You come to the office to discuss a task. The colleague you work most closely with is at home, and the project team is coming in tomorrow. Everyone has followed their own plans, but you miss out on the time together that you came in for.
A weekly plan can make it easier to meet. It does not need to be detailed, but it should show why you are coming in, who will be there and what happens when plans change.
1. Choose the tasks before you choose the days
Look at the coming week’s work. Which tasks would you like to tackle together in the same room? These might include starting a project, training a new colleague or reviewing a draft. Let the tasks determine who needs to be there.
Some teams benefit from a regular shared day. Others meet around specific projects. Choose a pattern that works for you, and discuss needs for focused work, working hours and individual circumstances.
2. Agree on a deadline and one place for the plan
Set a deadline for agreeing on next week’s plan, such as Thursday afternoon. Put the plan in the shared calendar or channel you already use, and choose someone to follow up on arrangements that are still undecided.
Make a distinction between a provisional plan and a confirmed office day. Otherwise, colleagues may book desks or plan their commute based on an arrangement that is not yet agreed.
3. Find workspaces that fit the task
Check capacity before the whole team picks the same day. Do you need desks next to each other, a meeting room or a quiet area? An empty chair is not always the right workspace for the task.
With MyDesk desk booking employees can see available desks on floor plans and book near colleagues. Use desk booking to put the team’s plan into practice, and follow the rules for your areas and desks.
4. Allow for changes and remote participants
Agree on how to let the team know when an office day changes. Release a reserved desk if you no longer need it. If a key person cannot attend, decide whether the shared activity still makes sense.
If someone is joining from home, include a video link and a clear agenda in the invitation. Share the material in advance, and make sure remote participants can contribute too.
An example of a simple weekly schedule
A project team chooses Tuesday to review a prototype. Participants confirm that they will be there by Thursday of the previous week. The team books suitable desks and a room for the review. Changes are shared in the project channel, and the material is sent to the colleague joining from home.
This example is one routine you can adapt to your working week. What matters is that the plan helps you get the work done together.
Follow up after the first weeks
Ask the team whether the shared days gave you the time together you had hoped for. Were the right people there? Were the workspaces suitable? Was it easy to change the plan? Adjust the pattern based on the answers.
See also our overview of hybrid work for broader arrangements covering office and home working. A good weekly plan puts these arrangements into practice.