Hamilton officials said they are working to figure out the best potential use of the building moving forward.
The pandemic drove a shift in how organizations and their employees think about the workplace, according to statement from Startek.
“Like many organizations, the COVID-19 pandemic required Startek to explore how we could prioritize the well-being of our associates while also meeting the needs of our clients,” according to the company statement. “As a result, throughout 2021 and early 2022, we moved the majority of our associates globally into work-from-home positions.”
Startek learned that work-at-home employees enjoy the flexibility of being at home, and thus deliver a better experience for customers, and there is lower attrition, according to the company. The 35-plus-year-old company has a presence in 12 companies and employs 38,000, including remote workers in Hamilton.
“Overnight, companies around the world moved their people out of brick-and-mortar offices and into their homes,” according to the company statement. “In the process, contact centers like Startek learned that work-from-home operations can deliver win-win benefits for clients and agents alike.”
Heading into the COVID-19 pandemic, Startek had around 350 employees in Hamilton, according to Butler County Development. Startek invested millions of dollars to relocate to the city of Hamilton in 2015. Though they’re not hiring as of now in Hamilton, the company had been looking for new remote workers in the region in January 2022.
Even though Startek no longer has a presence in downtown Hamilton, the company’s sign is still visible to motorists and pedestrians.
Lauren Nelson, project manager with Hamilton’s Economic Development Department, said there are no immediate plans at this time for a new user, “but CORE is working with the city to reimagine and market the space.”
“At this time, there is not an immediate tenant in the works,” said the Hamilton liaison to the CORE Fund. “It remains to be seen whether it will be filled again with a larger commercial tenant, subdivided for multiple tenants, or redone entirely for a different use. All options are being explored.”
The sign will be removed by CORE per the lease agreement with Startek, but there is not a specific date as of yet when it will be removed, Nelson said.
Startek’s completion of work in downtown Hamilton came before the Colorado business was acquired in a $200 million-plus deal by Capital Square Partners. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the calendar year. When the transaction is complete, Startek will no longer trade on the New York Stock Exchange and will become a private company.
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