INSIGHTS
How fostering community can earn your team’s commute
The world of work has undergone significant transformation in recent years. Remote and hybrid models are now standard for many organisations, employees are placing increasing value on flexibility and wellbeing, and traditional routines have been reshaped by everything from technology to global disruption. But amid all this change, one theme continues to emerge: people crave connection.
In a working world where many tasks can be done from anywhere, the question facing employers isn’t just “why should people come into the office?” It’s “what makes the office worth the commute?”
The answer often comes down to the sense of community you create within your organisation.
More connected, yet more isolated
Despite being digitally linked like never before, employees are reporting higher levels of isolation. A recent study by Freeman revealed that Gen Z, often thought of as champions of remote work, actually want their employers to invest time and money into experiences that foster relationships with colleagues.
This is more than just a generational trend. Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace report found that 22% of employees globally feel lonely at work every day, and employee engagement has fallen to just 21%. With wellbeing declining and disengagement on the rise, the need for meaningful in-person interaction is becoming impossible to ignore.
Why community deserves a commute
A strong workplace community offers something you simply can’t replicate from your home office. It’s the feeling of being part of something, not just a team, but a shared experience. It’s bumping into someone in the hallway and solving a problem on the spot, catching up over coffee or brainstorming a new idea together. These micro-moments of connection are often what employees remember most, and they’re what can make people want to come into the office, not just feel obligated to.
A strong workplace community supports collaboration, encourages open communication, and creates a culture where individuals feel valued not just for their output, but for who they are.
The benefits of belonging
Research consistently shows that employees who feel a sense of belonging are more likely to be productive, loyal, and satisfied in their roles. BetterUp’s research found that strong social connection leads to better mental health, lower stress, and even longer life expectancy.
Conversely, disconnection has real costs. Without a sense of community, people are more likely to experience burnout, feel disengaged, and ultimately leave their roles. In hybrid environments especially, fostering that sense of community requires intention, but the payoff is significant.
How to make the office worth showing up for
To earn your team’s commute, the workplace needs to offer more than just desks and Wi-Fi. It needs to support and offer meaningful human interaction. Here’s how:
Create space for shared experiences
Community grows in the small moments: regular team check-ins, a friendly chat at the start of a meeting, or a few minutes to talk about life outside work. These don’t need to be big or expensive initiatives; they just need to be consistent. When people feel seen, they feel connected.
Support peer-led communities
Encouraging employees to create their own networks like book clubs, parenting groups, or sustainability circles gives them a real stake in shaping the culture. These groups can foster connection across departments, build trust, and help colleagues find shared interests that make the office feel more like a community hub than a corporate space.
Prioritise culture alongside productivity
Initiatives like LinkedIn’s “InDays,” where employees set aside time monthly to connect, learn, or volunteer, prove that culture doesn’t need to come at the expense of output. Even short, regular rituals like a 15-minute end-of-week roundup or a monthly team lunch, send a powerful message: connection is part of the job, not a distraction from it.
Design spaces that encourage interaction
Physical design plays a huge role in how often and how easily people connect. Think well-placed tea points, breakout areas, flexible lounges, places that encourage spontaneous conversation. When designed with intention, these touchpoints make the office feel welcoming, collaborative, and energising.
Listen and adapt
Building community isn’t a one-off project. It requires regular feedback, open communication, and a willingness to adapt. Leaders have a key role to play here when they show curiosity, share openly, and model vulnerability, it creates psychological safety for others to do the same.
The future of work is human
As we look to the future, the office must advance beyond its functional purpose. It should become a place people choose to go, not because they’re required, but because they want to. Community is what makes that possible.
When employees feel they belong, the office becomes more than a location, it becomes a place where ideas grow, relationships strengthen, and people thrive. It earns the commute, not through mandates or policies, but through the promise of shared experience, purpose, and connection.
Ultimately, no matter how advanced our technology becomes, people will always work best when they feel they belong.
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