There's usually a moment in every workplace project where someone leans over and whispers, "I'm so sorry about Sally. She's just... difficult. We can work around her if we need to."

It always gives me a little giggle, but I say: "Sally is exactly who I've been looking for."

In every project, I'm actively searching for the anarchist - the person who's going to object, who's uncomfortable, who's pushing back at every turn. Because what most people miss is that they're not trying to derail your project. They're your canary in the coal mine, showing you exactly where you need to think differently push harder, dig deeper to create a design that genuinely works for everyone, not just the easy-to-please majority.

 
The challenge: Turn resistance into advocacy

It's become my personal mission: find the anarchist and turn them into an advocate.

When we do our job right [when we actually listen to what they're saying underneath the resistance], when we push ourselves as a design team to solve...

I often ask myself a simple question when I start working with a new client: what will bring this workplace to life?  It goes without saying that it should be functional and efficient, so how do we then make it feel truly alive?  

The answer has become clear over time: it's people feeling connected, a sense of belonging and like they are part of something bigger than themselves. That’s what drives us.  Guiding organisations to transform their workplaces into communities where purpose is at the heart of everything. 

Last week, I had the privilege of exploring community with a group of heart-led leaders at the Serenity Collective Deep Dive Day. Walking into the room, you could feel the energy of curiosity and openness. People were ready to pause, reflect, and challenge the ways they had been thinking about culture, connection, and the spaces they inhabit. 

We started by acknowledging a reality that has been quietly reshaping the modern workplace: 

Our workplaces are no longer just...

It’s not just about what you save, it’s about what you gain 

*Spoiler alert* It will come as no surprise that this article concludes that absolutely yes, a Workplace Strategy is worth the investment — Workplace Strategies are core to what we do at COMUNiTI. But what might surprise you is the returns that the right Workplace Strategy can deliver, beyond savings per m2. 

You see, not all Workplace Strategies are created equal. 

There are Workplace Strategies that just give you a design brief, and this might help you improve the aesthetics of your workplace and save some square meterage costs. ✅

And then there are Workplace Strategies that unlock a much bigger return on your investment. These Workplace Strategies are data-driven and strategically tailored to your organisation’s vision, goals, values, unique brand story, aspirational culture, and operational needs. ✅✅✅

They are developed by Workplace Strategists who know how to form a much deeper understanding of your business and ...

First published on COMUNiTI, April 2024

Look beyond the walls and workstations

"Building a community outshines workplace design."

This is my philosophy on successful placemaking. 

When I embark on workplace redesign, my primary goal is to build a strong, interconnected community. Why? Because a thriving community is a surer road to achieving organisational objectives than just focussing on the desks, decor, walls and workstations.

Sure, office layout and aesthetics matter, but they shouldn't overshadow the ultimate goal of placemaking: creating a collaborative, productive, thriving community, where everyone feels connected to purpose. 

When I guide clients through a a community-centric approach to workplace redesign I help shift the collective mindset from ‘we’re redesigning the workplace’ to ‘we’re building a thriving community’.

This means I’m not just answering the question: "How many desks do you need to fit on the floorplan?" By reframing the conversation from work...