Culture Stories: The Inside Story of Airbnb’s Growth Culture
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When you think of Airbnb, you probably think of unique places to stay. But behind the listings and the app is something that’s fuelled its journey from two airbeds in a San Francisco apartment to a $11bn+ global travel company: culture.
Airbnb’s story shows us that culture isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s the foundation for resilience, growth, and belonging — even through the toughest times.
This blog kicks off our new Culture Stories series, where we’ll lift the lid on the inside story of how well-known companies shape culture — for better or worse — and what leaders like you can take away.
We used our Growth Culture Canvas to explore AirBnB's culture and pinpoint the aspects purposefully designed and nurtured to fuel sustainable growth...
Belonging as the North Star
Airbnb’s mission is simple but powerful:
“Create a world where anyone can belong anywhere.”
Unlike many organisations where values end up as posters on the wall, Airbnb has embedded belonging into everyday life:
Hiring for values: New hires go through conversations with multiple stakeholders about values alignment before joining to inform a two-way decision
Managers as hosts: Leaders are expected to act like hosts — creating experiences of connection and belonging for their teams
Project Lighthouse: An ongoing initiative to identify and eliminate bias across both the employee and guest experience.
This alignment between purpose, values, and daily practice is what gives Airbnb’s culture real traction.
Transparency and Psychological Safety
Culture isn’t just what we say — it’s what we’re willing to talk about. Airbnb has built habits to encourage open dialogue, including:
Elephants, dead fish, and vomit: A playful but powerful way to surface what’s unsaid, what people can’t get over, and what they just need to get off their chest
World@ meetings: Regular company-wide forums for honest Q&A, updates on what’s working, and what’s not
Radical transparency from leaders: In 2020, when Airbnb had to lay off 2,000 employees, CEO Brian Chesky wrote a heartfelt letter that balanced raw honesty with practical support — setting a new standard for humanity in business
These practices make trust and psychological safety visible, intentional, and shared.
Tools and Habits that Drive Alignment
Airbnb keeps accountability simple and collective:
A single company calendar: Everyone, from engineers to community hosts, can see priorities and deadlines
Shared releases: Company-wide release cycles ensure everyone is rowing in the same direction
Peer learning: Mentoring and knowledge-sharing are part of daily life, not just formal programmes
It’s not about fancy initiatives — it’s about small, repeatable habits that build alignment and momentum.
Accelerators: Systems, Skills, and Leaders
To fuel growth, Airbnb invests in the accelerators of culture:
Data University: Giving every employee access to build data and tech skills, not just the specialists
Live and Work Anywhere: A trust-based flexible work framework balanced with intentional in-person connection.
Leaders as role models: Chesky himself sets the tone—showing humility, admitting failure, and sharing openly about what hasn’t worked
As one leader shared in our Coffee & Culture discussion:
“It doesn’t surprise me that Chesky has built a culture like this — he was so open about Airbnb’s failures early on and how they learned. That humility and growth mindset now runs through the company.”
What Leaders Can Learn from Airbnb
You don’t need to be running a global travel platform to borrow from Airbnb’s playbook. You don't even need fancy systems and big investments.
Here are practical actions you can try in your own team or organisation:
💖 Make belonging tangible. Invite managers to think like hosts — what experience are you creating for your team each day?
🐘 Talk about the elephants. Create space to surface what’s unsaid, unresolved, or weighing people down.
📅 Align around one calendar. Even a simple shared view of priorities can cut through noise and drive clarity.
🔎 Model transparency. When leaders admit mistakes and share honestly, trust multiplies.
🧑💻 Invest in skills for all. Growth culture means every role has access to learning that fuels future success.
Sources: AirBnB website, information correct as of September 2025.
Join the Make It Human Club and download our 1-pager to help you adopt the Airbnb way!
Bringing Culture Stories to Life
This blog is part of our new Culture Stories series in Coffee & Culture, our weekly 30-minute sessions where leaders, HR pros, and managers explore real-world examples of culture in action. Together, we break down what’s working, what isn’t, and what we can apply in our own workplaces.
➡️ Download the invite and join the next Coffee & Culture session:
And if you want to go deeper, the Growth Culture Canvas we used to map Airbnb’s culture is the same tool participants use in the Growth Culture Skills Accelerator — a practical, cohort-based programme where you’ll build your own growth culture plan.
🚀 Our next Accelerator cohort starts in January 2026. Join the waitlist to secure your spot.
Culture doesn’t grow by accident. Airbnb shows us that when you’re intentional — about belonging, fairness, transparency, and growth — you create the conditions where both people and business can thrive.
So the question is: what’s the Airbnb-style move you can try in your culture this week?
