Brian Chesky is the co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, and he determines the company’s vision and strategy. In 2007, Brian and Joe Gebbia were the first Hosts on Airbnb. Brian, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, has imbued Airbnb’s culture, product, and community with his creative origins. This design-driven approach has allowed a system of trust that enables strangers to cohabitate and produced a novel economic model that encourages connection and belonging.Brian has signed the Giving Pledge and pledged to donate the net earnings of his CEO equity remuneration to the community, philanthropic, and charitable initiatives. Brian is a San Francisco-based Airbnb Experience Host from Niskayuna, New York.
Introduction of Brian Chesky and his unique hiring method
We think each interview process is as much about the experience as the conclusion or destination. One way we strive to enhance the applicant journey continuously is through storyboarding. Our Core Value, “Every Frame Matters,” is a testimonial of storyboards’ importance. Our founders engaged an artist to assist us in visualizing the host and guest experiences on Airbnb. We use these frames to consider how we might simplify, streamline, and enhance the experiences.We’ve applied this strategy to the interview process, and we’re sharing these frames because they symbolize how we think about recruiting. Each frame is significant and distinct on its own, but when seen as a whole, they form a holistic image that is more than the sum of its parts.Not all of the subject matter is weighty. We’ll share some experiences from the frontlines, discuss the changes we’re making to our recruiting process, and introduce you to some fantastic recruiters in San Francisco, Portland, Singapore, and Dublin.
What does Brian Chesky look for in job candidates?
Could you describe your whole life in three minutes or less? This is not the simplest question to answer, but Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said he loves asking it during job interviews.This question, a variation on the conventional “tell me about yourself” interview question, allows you to showcase your personal and professional accomplishments. According to some career gurus, preparing a suitable answer might help an employer view you for who you are: a highly accomplished person who would flourish in the position.Chesky has said the same. In a 2014 interview with The New York Times, he stated, “I’m attempting to determine the formative choices and events that shaped your personality.”Chesky listens for the candidates’ most significant accomplishments to date as they provide a summary of their lives.Chesky said, “I’m attempting to comprehend the two or three most spectacular things you’ve ever accomplished.” Because if you haven’t accomplished anything noteworthy in your life up to this point, you probably never will.As interview coach Carole Martin notes, the employer is “listening to what you’re focused on” when you respond to this question. Therefore, providing a whole picture of who you are is important.She tells CNBC Make It that you should include some personal milestones in addition to discussing your professional accomplishments. Companies recognize that workers have interests outside of work and prefer candidates who come off as pleasant, genuine, and sincere.Martin explains that employers are not simply determining if you will be productive in a certain job. Additionally, they assess your likability and cultural compatibility with the firm.Martin advises avoiding a singular concentration on work since it presents an inaccurate image of who you are and makes you seem dishonest. You do not seem to be catering to what you believe the recruiting manager wants to hear.If you do not feel comfortable discussing extremely personal accomplishments such as marriage or children, you may talk about your interests. Perhaps you paint as a hobby and have received accolades for your paintings. Or maybe you play soccer after work, and your team has won consecutive titles. Martin observes, “Sport is a strong unifier.”Your answer should indicate that you possess the characteristics desired by the recruiting manager. In the instance of Chesky, he has said that he is looking for a candidate who is a dreamer and a big thinker.
What It’s Like to Work for Brian Chesky?
- Airbnb workers work an average of 9.3 hours per day
- Airbnb employees believe that the work pace is pleasantly rapid
- Airbnb employees have four or more meetings per day on average
- 85% of Airbnb workers look forward to daily interactions with their colleagues.
- The average Airbnb employee takes 15-20 paid vacation and sick days each year
- 67% of Airbnb workers express satisfaction with their work-life balance
- Once a month, Airbnb workers often get constructive comments on how to improve their performance.
- 83% of Airbnb workers see their workplace as good
How does Airbnb motivate its employees?
Involve employees.
A motivating element behind employee experience at Airbnb is the belief that staff engagement results in a better work environment and higher customer happiness. Active and satisfied personnel facilitate the engagement and satisfaction of consumers. Airbnb continually considers what its workers need to grow and succeed and solicits their opinion to providing an environment that promotes their success.
Be authentic.
Airbnb’s ambition to create a world where everyone feels like they belong is the motivating factor behind all its endeavors. An overall purpose or mission aids decision-making and guides individuals to make the best choices. According to Mark Levy, Airbnb’s Global Head of Employee Experience, a genuinely exceptional employee experience is driven from the top and begins with the leadership team’s passions and goals. The founders and management establish the culture and mission, which permeates every part of the experience.
Continually evolve.
A purpose-driven employee experience does not guarantee that every endeavor will be successful. To provide an exceptional employee experience, it is also necessary to evolve and adapt to the changing demands of workers. Airbnb offers a novel workplace environment called Belong Anywhere, where workers do not have desks or offices but rather landing points where they can charge their laptops and store their stuff.By making the modest adjustment of better identifying the various regions and assisting workers in locating their ideal work environment, things have run much more smoothly, and employees are satisfied with their work conditions. Being receptive to proposals and criticism should be an ongoing aspect of the work experience, not only during the development process.
