Airbnb tells staff they can work from anywhere permanently

SAN FRANCISCO • Airbnb said on Thursday that its employees will be permanently able to work from anywhere - including their home, the office or while travelling in different countries.

Employees who work in areas with a lower cost of living will not see their compensation change, Airbnb chief executive officer Brian Chesky said in an e-mail to staff, adding that the company will host regular in-person meet-ups and retreats.

He said the move was part of a broader shift at the company to accommodate remote work.

"The world is becoming more flexible about where people can work," he wrote in the e-mail. "We see this in our own business. We wouldn't have recovered so quickly from the pandemic had it not been for millions of people working from Airbnbs."

In January, Mr Chesky said he would live and work out of Airbnbs for several months.

It is a choice that became increasingly popular after the start of the pandemic, according to the company.

Nearly half of nights booked on Airbnb between July and December last year were part of stays that were one month or longer, said the firm, adding that in the past year, 175,000 people used the platform to book stays for three months or longer.

Airbnb said it has added more than 150 updates, including verified Wi-Fi connections, to support remote-work trends.

The company also said it will work with governments and travel destinations to build up support for people living abroad for an extended period while working.

BLOOMBERG