Where is the office these days? Airbnb says: Wherever you call home
Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2024 8:09 am
Logan Hillen
May 6, 22 | 7 min read
Reading time: 6 minutes
It’s been more than two years since the pandemic swept across the globe, forcing most companies to work almost exclusively remotely. Now that vaccine and health mandates are playing their part in mitigating the virus, these same companies are faced with the question of how to proceed with work from this point forward.
Will you require employees to return to the office? Will they remain remote? Will you provide some sort of flexible hybrid solution?
One company has jumped into the fray by syria email list tackling this problem and has publicly stated its solution. On April 28, Airbnb announced that it would allow employees to live and work from anywhere .
As an employee of Rock Content , a remote-first company, I wanted to weigh in on the topic from my own personal experience. But first, let’s understand what Airbnb’s new flexible policy is all about and look at some research on the topic.
Follow us on the Rock Content LinkedIn page
Airbnb's new flexible policy
Airbnb's new policy reflects the core values that have guided its customers from the beginning: allowing a person to live or work from anywhere, providing the flexibility to travel anywhere in the world.
As Airbnb continues to plan regular meetups and social gatherings every quarter, they are putting an emphasis on prioritizing meaningful in-person meetings. Beyond the idea of flexibility, they are also aiming for greater diversity within the company.
In a letter to employees, CEO Brian Chesky wrote:
“ If we limited our talent pool to a commuting radius around our offices, we would be at a significant disadvantage. The best people live everywhere, not concentrated in one area. And by hiring from a diverse set of communities, we will become a more diverse company .”
By combining the elements of providing flexibility to employees with its diversity initiative, Airbnb becomes one of the role models in the field of remote work.
The good, the bad and the art of discipline
The good : When it comes to the benefits of remote work, there are two key components that stand out above all others: time and flexibility.
Obviously, there is no manager or leader hovering over you to make sure the job gets done, just the belief and trust that it will be. In this bridge of trust and good faith from employers, employees become masters of their own schedule to fulfill their end of the bargain.
This level of trust and flexibility can give an employee a sense of power in his or her own ritual.
In fact, according to a report from the ADP Research Institute , 67% of workers say they feel more empowered to take advantage of flexible work arrangements at their companies, compared to just 26% before the pandemic.
From experience, if you have an activity outside of work, such as a doctor's appointment, your child's sporting event, or any activity that requires you to leave work at a specific time, you are more inclined to arrange your schedule in a way where you will still be doing the work that needs to be done.
This is the concept of balancing time and flexibility through a level of mutual trust.
The bad : There are also elements of remote work that struggle to live up to the same culture that an office workspace offers. You miss out on water cooler chatter. In-person interactions aren’t the same as Zoom calls or Slack messages .
The usual repertoire of conversations you have with coworkers and colleagues is starting to be missing. How do we alleviate this feeling?
Being more proactive in our communication, seeking out conversations with coworkers, whether business-related or just casual conversation. It may not carry the same weight as being face-to-face, but in an increasingly remote world it can ease the strain of loneliness.
The art of discipline : As creators of our own schedule with remote work, the best practice is to grow in discipline. It is easy to get distracted in the remote workspace, so there needs to be accountability measures in the daily routine.
On the other side of the coin, it can be exhausting to sit in a room with just a computer and four walls. It's important to set a schedule that balances work tasks with breaks, such as taking a breath of fresh air to optimize your day without feeling exhausted.
May 6, 22 | 7 min read
Reading time: 6 minutes
It’s been more than two years since the pandemic swept across the globe, forcing most companies to work almost exclusively remotely. Now that vaccine and health mandates are playing their part in mitigating the virus, these same companies are faced with the question of how to proceed with work from this point forward.
Will you require employees to return to the office? Will they remain remote? Will you provide some sort of flexible hybrid solution?
One company has jumped into the fray by syria email list tackling this problem and has publicly stated its solution. On April 28, Airbnb announced that it would allow employees to live and work from anywhere .
As an employee of Rock Content , a remote-first company, I wanted to weigh in on the topic from my own personal experience. But first, let’s understand what Airbnb’s new flexible policy is all about and look at some research on the topic.
Follow us on the Rock Content LinkedIn page
Airbnb's new flexible policy
Airbnb's new policy reflects the core values that have guided its customers from the beginning: allowing a person to live or work from anywhere, providing the flexibility to travel anywhere in the world.
As Airbnb continues to plan regular meetups and social gatherings every quarter, they are putting an emphasis on prioritizing meaningful in-person meetings. Beyond the idea of flexibility, they are also aiming for greater diversity within the company.
In a letter to employees, CEO Brian Chesky wrote:
“ If we limited our talent pool to a commuting radius around our offices, we would be at a significant disadvantage. The best people live everywhere, not concentrated in one area. And by hiring from a diverse set of communities, we will become a more diverse company .”
By combining the elements of providing flexibility to employees with its diversity initiative, Airbnb becomes one of the role models in the field of remote work.
The good, the bad and the art of discipline
The good : When it comes to the benefits of remote work, there are two key components that stand out above all others: time and flexibility.
Obviously, there is no manager or leader hovering over you to make sure the job gets done, just the belief and trust that it will be. In this bridge of trust and good faith from employers, employees become masters of their own schedule to fulfill their end of the bargain.
This level of trust and flexibility can give an employee a sense of power in his or her own ritual.
In fact, according to a report from the ADP Research Institute , 67% of workers say they feel more empowered to take advantage of flexible work arrangements at their companies, compared to just 26% before the pandemic.
From experience, if you have an activity outside of work, such as a doctor's appointment, your child's sporting event, or any activity that requires you to leave work at a specific time, you are more inclined to arrange your schedule in a way where you will still be doing the work that needs to be done.
This is the concept of balancing time and flexibility through a level of mutual trust.
The bad : There are also elements of remote work that struggle to live up to the same culture that an office workspace offers. You miss out on water cooler chatter. In-person interactions aren’t the same as Zoom calls or Slack messages .
The usual repertoire of conversations you have with coworkers and colleagues is starting to be missing. How do we alleviate this feeling?
Being more proactive in our communication, seeking out conversations with coworkers, whether business-related or just casual conversation. It may not carry the same weight as being face-to-face, but in an increasingly remote world it can ease the strain of loneliness.
The art of discipline : As creators of our own schedule with remote work, the best practice is to grow in discipline. It is easy to get distracted in the remote workspace, so there needs to be accountability measures in the daily routine.
On the other side of the coin, it can be exhausting to sit in a room with just a computer and four walls. It's important to set a schedule that balances work tasks with breaks, such as taking a breath of fresh air to optimize your day without feeling exhausted.