A workplace strategy helps you decide

Just like the classic Clash punk rock anthem from the ‘80s, this question still hits hard — especially when it comes to your workplace! 

The pain of indecision is real, and for many organisations it’s a looming end of a lease that brings them the all-too-familiar dilemma: Should we stay, or should we go?

It’s a decision that feels even more complex when you’ve already poured significant funds into your current office — fit-outs, furniture, technology upgrades, signage and branding. Understandably, the instinct is to stay put and protect the sunk cost. But what if the space no longer serves your people, your operations, or your strategy?

At COMUNiTI we often hear: “We’ve spent so much on this space — wouldn’t investing in a workplace strategy just be wasted if we end up staying?”

The answer is no! 

Here’s why:

A workplace strategy isn’t about the building — it’s about your business

Workplace strategy isn’t just about moving or redesigning of...

There’s a moment in every business lifecycle that offers rare, transformational potential. It usually doesn’t arrive with fanfare.  

In fact, it often shows up in the form of a lease expiry. 

At first glance, it looks logistical — a decision about how much space, the right location, how much is it going to cost, and the style and furniture. But if you pause long enough, you’ll see it’s something far more powerful: a once-in-a-decade opportunity to reset your culture, reconnect with your purpose, and reimagine the way your people work together. 

The workplace isn’t just where work gets done. 
It’s where your values are felt. 
Where leadership is either embodied or eroded. 
Where culture becomes a lived experience — or falls flat against glass partitions. 

The Opportunity Beneath the Surface 

Too often, workplace transitions are treated as operational checklists. A project manager is appointed. A budget is approved. A space is found.  

But what gets missed is the conversation about...

I’ve been intrigued with the power of community since I was a child, on reflection.  Having grown up in a small country town, I think I have always been acutely aware of the feeling that you have when you know your neighbours and the people you greet as you walk down the street.  It’s a feeling that I have continued to seek out in my adult life, a desire for my own village.

This interest was sparked again in 2017 when I travelled to Malawi with The Hunger Project.  After immersing ourselves in the work they were doing to empower villages out of poverty, it was evident that despite how little many of these communities had, there was an undeniably strong sense of community that existed.  A joy, a sense of oneness. 

Inspired by this sense of community, I returned home, adopting this premise in my own business, rebranding to COMUNiTI and establishing our foundational purpose of “fostering the creation of communities where people feel connected”.

7 years on and my sense of what it truly ...

Burnout isn’t just about feeling tired—it’s a full-body crisis that too many of us ignore until it’s too late. While stress and exhaustion are often dismissed as part of a busy life, the reality is that long-term burnout and adrenal fatigue can have serious consequences for our physical and mental health.

Functional medicine practitioner Filipa Bellette, co-founder of Chris and Filipa Functional Medicine, has worked with thousands of clients facing the same struggles. What makes her approach different? Instead of treating burnout as just an energy problem, she looks at the whole picture—our hormones, gut health, nervous system, and the deep-seated beliefs that keep us stuck in overdrive.

What is Body Burnout, Really?

Burnout goes beyond mental fatigue. It’s when the body’s systems—particularly the adrenals, gut, and nervous system—become so depleted that they struggle to function. Some of the most common signs include:

• Waking up exhausted, even after a full night’s sleep.
• Mid
...

 The conversation around workplace inclusivity has gained momentum in recent years, yet one critical area often leaves leadership uncertain on how to progress forward—neurodiversity. With an estimated 20% of the workforce identifying as neurodivergent, businesses have a unique opportunity to create environments that not only support these employees but also unlock greater innovation, engagement, and productivity across the board.

What is Neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity refers to the natural variation in human brain function, encompassing conditions such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and more. Just as biodiversity strengthens ecosystems, neurodiversity enriches workplaces by bringing diverse perspectives, problem-solving abilities, and creativity. However, traditional office setups often fail to accommodate different cognitive needs, leading to unnecessary stress and reduced performance for neurodivergent employees.

The Business Case for Designing Inclusive Workplaces

Supporting n...

