Business process outsourcing (BPO) companies in the Philippines serving the needs of technology firms abroad are boosting the demand for rental office space, according to real estate consultancy firm Colliers International. 

Colliers said IT companies are considered the main source of office space take-ups in the U.S., a phenomenon that is changing workspace strategies in various industries. Among the companies leading office space activity are Amazon, the online retail giant, and Facebook. Amazon occupies 11 million square feet of office space in Seattle, WA, while Facebook has expanded its office space by 275,000 square feet. In the Philippines, BPO companies are absorbing much of the office space supply as the foreign IT firms they serve continue to develop technology products and hire additional customer service teams offshore.

Google and Uber have taken up 18,000 square meters and 5,500 square meters of office space in the country, respectively. Colliers said it will not be surprising to see more tech firms follow in their footsteps. Office space needs in the tech industry are also evolving. One strategy that has been adopted by serviced office spaces and BPO firms is the “workplace of choice,” with options ranging from private spaces to spaces for collaboration and interaction.