Let’s be honest—since the pandemic, many real estate offices have felt a little quieter. Agents discovered they could work from home, take calls from the kitchen table, and log into online trainings from anywhere. The flexibility has been great—but it’s also left many brokers wondering: How do we get our agents back in the office?
The answer isn’t bribing them with free coffee or threatening to take away zoom meetings. The “secret sauce” is creating a space and culture so valuable, so energizing, that agents want to show up. Below are five ways brokers can get their agents–and culture–back.
1. Provide Value to Make It Worth the Commute
Agents won’t drive in for something they can do just as well from home. Give them an experience that can only happen in person. At RedKey, we provide the following opportunities as training experiences for our agents.
- Live mastermind sessions where agents solve problems together on their business activities and market challenges.
- High-value guest speakers—think top producers, market experts or academics predicting economic trends.
- Hands-on workshops for social media, staging tips, CRMs or tech tools that require collaboration.
When the office is where they gain value to grow their business, agents will make the drive.
2. Create a “Third Place” Vibe
Sociologists talk about the “third place”—not home, not work, but a social hub. Why not make your office that place for agents? When we were looking for—and renovating—our headquarters, we made sure to include:
- Comfortable seating areas and co-working spaces
- A stocked snack bar or coffee station
- Music, natural light and design touches that feel inviting, not corporate
- Spaces for FUN—like potluck lunches, team birthday celebrations and more
When the office feels like a favorite coffee shop crossed with a business incubator, agents start dropping by just because.
3. Foster Connection and Community
Humans crave connection, and real estate—despite all the tech—is still a relationship business.
- Hold weekly huddles or quick stand-up meetings to share wins and challenges. We have a weekly meeting like this, and almost every agent and staff member attends.
- Celebrate birthdays, closings and milestones in ways that make agents feel seen. Don’t be afraid to involve a little champagne!
- Encourage spontaneous collaboration. For example, have a central deal board or idea wall where agents can post listings, buyer needs or creative marketing ideas.
A connected office is a magnetic office.
4. Offer On-the-Spot Support
This is one of the biggest advantages the office has over working from home—instant help.
- In-house assistance, marketing staff or tech troubleshooters
- Drop-in access to the broker for deal strategy or negotiation advice
- Immediate brainstorming when a listing stalls or a buyer hesitates
When agents know they can solve problems faster by coming in, the office becomes a productivity magnet.
5. Infuse Energy and Fun
Yes, it’s a workplace—but a little fun goes a long way in making it a place people want to be.
- Consider creating theme days, friendly competitions or sales challenges.
- Monthly social events: happy hours, volunteer opportunities or crowd-sourced activities
- Random acts of appreciation: think surprise breakfast bars or chair massages
When the office has energy, agents feel it—and they come back for more.
The “secret sauce” isn’t one ingredient—it’s a recipe of connection, collaboration and culture. Your office should be the place where agents grow faster, solve problems quicker and feel more supported than they could working from home.
If you make the office the best place to build their business—not just another place to work—you won’t have to convince them to return. They’ll come because it makes them better, and they’ll stay because it feels like home.