2024 was a paradoxical year, both deeply challenging and incredibly transformative.

It reminded me that there cannot be light without darkness.

As a business owner, I’ve come to realize that stewarding a business is deeply intertwined with how we steward ourselves. The vision we have for our own lives inevitably shapes the way we show up in our work.

Over the past year, I’ve learned some invaluable lessons about business, leadership, and success—lessons that have not only shifted how I run my business but also how I show up in life.

Here are 7 key lessons I’m taking forward:

1. Bigger Isn’t Always Better

I used to believe that growing my business meant expanding my team, taking on more projects, and constantly chasing “bigger.” But this year, I realized that success isn’t about size—it’s about alignment. With a small, highly skilled team, we achieved incredible results, worked with dream clients, and created more spaciousness in our lives. Growth doesn’t always mean more; s...

For a long time, I was ignoring the signs.

The exhaustion, the brain fog, the emotional overwhelm—I chalked it up to the demands of motherhood, business, and life. I pushed through, ignoring the signals my body was desperately sending.

Until I couldn’t anymore.

At the end of 2023, my health hit a wall. I was juggling an 18-month-old, two older children, a business, and the never-ending mental load that so many women carry. But something felt off. No matter how much I slept, I woke up exhausted. Bone achingly exhausted. My emotions felt raw, my mind clouded, and despite trying everything, nothing seemed to help.

Doctors ran tests. Everything came back “normal.”

But I knew this wasn’t normal.

The Reality of Burnout

It wasn’t until a friend introduced me to Chris & Filly and their Ending Body Burnout program that I finally got answers. My body wasn’t just tired—it was depleted. Tests revealed adrenal fatigue, SIBO, low serotonin, low dopamine and reduced liver function. My ne...

For the past 10 years, I’ve started each year with an intentional planning session—a ritual that’s helped me realign, refine, and design a life I love. What once felt like a complete reset at the beginning of each year, is now about softening into more of what I love and making small, meaningful tweaks that align with who I am becoming.

This year, I had the privilege of guiding a group of ambitious businesswomen through this process at my Business Planning Day in January. A large part of the day was focused on getting clear on what we truly want from life—because only when we define that vision can we build businesses that support it. Too often, we find ourselves designing our lives around our work, when in reality, our businesses should be designed to enable the lives we desire.

Over the years, I’ve shifted away from traditional goal-setting and instead embraced intentions over goals. Goals can feel like another task on a never-ending to-do list, while intentions shape the way we sh...

A new approach to workplaces

For decades, organisations have viewed the functions of People & Culture and Property as separate entities. 

The former focused on workforce engagement, talent strategies, and leadership development, while the latter managed physical workspaces as financial assets, often sitting under Finance or Operations. 

But what if the future of work calls for a fundamental shift — one where workplaces are no longer just ‘assets’ to optimise, but strategic tools designed to enhance human potential?

At LEGO, they’ve already embraced this shift. Their workplace function now reports into their Chief People Officer, rather than Operations or Finance. Why? Because as workplace leaders at LEGO explain, when you see real estate as an asset, you focus on optimising the space itself. But under People & Culture, the goal shifts from optimising an asset based on cost and efficiency, to maximising people’s performance potential.

This subtle change is reframing how organisa...

Bringing your business story and aspirational culture to life

Your workplace isn’t just a physical space; it’s a cultural canvas. 

It’s where your organisation’s vision, values, and purpose come to life — connecting employees and clients in a meaningful way.

When you think of iconic brands like Apple, their products are just one part of the story. Their sleek, welcoming stores and thoughtfully designed workplaces are integral to the holistic experience they deliver. These intentional workspaces reflect the sentiment of their vision, and purpose: simplicity, innovation, and creativity.

For organisations that want to embody their purpose in every interaction, the takeaway is clear: a space designed with strategic intent becomes a powerful tool for telling your brand story and cultivating aspirational culture.

Why a Workplace Strategy matters for CEOs and People & Culture Managers

A well-executed workplace strategy can transform your office into a space that actively communicates...