How does Airbnb reward its employees?
Financial rewards and retirement planning
Airbnb offers 401k programs and matches a portion of each employee’s contributions to assist workers in attaining long-term financial stability.Additionally, employees have access to stock purchase and equity incentive schemes.Airbnb also provides performance incentives and charity donation matching. These assist in maintaining staff motivation and engagement. Also, Airbnb staff are entitled to discounts at various stores and eateries.
Ample paid-time-off
Three to four weeks of paid time off (PTO), including sick days, are included in the Airbnb employee benefits package. However, the yearly PTO varies depending on the employee’s length of service.According to staff, those with less than one year of service with Airbnb earn 20 days of paid vacation and sick leave. Those who have worked for the firm for over two years are eligible for up to 30 days of vacation.
Additionally, the corporation gives allowances for:
- Bereavement leave
- Volunteer time off with pay for the organization of their choosing
- Sabbaticals
Innovative offices
Before the Covid epidemic, Airbnb was renowned for its creative and imaginative workplace spaces. However, the pandemic disrupted the tourism sector to such a degree that Airbnb and many other businesses were forced to reduce their worldwide office presence.Today, they continue to concentrate on their San Francisco headquarters. They provide advantages that make the workday effective and enjoyable. Free gourmet breakfasts, lunches, and dinners are provided five days a week, and beverages and snacks are accessible around the clock.Additionally, Airbnb provides company-sponsored tech presentations, happy hours, access to Apple equipment, on-site fitness classes, gender-neutral toilets, and a pet-friendly workplace.
Airbnb Employee Benefits?
Travel stipend
A $2,000 yearly travel stipend is one of Airbnb’s most valued staff perks. It allows workers to stay at an Airbnb listing around the globe and is paid out quarterly.This allows workers to use the product and interact with the local community. Additionally, it pushes them to maximize their paid vacation time!
Plans for comprehensive health care
The healthcare plans offered by Airbnb include medical, vision, dental, life, and disability coverage. These costs are paid 100 percent to workers and up to 70 percent to their families.Additionally, they provide treatment for mental health via employee help programs and online mental health consultations. In addition, Airbnb provides workers’ compensation and health savings accounts.
Generous family and parental leave
In addition to working from home with reduced and flexible hours, Airbnb provides workers with various choices for family leave.These types include family medical, maternity, and paternity leave. They provide up to ten weeks of parental leave to allow new parents to connect with their infants. Then, they provide a 12-week phased return to work in which parents may work 80 percent of the week while getting full compensation.
Opportunities for education and growth
Airbnb provides career development and technical skills training to its employees. The company’s Data University, which aims to boost workers’ data literacy, is perhaps the most helpful professional development program.Every team, from human resources to business development, receives training in data-driven decision-making. Non-technical staff may enroll in SQL and Superset courses to enhance their skills and become project managers. Intensive Python and machine learning training provide developers with the advanced abilities required for Airbnb projects.
Unique Culture at Airbnb?
Making customers feel at home is important to Airbnb’s culture. In a welcoming society, individuals feel included and appreciated, have a strong feeling of belonging, and are willing to welcome others. Society for Human Resource Management’s 2016 work happiness and engagement study revealed that employees desire to feel valued and involved and that respectful treatment of all employees is the leading factor in total employee job satisfaction.When I visit businesses, they often promote their inclusion and diversity initiatives. The true test, however, is the degree to which these endeavors have manifested in daily behaviors of accepting people regardless of color, sex, age, profession, or rank.Airbnb’s efforts to cultivate a friendly and inclusive atmosphere are not limited to a single project or initiative. Facilitating a sense of belonging is a component of the whole employee experience, from recruitment and onboarding through citizenship, physical facilities, and cuisine. The HR department at Airbnb was recently redesigned with this objective in mind. Mark Levy’s appointment as global head of employee experience changed the HR department into a center for the company’s “workplace as an experience” strategy. As Mark Levy told Jeanne Meister in the Forbes article Future Workplace.Additionally, Airbnb leverages the workplace intranet to foster an inclusive atmosphere. Through the intranet, employees are notified about employee birthdays and anniversaries. Additionally, each employee has access to their website, which is intended to enhance internal networking. The organization attempts to bring individuals from different locations together, whether online or in person. Four days ago, an all-company conference, OneAirbnb, was conducted in San Francisco, bringing together all workers. Airbnb seems to assume that if staff are well-cared for, they will provide excellent customer service.
How did Airbnb become the finest work in the world?
The success of Airbnb’s culture was founded on three pillars: cultivating a welcoming atmosphere, inspiring a cause greater than ourselves, and developing trust and autonomy. Considering the Airbnb teachings, one may argue that these notions are not novel. Companies have adopted measures to welcome, motivate, and empower workers for decades.Airbnb has not, nevertheless, only launched a few ventures. Rather, it altered the whole viewpoint. The new vision is defined by seeing HR’s objective from the employee’s perspective and using a broader knowledge of people’s motivations.
