Don’t Ask the Furniture to Bring Back Your Office Vibes
It’s tempting to think a new office fit-out will be the magic bullet for restoring the buzz and connection we remember from pre-pandemic days. There’s something reassuring about fresh furniture and a cleverly designed space—like it might single-handedly revive the energy, collaboration, and spontaneous catch-ups we’ve been missing. But after years of working with organisations to take hybrid work practice from good to great, I can say with confidence: no piece of furniture, no matter how ergonomic or stylish, can bring back your office ‘vibe’ on its own.
The real magic happens in how we use our spaces and, more importantly, how we work together. In a hybrid context, it’s tempting to focus on the physical (desks, chairs, meeting pods) but the intangible elements matter even more: connection, coordination and the ability to manage boundaries, not just our time.
In my recent article with Buro, we explored the importance of office design to support hybrid work. Yet even the best-designed spaces fall flat if we’re not clear about why we’re coming together and what we want to achieve. Furniture can support collaboration and focus, but it can’t create culture or connection by itself.
A few years ago, I worked with a client who was ready to splash out on a new office fit-out, convinced it would change the game. They soon realised the limitations of their plan. I worked with them to make sure they invested in their people alongside their investment in the physical space. We gave everyone the training they needed with practical tools to structure, coordinate, and make better choices about how and when to work together. The result? They became more connected and purposeful, not just because of the new chairs, but because people were working well and clear about how to use the space and their time.
If you want to bring back the best of your office vibes, start with honest conversations about what your team needs, how you’ll stay connected, and how your space can support, not replace, those habits. Let the furniture do its job, but don’t expect it to do yours. The real ‘vibe’ comes from people, purpose, and a bit of planning. Before you pin your hopes on a new fit-out, ask yourself, are you investing in your people as much as your space? That’s what truly brings an office to life.
The ‘We & Me’ tool is a resource available as a free download. It’s tried and tested by hundreds of hybrid teams and offers you a way into solving common issues of team cohesion, collaboration and shared accountability for performance.
CLICK HERE to download your copy.
If you like the tool and how it helps your team, check out my Flexperts Kickstarter Pack: https://www.gillianbrookes.co.nz/starter-pack