The article reads :
Financial institutions are designing slick corporate offices that foster a tech-savvy culture and help recruit the talent needed to thrive in the Digital Age.
By Jeffry Pilcher, CEO/President & Publisher of The Financial Brand
Not long ago, financial institutions gave little thought to their headquarters facilities. Function and an efficient use of space trumped form and style, resulting in some offices that felt like cubicle dungeons. Cost savings superseded the experience.
These days, financial institutions are designing spaces that rival those you’d find at Silicone Valley giants like Google, Apple, Facebook or Amazon. They are bright, colorful, engaging — arguably even fun and playful.
They look nothing like “banks,” and that is exactly the point.
So what explains this trend?
Banking providers are no longer competing for talent in their own insulated financial bubble. Banks and credit unions are knee deep in the digital economy, and thus find themselves trying to lure data scientists, programmers and IT wizards to come work for them. These are the kinds of people who could go work at sexy tech companies where offices frequently emphasize “fun” and “collaboration” in equal parts (think: ping pong tables, impromptu meeting spaces, bean bag chairs, meditation rooms).
Smart financial institutions in the Digital Age will look and feel more like tech startups. They will use all the tools at their disposal to recruit and retain the talent needed to maintain their digital edge. That means fostering a more nimble, innovative culture within a progressive, contemporary office space.