Airbnb CEO says employees can ‘live and work anywhere’

Home-sharing platform Airbnb has announced plans to let its employees live and work wherever they want, while other companies are starting to look beyond the coronavirus pandemic and bring employees back into the office.

Brian Cesky, the company’s CEO and co-founder announced the move on Twitter Thursday. Saying that employees’ compensation will not change if they choose to move.

“You have the flexibility to live also work in 170 countries for up to 90 days a year,” he said. Without elaborating on which countries could not work or the 90-day restriction.

Cesky said employees still need a permanent address for tax and payroll purposes in a separate email to employees.

“Most companies don’t do this because of the complexity of taxes, payroll, and timezone availability, but I wish we could create an open-source solution so other companies could offer this flexibility,” he said in an email.

Airbnb employees will be tete-a-tete responsible for obtaining a “proper work permit,” Cesky said. Adding that the San Francisco-based company is working with local authorities to facilitate this.

“Currently, more than 20 countries offer visas for remote work, and it is still growing,” he said.

This move may inspire other companies to adopt similar remote work policies, potentially benefiting from Airbnb. Airbnb did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

The solution comes when other companies try to persuade employees to return to the office. Sometimes with perks like social events and free meals. However, not everyone is convinced, and some workers are reportedly leaving to join companies with more flexible remote work policies.

Cesky noted that most of its employees meet in person for about a week each quarter. Adding that some do so more frequently, and Zoom has its limitations.

“The most meaningful relationships are personal relationships,” Cesky said. “Gaining weight is excellent for maintaining a relationship, but it’s not the best way to deepen it. And some creative work is best done in the same space.