Austin’s New Tech Offices Shape the Future of Work
As the list of tech giants relocating to Austin gets longer — adding to Austin’s muscle and joining their growing local counterparts, the city is ripe for innovation and progressive ideas. Austin has made national headlines as many making the exodus from Silicon Valley drive business and real estate demands. Business-friendly policies, a vibrant culture, and brimming talent have helped solidify the city’s place as a growing tech hub and one of the nation's hottest relocation spots.
Though some tech companies have made headlines for shuttering their offices, more affordable locales like Austin are attractive as a way to support and engage the talented workforce. Even in the height of the pandemic and popularization of flexible work options, tech powerhouses are pushing an already hot Austin real estate market. An energetic gathering space for collaboration, quick problem-solving, and even perks and socializing, the office is a mothership for a tech culture marked by fluid work and innovation.
Hero Digital, a customer experience and digital agency, and Outbound Engine, a company focused on automated marketing solutions, join Auctane’s 105K square foot facility currently under construction as the newest tech additions to Corgan’s roster of Austin clients investing in the enduring value and power of the office. Take a look at how their office articulates the preferences and demands of the local tech workforce and how their design activates the space as a tool for recruiting top talent—competing with the conveniences and comfort of modern work.
FLEXIBILITY
Entrepreneurial in spirit, Austin was quick to adopt the coworking and remote working movement. Only accelerated by the pandemic, Austin-based tech companies demand spaces that not only provide their workforce a dedicated place for work but also mirror the flexibility and agility that is characteristic of how they work. A mix of settings and postures, including desks and high tops, movable furniture, and more comfortable, private focus spaces provide the balance and flexibility needed for various tasks, people, and growth.
COMMUNITY AND CULTURE
The modern tech office is known for redefining the purpose of the office—from singularly functional and predominately defined as a place to promote productivity to reinforcing corporate culture and offering valuable opportunities to create a sense of belonging and community and encourage connectedness. Residentially inspired elements, including soft woods, inviting fabrics, biophilic inspirations, and comfortable furniture, reflect the usually casual workplace culture, while amenity-driven spaces offer places to gather and connect. Thoughtful design integrations such as dog-friendly finishes and strategically positioned coffee bars communicate core corporate values that keep employee satisfaction, comfort, and engagement front and center.
BRANDING
Brand loyalty isn’t built behind the screen. That’s because the physical space is essential to the human experience—we need to touch, smell, and feel engaged. While remote work and virtual technologies have radically transformed how we work, places have become even more important to how we experience a brand and our work. Spatial design speaks to the whole human and shapes our mood, behaviors, choices, and sentiments. As business transactions and work move to the digital world, there’s an even bigger appetite and expectation that the physical space aligns with the brand story across other channels and platforms. From color stories and creative adaptations of the logo to deeper applications of the brand values and nods to local roots, the physical spaces connect colleagues with each other and unify the experience. And, as remote work underscores the benefit of face-to-face interactions, they also provide the stage to invite internal and external guests into the brand experience.
COLLABORATION AND CONNECTION
Breakout spaces are centrally located within work zones to both invite new ideas and showcase collaboration. While offering a dedicated space for small team conversations and brainstorming, these spaces stay connected to the larger office—providing ease and convenience to quickly act on the spark that comes from organic conversations at the desk and water coolers. Equipped with plug-and-play technologies and audio/visual equipment for content sharing, these spaces put their work and culture on display while bringing vital tools to their fingertips—removing barriers and making work seamless.
The future of work is always evolving—and, as employers consider how to right-size their office for the modern-work force, these tech companies are proving the value of the office for their employees, customers, and guests. As Austin’s ballooning tech industry continues to attract giants and start-ups from across the country while supporting the growth of local companies, the office's potential provides a powerful and valuable tool for an industry known for pioneering the future of work, business, and life.
