In this episode of The Leadership Pause, Neil Jacobs and Dr. Taylere Markewich mark the podcast's one-year anniversary with a timely exploration of how physical space shapes leadership, culture, and performance. As organizations continue to navigate hybrid work, return-to-office pressures, and shifting employee expectations, the conversation invites leaders to consider the often-unseen ways the built environment communicates values, power, and belonging.
Joined by Rachel Casanova, Executive Managing Director of Total Workplace Consulting for the Northeast at Cushman & Wakefield, the discussion moves beyond aesthetics to examine workplace design as the "body language" of an organization. Drawing on nearly 30 years of experience, Rachel shares insights on evidence-based design, the risks of aspirational spaces that outpace lived culture, and why congruence between leadership behavior and physical environment is essential for trust, engagement, and change.
Together, Neil, Taylere, and Rachel explore the successes and failures of open offices, hoteling, and hybrid models, as well as how space has become a critical lever in the competition for talent. The episode challenges leaders to pause and ask what their workplaces are truly signaling and whether their organizations are prepared to embody the culture those spaces promise.
Show Order
00:00 Introduction to Leadership Pause
00:49 Reflecting on a Year of Leadership Pause
01:06 Exploring Organizational Space and Design
01:49 Pauses of the Month
05:33 Impact of Office Design on Work Culture
14:26 Guest Introduction: Rachel Casanova
15:39 Rachel Casanova on Workplace Consulting
21:44 Design Principles and Cultural Fit
26:05 Future-Proofing Office Design
27:06 Hoteling and Hotspotting Trends
28:40 Challenges of Office Hoteling
29:10 Activity-Based Working and Technology
29:59 Real Estate and Organizational Behavior
30:31 Emerging Workplace Technologies
31:04 Employee Privacy Concerns
33:46 Evidence-Based Design in the Post-Pandemic World
35:38 The Importance of Physical Presence
37:53 Designing for Organizational Effectiveness
41:58 Organizational Network Analysis
48:34 The Role of Space in Leadership
50:46 Practical Tips for Leaders
52:34 Conclusion and Wrap-Up
Rachel Casanova is Executive Managing Director of the Total Workplace Consulting Practice for the Northeast at Cushman & Wakefield. With nearly 30 years of experience, she helps organizations transform real estate from a cost center into a strategic business tool aligned with culture, performance, and human experience.
A graduate of Cornell University's College of Human Ecology, Rachel is widely recognized for integrating organizational behavior, business strategy, and evidence-based design to create workplaces that are both functional and future-ready.
