When Denise Brouder talks about the future of work, she doesn’t start with office layouts or desk bookings. She starts with people. With motivation. With mindset.
As the founder of Sway Workplace and creator of the Future of Work Alliance, Denise brings a rare combination of financial grit (think: Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs) and visionary thinking shaped by her own leap into entrepreneurship. She’s led training programs inside some of the world’s largest companies, and now helps guide leaders and teams through what she calls “the biggest redistribution of power in the workplace since the Industrial Era.”
In this episode, I sit down with Denise for a wide-ranging conversation that moves from AI to architecture, from New York marathons to rural Ireland. But at the center of it all is one big idea: we can no longer afford to see workplace strategy as just real estate. It’s now about human potential.
Structure Without Trust Is Just Control
Denise is no stranger to large financial institutions. She’s worked in them. She’s trained their leaders. And she’s seen how traditional hierarchies, command-and-control cultures, are struggling to adapt.
Her diagnosis? A lack of trust. Many leaders want people back in the office, not for collaboration, but for control. But that short-term mindset risks long-term talent loss.
“If I can see you, I can control you. That’s how a lot of leaders still think. But that doesn’t build performance. That builds resentment.”
The Real AI Opportunity Isn’t at the Top
While many companies are pouring resources into enterprise AI, Denise believes the real impact is happening quietly.
Individual employees, not leadership teams, are driving innovation. They’re the ones finding practical tools that reclaim time and boost focus. It’s decentralized, and it’s happening fast.
Physical Workplaces Still Matter
Denise pushes back against the idea that the physical office is obsolete. Quite the opposite.
“There’s magic that happens when people are together. Emotional energy transfers. Creative sparks fly. That’s still essential.”
But she’s quick to clarify: offices must now earn their relevance. They’re not default spaces anymore, they’re intentional hubs for connection, not just control.
Sway, the Future of Work Alliance, and a New Playbook for Leaders
Denise founded Sway to help teams adopt new ways of working, and launched the Future of Work Alliance to bring together global voices building better models.
It’s not a think tank. It’s a network of practitioners, founders, and operators doing the hard, messy work of rethinking work in real-time.
Final Thoughts
Denise Brouder is here to challenge how we think about performance, productivity, and the spaces that support them.
Her message is clear: don’t chase trends. Understand behaviors. And remember that the biggest workplace transformation happening today is mental.
Listen to the full episode with Denise Brouder for a look into the future of workplace strategy. Catch Fika Friday at the Office wherever you get your podcasts.
