Source: Airbnb (https://www.airbnb.ca/jobs)
While rummaging through news articles on the top start-ups of 2013/14, I stumbled upon Airbnb, a $13 billion company that connects travelers with people looking to rent out lodging. However, even more so than the business idea, I was fascinated by the work-space maintained by the company – “you find wide open space, carts of homemade gluten free healthy desserts being pushed around, a few dogs sitting by their owners, and rows of employees sitting side by side working together”, as described in the article and audio interview here.
Source: Airbnb (https://www.airbnb.ca/jobs)
This idea, which some say is inspired by Google, is radical and disruptive of the traditional “professional” work-space. Why does it work? Well, disruptive innovation is as important within the organization as it is for developing products/services that attract customers. By disrupting the work-space and changing it from a rigid to a flexible and liberating environment, Airbnb has learned the art of motivating its employees and in turn, elevating them towards productivity and innovation. By fostering employee engagement, Airbnb unlocks the intrapreneurial spirit in its human capital. The question one may ask is, “Is this worth spending millions of dollars on?” Most definitely, yes.
Why is employee motivation and happiness so important? Well, employees are the heart and soul of a company. Employees affect and, even to an extent, control the quality of production, customer service, innovation and the many other facets affecting business success. Establishing such a liberal working environment leads to decentralization, and hence, gives rise to a more productive workforce in both the short and the long run. As they say, a brilliant business idea is worthless without a motivated and productive workforce to implement it..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE6mDCdYuwY