Use these email templates to introduce Robin to your employees. Your employees may already know that a change to their office experience is coming. Start with a short introduction or heads-up, such as:
Hello treasured employees,
Starting on [date], we'll use Robin Powered to make our bookings in the office. This will improve our office experience. You'll see more of what's happening in the office, and it will be easier to work with the right people on the right days.
In [a couple of weeks], you'll get more detailed instructions on how to use Robin and the policies we've put in place.
Then prepare the full introduction to Robin. First, learn what your employees see in Robin. Then use the sample template below and add the information that is relevant to your Robin rollout.
What members see in Robin
Anyone with the Member role (the default user role) has access to only 3 views: Schedule, Office, and People. On Enterprise, you can remove the People & Schedule tab from the Member view for extra privacy. To do this, use Roles and Permissions.
Your users spend most of their time in the Map tab. The Map tab shows your office map with all the office resources people can book.
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Admins set what users can do, and what and how they can book.
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Desks that users can book show as green. Users can make reservations only for themselves, so the pop-up window for a flexible desk shows "Reserve." Admins see "Reserve for..." because they can reserve on behalf of others. The only exception to this is if you've given a Member delegate permission under Roles (Enterprise only).
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Members will not see the Edit floor dropdown menu.
Set expectations for your employees
First, decide what you expect from your employees when they use Robin.
If you are not sure, ask every person in your office to book a desk in Robin for the day. Then they show up on the Daily Roster, and your desk analytics show your office attendance accurately. Desk reservations are the best way to track office attendance, even for people who use only a conference room or a collaboration space.
Explain your office policies
After you set your expectations, tell your employees the details they will run into when they book.
The most helpful thing to share is the policies you set for your office, especially for desk reservations:
- How far in advance can employees book?
- How long can a reservation be?
- Are there specific areas in the office for specific teams?
- When they book, are they expected to check in?
- Which check-in methods do you encourage?
Encourage employees to use the mobile app
Ask your employees to download the mobile app. With the app, they can book on the go, confirm their bookings, see who else is coming into the office, and more.
If you use QR/NFC codes on your desks for check-ins and bookings, employees need the mobile app.
Sample template
Use this template for the full instructions and expectations. Send it a day or 2 before Robin goes live in your office.
Hi everyone,
This week we're rolling out Robin in the office. Robin makes it easier for everyone to find the office resource they need for the task at hand, without conflicts. [You will also be able to see where you’ve been assigned a desk or see which flexible desks you can book on your own.] [You will all receive personalized invitations to our company's account later today. Your invite will contain further log in instructions.] OR [ Insert your organization’s login link for single-sign-on]. Hot tip: Bookmark our direct login page: [xyz].
When you log in for the first time, add a profile picture and set up your user settings. To open your user profile & settings, select your avatar in the top right corner.
Some highlights: How to plan your week & coordinate with co-workers
Reserving a desk
Select a desk on the map, or select Book a desk to see a list of desks. You can filter the list by the desk amenities you need, such as a monitor & keyboard.
Change the date & time with the drop-downs at the top of the Map tab. [Including multiple day reservations for hotel desks.]
Admins set the policies for desk reservations. [You may need to complete a health checkpoint or check in before your reservation begins.]
Watch the video tutorial: How to check in to your desk
Assigned desks
If you have an assigned desk, [you can share it on days you plan to be out of the office]. This frees up your desk for someone else to book on the days you choose.
Read the guide and watch the video tutorial: Desk sharing or "reverse hoteling" for Desks
Reserving a space
Book a space in the web dashboard or the mobile app:
Select Find a space to see a list of spaces on the selected floor.
Change the date & time with the drop-downs.
To narrow your room search, add filters, such as amenities, space types or the capacity your meeting needs.
To book a space & create a meeting event, select a time slot next to the space. Or select a space on the map. The colors of the spaces show availability.
Admins set the policies for space reservations. After you select a space, scroll down to see more space information, including policies.
[Rooms that host special events, such as the auditorium, are "request only" rooms. An admin must approve your reservation request. Then you can add other event details, such as invitees, to complete the booking.]
Don't send without a review
These templates are an outline for your email announcement. The parts highlighted in red probably need changes. Read the whole email and make it fit your office before you send it.