Product News & Updates

Bringing belonging to the future of work

It’s a privilege to wake up every day and know we’re helping customers engage their workforce in new, unique ways. Up until now, our work has been focused on helping companies with business travel, but we’re not stopping there. I’m excited to share that we’re rolling out a new strategic direction to help customers foster a sense of belonging — even at work.

We’re expanding Airbnb for Work into new areas to help our customers attract, retain, and motivate talent: Airbnb Experiences for team-building, homes on Airbnb for offsites and meetings, and new options for people relocating for work.

Team-building

When people show vulnerability to each other and participate in activities together beyond the workplace, they connect on a deeper level than when going out for drinks. And, what’s good for people is good for the business. According to Korn Ferry, companies with engaged employees make 2.5X the revenue and are 87% more likely to retain their employees, with team-building being one of the most effective ways to foster engagement within a company.

Unorthodox perks are an essential way to attract your future workforce, and retain and motivate top talent. Experiences, not cash, are the new corporate bonus. In today’s hyper-competitive talent environment, once you’ve recruited great employees, you want to keep them. Journeys of self-fulfillment and discovery can produce the kind of creative sparks and life-clarifying moments that seldom come when staring dead-eyed at yet another PowerPoint.

Airbnb Experiences — from sailing lessons to pastry-making classes with a Michelin chef — help teams bond, form meaningful connections outside the workplace, and develop appreciation for each other’s particular strengths and skills. These newly-featured Experiences for professionals are currently available in more than 800 cities globally in a number of categories, including wellness, team-building, and social impact.

Offsites and meetings

Providing individuals and teams with the freedom they need to grow and collaborate is top of mind for many companies. Whether that’s the freedom to work remotely or collaborate outside of the office, Gallup reports workers who spent 60-80% of their time away from their workplace had the highest rates of engagement.

The spaces where people spend time away from the office make a big difference. Sterile conference rooms aren’t motivating and don’t foster creativity. Relaxing and productive environments, on the other hand, help people open up to connect and contribute; they help teams achieve their shared goals more effectively.

Knowing this, Airbnb for Work now has homes with amenities that may be appealing for team creation and collaboration. These are homes where hosts indicate their unique spaces are suitable for events, and many have work-friendly amenities like wifi, self check-in, etc.

A new way to relocate for work

We can all agree moving is stressful. Relationships are tested, a loved one’s career may be disrupted, kids’ friendships and routines get shaken up — and on top of all of that stress, your life is in boxes and your surroundings are totally unfamiliar. Acclimating to a new community can be one of the most challenging parts of a move. So much so that according to a Right Management study, more than 40% of international assignments are judged to be failures by senior executives, with cultural adjustment issues being a top reason.

We also know most people want to test out neighborhoods or be near new schools for their children (according to Atlas World Group research, 35% of relocations involve children). Who doesn’t want to feel grounded the instant they move to a new home?

So, we’re expanding our work in this space to help more professionals instantly feel like they belong in their new communities. Finding a temporary home that actually feels like a home — because it is! — provides a much-needed sense of familiarity that can help people and their families cope with the chaos of a relocation and more quickly achieve a healthy work-life balance.

Airbnb for Work — now more than just business travel

In my experience, only around 25% of employees at a company travel for work. With Airbnb for Work’s new expansion into team-building, homes for offsites and meetings, and relocations, we now have an opportunity to bring the best of Airbnb to the professional world and help foster a sense of belonging, even at work.