Lately, our clients have been telling us that, in looking for their next workplace, they would prefer to move into a warehouse.

Why is this happening?

Growth industries have changed 

Those who are driving employment are no longer accountants and lawyers. They are typically consolidating their space. The new growth users of space are established and startup IT firms. Even banks are starting to call themselves IT companies now.

Plus: Five pillars of an authentic workplace | How education is subverting the workplace

One of the most important things for these types of industries is to attract and retain the very best people. And the potential recruits are not looking for a traditional corporate job and workplace. Recruits want an authentic workplace that reflects their own values.

SND CYN studios is a special collaborative workspace for independent creative professionals. Situated in old town Irvine, California, this 125-year-old lima bean factory is now property to artists, designers, photographers, producers and developers. (Inhabitat.com)

Also: How to keep your office building from hitting its peak | WeWork raises the bar for workplaces

Corporates want a unique selling point

In the battle for talent, all corporates are looking to differentiate themselves from their competitors. What better way than to have a unique and creative workplace? A unique workplace says to customers, “We’re creative, fun and not like our stodgy, old competition.”

It’s all about encouraging innovation.

The workplace should speak to the aspirations of new and upcoming talent and generate a feeling of creativity. Look, for example, at the gentrification of gritty, inner-city residential areas. People are looking for the same attributes in their workplace.

Now this doesn’t mean that traditional office buildings will become obsolete. However, it does mean that building owners need to present their spaces more creatively.

Apart from the typically fitted-out marketing suite, why not create an alternative that reveals the character of your building, exposes the structure and services the building’s bones?

Find out more about how workplace strategy can help create an authentic workplace. For more insights and discussion, follow our Colliers Collaboration page on LinkedIn.

As National Director of Workplace Strategy and Design for Colliers International in Australia, Peter is a workplace strategist and qualified architect with over 25 years’ experience in workplace and base building design, working with clients ranging from Bauer Media Group, AT Kearney, Ricoh, ANZ Bank and Citrix.