A few weeks ago, we shared news about the exponential growth we’re seeing in companies using Airbnb for Work: to date, 700,000 companies have had employees sign up and book with Airbnb for Work. Of all these companies, more than 300,000 (up from 275,000 a few weeks ago) are directly engaged with Airbnb to help manage their travel.
Airbnb for Work allows our business travelers the flexibility to find different types of accommodations and provides them an individual experience while traveling. This also helps the business maximize budgets while giving travel managers access to insights and visibility to ensure traveler safety.
Ryan Pierce, Sr. Manager of Americas/LACA Travel, Salesforce
But, we’re not stopping with business travel growth. We know there are a number of unique ways Airbnb can help companies and professionals keep up with the changing ways we work. Starting today, Airbnb for Work will roll out a new strategic direction to bring the best of Airbnb to the professional world, and help foster a sense of belonging – even at work.
We’re expanding into three new areas to help companies attract, retain, and motivate talent: Experiences on Airbnb for team-building, Airbnb Homes for offsites and meetings, and new options for people relocating for work.
Team building — there’s more to it than trust falls
When people show vulnerability to each other and participate in activities together, they connect on a deeper level than when simply going out for drinks. And, what’s good for people is good for businesses. 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.
2.5X
revenue increase for companies with engaged employees
Unorthodox perks are an essential way to attract, 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 another PowerPoint.
Airbnb group Experiences — from sailing lessons to pastry-making classes with a Michelin chef — help teams bond and form meaningful connections.
Planning a team-building event through Airbnb Experiences was seamless and easy. We had a wealth of fun options available, at reasonable prices. Our team is a group of sweet-toothed foodies, so making Macarons with Eloise was our top pick! We had a wonderful and unforgettable experience. Bonus: we each got to take home a dozen macarons to share with our families!
Anjela Evangelista, Global Travel and Expense Manager, Twitter
These newly-featured Experiences for professionals are currently available in more than 800 markets around the world in a number of categories, including wellness, team-building, and social impact.
At Voxpro – powered by TELUS International, we know how important it is for our teams to spend time together – outside of the office – to collaborate and connect. While we’ve been doing this for years, incorporating Experiences on Airbnb has brought it to a whole new level, opening up so many more exciting and unique opportunities. With Airbnb for Work, we were able to break free from the traditional after-work drinks and spend time learning about the history at Rising Sons Brewery in Cork. It was fascinating to learn more about the history and see the team come to life around a shared experience.
Aidan O’Shea, CEO of Business Operations, Voxpro
With Airbnb for Work, we’re introducing a better way for teams to bond.
Our experience with Airbnb for Work was very different from what we’ve done in the past. We got a chance to meet some of our other cross-functional team members who we don’t normally see day to day, since we sit in different areas of the office. It was nice to catch up with them and experience this together.
Simosa, Software Engineer, Thumbtack
Airbnb homes for 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 the office had the highest rates of engagement.
60-80%
or employees who spent time away from their office 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. However, relaxing and productive environments help people open up to connect and contribute; they help teams achieve their shared goals more effectively.
Knowing this, Airbnb for Work is now showcasing homes where teams can create and collaborate. 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.
We found the Mission Loft Creative Studio through Airbnb for Work for a strategic planning session. Getting offsite (and out of a traditional work environment) helped eliminate distraction and foster a different kind of collaboration. And, having different spaces created different conversations. Sitting around a kitchen table, we were able to comfortably debate some big ideas, and the common living space was ideal for schedule planning and more structured conversations.
Grant Shirk, VP, Marketing, Scout RFP
We’ve already seen our community organically use Airbnbs for work offsites, and it’s clear companies could benefit from environments that can be catalysts for belonging and personal connection. Tired of sterile conference rooms? According to a recent Amex Global Business Travel report, rising demand for non-traditional meeting spaces is expected to continue to outpace growth in demand for other property types in 2018. In addition to homes, there are nearly 3,000 castles and 1,400 treehouses around the world on the Airbnb platform.
“At Europcar we encourage our teams to spend time together – outside of the office.
This gives them a better opportunity to collaborate and to connect on a different level. Airbnb for Work offers Europcar a whole new way for offsite meetings. We already booked accomodations for recent leadership offsites and experienced an unparalleled way of working and connecting in a more informal environment. We’re already planning our next offsite with Airbnb and looking forward to a new team building experience.”Stefan Vorndran, Managing Director, Europcar Germany
A new way to relocate for work
Today’s workforce is global and on the move. According to BDO, nearly 20% of employees around the world are eager to relocate.
20%
of employees around the world are eager to relocate
We can all agree moving is stressful – friendships are tested, a partner’s career may be disrupted, and in a new place hardly anything can feel familiar. 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 survey, 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 (since 35% of corporate moves involve children). People want to feel grounded the instant they move to a new place.
So, we’re expanding our work in relocations to help more professionals instantly feel like they belong in their new communities. Imagine starting your first job out of college while living in a spacious modern condo in a trendy area, moving with your family into a spacious ranch home with a backyard in the perfect school district, or beginning a new chapter of your life by living in a Victorian classic near the office. Finding a temporary home that actually feels like a home (acess to a kitchen, washer/dryer, etc.) provides a much-needed sense of familiarity that can help people cope with the chaos of a relocation.
A large portion of Guidewire’s global employees are field consultants whose job is to go onsite to install Guidewire software for client insurance companies. Implementations can take six to 18 months and are akin to temporary relocations. Airbnb is a critical piece of making that a sustainable and more enjoyable lifestyle. Staying in Airbnb accommodations has drastically improved the quality-of-life experience for our colleagues.
Mark Daniels, Director of Global Mobility for Guidewire
Airbnb for Work – now more than just business travel
Offering unique ways to travel for work will remain core to Airbnb for Work, but we estimate only 25% of employees within a company travel for work. With Airbnb for Work’s new expansion into team-building experiences, homes for offsites and meetings, and relocations, we now have an opportunity to bring the magic of Airbnb to the rest of the workforce.
We’re looking forward to expanding our Airbnb professional community by continuing to improve the ways professionals collaborate, create and grow – from single freelancers to companies with 100,000+ employees.
To learn more, visit airbnbforwork.com.