Home-sharing platform Airbnb, has announced that after years of working from home their employees will now be allowed to continue doing so permanently.
Airbnb announced the news on Friday, stating that since the COVID-19 pandemic began, their business and the world have changed their views on flexible work arrangements.
“Millions of people are now more flexible about where they live and work,” they said in a statement on their website.
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“In response to this trend of newfound flexibility, Airbnb today announced our approach to allow employees to live and work anywhere, and how we will partner with destinations to help them attract remote workers.”
Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky sent a company-wide email to all their employees around the world on Friday, letting them know the news.
Chesky said the company’s new design has five key features:
You can work from home or the officeYou can move anywhere in the country you work in, and your compensation won’t changeYou have the flexibility to travel and work around the worldWe’ll meet up regularly for gatheringsWe’ll continue to work in a highly coordinated wayChesky also went on to say that Airbnb just had its most productive two-year period in its history while working remotely.
He noted that most of his staff will meet in person every quarter for about a week at a time, adding that some will do this more frequently and that Zoom has its limitations.
File image: Airbnb, has announced that after years of working from home their employees will now be allowed to continue doing so permanently. Credit: NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images“The most meaningful connections happen in person,” Chesky said.
“Zoom is great for maintaining relationships, but it’s not the best way to deepen them. And some creative work is best done in the same room.”
Chesky suggested that firms will be at a “significant disadvantage” if they “limit their talent pool to a commuting radius around their offices” as the best people live everywhere.
The decision comes as other firms start trying to lure staff to back to the office, sometimes with perks like social events and free food.
However, not everyone is convinced, and some workers are reportedly quitting to join companies with more flexible remote-working policies.
– With NBC