Privacy for users

Overview

Define how the users are able to see each other in Flexopus. Each user has a public user profile by default. Their bookings are listed there, users can search for each other. The live plan shows which object is occupied by which user on a selected date.

Configuration

To set the privacy settings in Flexopus, navigate to Dashboard > Settings > Data Privacy Settings. There, you can choose from the following four options based on your company’s preferences:

1. Use default privacy policy (Flexopus standard policy).
2. Use own privacy policy (upload your own PDF document).
3. Confirm privacy policy (require users to agree upon first login).
4. Anonymize booking data (set anonymization rules for personal data).

Select the option that best aligns with your organization’s data privacy requirements.

Here are the four privacy options you can configure for user visibility in Flexopus:

1. Show everyone
   Users can see each other's bookings without limitations, enabling them to locate colleagues, first responders, or IT support if necessary.
2. Hide personal data from everyone
   Users cannot be found by others. Bookings are still visible but shown as Anonymous to others. Users see their own bookings with real names. Admins still have full visibility in the booking list.
3. Let users decide (default setting: show)
   Users can choose their privacy settings. By default, their personal data is visible to everyone, but they can choose to hide their profiles in the settings.
4. Let users decide (default setting: hide)
   Similar to the last option, but by default, users’ personal data is hidden unless they change their settings to make it visible.

Choose the option that best suits your organization's privacy needs.

Why privacy settings?

There are many reasons why colleagues should or should not see each other in reservations. Here you can find some examples that may help you to decide which setting serves your organization's preferences the most.

Social factor

Seeing which colleagues are going to the office can encourage others to do the same. The office is meant to bring people together, fostering small talks and collaboration, which have many positive benefits.

First aid helper

In many countries and organizations, a certain number of first aid helpers must be available on-site. For example, in Germany, 1 first aid helper is required for 2-20 employees, and above 20, 5% of employees must be trained. In a shared office, it's crucial that these helpers are easily locatable during emergencies. They shouldn't hide their profiles, as it benefits the organization to find them quickly. For instance, if all first aid helpers are on floor 2 and none are on floor 1, their visibility is essential to ensure quick response in emergencies.

Stalking / Following

While people generally value privacy, in some cases it's especially important not to hide bookings. For example, in one customer story, a female colleague reported that male colleagues would repeatedly come to the office when she was there, booking workstations next to hers. Even when she changed desks, they rebooked next to her. This made her uncomfortable, and she requested more privacy by hiding her bookings. This situation could potentially involve stalking and may require deeper investigation, but at the very least, the colleague needed more privacy to feel comfortable at work.

Do not disturb!

Some colleagues prefer to work alone, away from others who might interrupt their deep focus. Colleagues needing a quiet, concentrated work environment may book desks on another floor, away from teammates on the same project. This could be another reason for wanting to hide their bookings.

Work council

In some cases, an organization's work council may require that colleagues cannot see each other's bookings. In such situations, the hide all feature must be activated to ensure compliance. Without this, the software cannot be used, as user privacy is prioritized over any office concept.