Being in the office gives me that same opportunity to Notice Things™. I can hear my coworkers discussing things. I can see what my coworkers are working on.
And I don't mean this in a nosy way. My coworkers activities are not the things I'm registering in my mind. It's about context — the technical and interpersonal issues they are having, the tools they are using, etc.
I barely remember I have coworkers most days, let alone what they are working on or what issues they are dealing with.
/7