Airbnb has announced that it will allow its employees to work from anywhere – office, home, or any part of the country – depending on their preference. The San Francisco-based firm said the employees can decide their work environment freely and their decision will have no bearing on their salary.
Starting September, the company will allow employees to work even from a different country. They can live and work in over 170 countries for up to 90 days a year in each location. “Everyone will still need a permanent address for tax and payroll purposes,” CEO Brian Chesky added in an email to employees on Thursday.
The CEO has outlined five key features of the new work-from-anywhere design.
1.Work from home or office
The CEO said the company is giving flexibility to employees to work in their own way based on where they feel most productive. Most of the employees will have this flexibility and only a small number of people will be required to be in the office or a specific location to perform their responsibilities.
2.Move anywhere in the country
Employees can move from one place to another – whether this means moving close to family or living in a place you have always dreamt of. “If you move, your compensation won't change. Starting in June, we'll have single pay tiers by country for both salary and equity. If your pay was set using a lower location-based pay tier, you'll receive an increase in June,” the CEO added.
3.Travel and work around the world
From September, Airbnb employees can live and work in 170 countries for 90 days, in each location, during a year. While individual employees would have to secure work permits themselves, the company said it is “actively partnering with local governments” to make it easier for more people to travel and work around the world.
However, permanent international moves won't be available this year.
4. Regular team gatherings, off-sites, and social events
As per Mr Chesky, Airbnb is prioritising meaningful in-person gatherings throughout the year. However, since the pandemic is still going on, there will be limited off-site events this year. Next year, the number of these events will increase.
5.Work in a highly coordinated way
To pull off this level of flexibility, employees will need to coordinate and structure their plans. “Without it, things would become a free-for-all,” the CEO added.
