Companies often underestimate how much their workspace already communicates.
An office layout does more than host leadership. It exposes how a company operates. Walk into any workplace and you can sense how decisions flow, how transparent the environment is, and how power is distributed.
Most people assume leadership happens through communication, planning, or strategy. In reality, it also happens through design choices. Walls, distance, visibility, and proximity quietly influence how people feel and behave.
Space as a Reflection of Culture
Older offices were built around hierarchy. The higher someone ranked, the farther they were placed from the team. Private corridors, heavy doors, entire floors dedicated to senior roles. Space expressed authority through separation.
This model fits poorly with organizations that value collaboration. A corner office may look prestigious but often isolates the person inside it. When leaders choose to sit where people can see and approach them, the environment sends a message of trust. When they hide behind walls, communication becomes restrained.
Cherie Johnson from Steelcase summarizes it well:
“Organisations need to rebuild the social capital that was lost while everyone worked from home. Traditional spaces no longer offer the transparency people expect.”
Concepts like Steelcase’s Leader Commons show how workplaces can support a more accessible and people-oriented style, combining moments of privacy with frequent visibility.
How Space Influences Leadership Behavior
Proximity matters.
When those in charge work close to their teams, interactions increase naturally. Informal conversations happen faster. Feedback flows more easily. Awareness of challenges improves. The physical layout supports a healthier rhythm of communication.
Research from Steelcase reinforces the idea that the office is more than real estate. It is a tool that shapes collaboration, wellbeing, and performance.
However, design alone does not fix everything.
Studies of Telenor’s flexible offices showed that open layouts only work when the culture supports openness. Removing walls, without adjusting behaviors, creates noise rather than connection.
On the other hand, isolated rooms and closed-off zones reduce awareness. Distance slows decision-making and filters information.
What Intentional Workplace Design Looks Like
Thoughtful offices do not only look attractive. They help leaders demonstrate their values.
Visibility and accessibility signal whether leaders want to be approached or kept separate. A transparent partition invites discussion. A closed door blocks it.
Balanced design, with both quiet areas and collaborative zones, communicates maturity and flexibility. People need places for focus as much as for interaction.
Activity-based planning reinforces adaptability.
Moving between different environments reflects humility and responsiveness rather than rigidity.
Inclusive design also matters. Gensler research shows that when employees participate in shaping their environment, they feel more connected to their organisation and trust its direction.
And finally, adaptable spaces show that a company understands change. A flexible workplace signals a leadership culture that evolves rather than freezes in place.
The Office as a Mirror
A workspace reveals what a company stands for.
If a business values hierarchy, its office will show it.
If it values trust, the space will support openness.
If it fears uncertainty, it will design distance.
Those who understand this use the office intentionally. They treat space as a quiet but consistent message about who they are and what they believe.
The real question every leader should ask is simple:
What does my office say when I am not in the room?
Follow us on:
References for this article:
Cherie Johnson, “Designing Leadership Spaces for the Hybrid Office”, IE UK Blog – https://www.ie-uk.com/blog/designing-leadership-spaces-for-the-hybrid-office
“Leadership by Design”, Steelcase Research – https://www.steelcase.com/eu-en/research/articles/topics/culture-talent/leadership-by-design
“New Research: 5 Ways Your Office Will Change by 2027”, Steelcase – https://www.steelcase.com/research/articles/new-research-5-ways-your-office-will-change-by-2027
De Paoli, Arge & Blakstad, Creating Business Value with Open Space Flexible Offices, ResearchGate – https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262948100_Creating_business_value_with_open_space_flexible_offices
“Designing Workplaces That Work With Your People”, Gensler Blog – https://www.gensler.com/blog/designing-workplaces-that-work-with-your-people
“New Research: 5 Ways Your Office Will Change by 2027”, Steelcase – https://www.steelcase.com/research/articles/new-research-5-ways-your-office-will-change-by-2027
