New HQ Not the Usual Workplace

LOS ANGELES-A locally based developer will begin construction this week on a 220,000-sf office campus in Camarillo whose amenities reflect the way many of the Southland’s high-tech firms are trying to woo top-notch talent in a tight labor market.

Forget the staid old executive washroom. Workers at semiconductor-maker Semtech’s new facility will be able to relax at the on-site pitch-and-putt golf facility. Or work out their stress by pedaling one of the bikes in the development’s exercise room. Or maybe pump some iron in the spacious weight room. And if none of that sounds like fun, there’s always the on-site basketball court.

With unemployment in Southern California’s high-tech industry virtually zero, it’s no longer enough for companies such as Semtech to offer prospective employees loads of cash and plenty of benefits. They also have to offer an appealing work environment, says Tim Regan, project manager for Woodland Hills-based developer Voit Cos.

“As tight as the labor market is now, engineers and other high-tech workers can pick-and-choose who they want to work for,” Regan tells GlobeSt.com. “Most employers are willing to pay them lots of money, but not all of them can offer a great work environment too.”

The 85,360-sf first phase of the development, on a 13-acre site at the corner of Flynn Road and Mission Oaks Boulevard, should be ready for occupancy next July. Another 135,000 sf will be added in later phases, Regan says.

About 250 workers will move in when the first phase is completed, with a total of 500 working there when the project is finished in two or three years.