning
- Set up designated overflow neighborhoods
Space Type #3
AIÂ Dynamic Stack
Best For:
Team togetherness
Space constrained office
Flexible Hybrid
What Sets Calven Apart:
- Calven uses AI to to place groups together where they'll best fit based on planned attendance
- No need to assign or right-size specific neighborhoods
- Minimizes the need for space planning while maximizing efficient desk placement
Space Type #4
Hot Desking
Best For:
Activity based work
Short stay desks
Flexible Hybrid
What Sets Calven Apart:
- Sit where you want without booking
- Assign teams to specific neighborhoods if needed
- Integrate with presence APIs to leverage wifi, security systems, and badge scanners
Frequently Asked Questions
Why use different space models?
Modern offices have varying goals based on the needs of employees: heads down work, conference center, collaborative space. Calven lets you blend these together in a way that makes sense for you, and adjust them as often as you need.
Here are the types of questions to think about, and the answers determine the best space model for you:
Here are the types of questions to think about, and the answers determine the best space model for you:
- Does the team need a lot of “burst capacity” because they come into the office all together but infrequently?
- Do you have team members that need assigned desks but should also be seated with the rest of their team that uses shared desks?
- How space constrained is your office? How high do you want your sharing ratio?
Calven can help you find the best way to setup and run your office based on the answers to the questions above using a combination of our space models.
Hoteling or hot desking?
The primary difference between hoteling and hot-desking is in the way employees can access desks in a workspace. Hot desking gives employees access to desks on a first-come-first-serve basis, while hoteling requires employees to reserve desks in advance.
Most offices will have a blend of the two models for their shared workstations - hoteling for primary workstations, which are outfitted with better setups like larger monitors, keyboards and mice. These are reservable because employees need to have these to get their heads-down work done.
Hotdesking is best for employees that have a lot of meetings and may only use the space for short periods throughout the day, and for “burst capacity” on days when many employees are in the office. These spaces often have fewer amenities, but they are able to fit more people into the space and can be dual-purposed with meeting areas.
Most offices will have a blend of the two models for their shared workstations - hoteling for primary workstations, which are outfitted with better setups like larger monitors, keyboards and mice. These are reservable because employees need to have these to get their heads-down work done.
Hotdesking is best for employees that have a lot of meetings and may only use the space for short periods throughout the day, and for “burst capacity” on days when many employees are in the office. These spaces often have fewer amenities, but they are able to fit more people into the space and can be dual-purposed with meeting areas.
How to handle change management?
Your business needs will change over time as policies are updated, headcount changes and leases expire. The days of forklift-upgrades every time you need to make a change are over. Calven’s office configuration allows you to adjust your models as often as you need, and upcoming reservations are automatically rebooked when needed to minimize employee adjustment.