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  • Kristiana Sotirova
    • Apr 17
    • 1 min read

Beyond Output to Outcomes: Airbnb’s Shift to Value-Driven Work


 

Airbnb

A picture of Airbnb House. In the blogs on improving Output to Outcomes

Context:

Founded in 2008 and by 2011 was considered a unicorn. Through rapid growth, Airbnb is a digital native and start-up that everyone around the world knows and recognises.

This case study is Chapter 1 of improving ways of working in their Community Support team starting in 2021. Community Support is an integral part of how the Airbnb platform operates.



WHY:

  1. Airbnb scaled rapidly, as did complexity

  2. Running fast, without outcomes

  3. Previous improvement efforts didn’t stick

So, recognised that needed to do something different


Approach:

  1. Getting started with business agility and how to harness early adopter enthusiasm (think big, start small, learn fast)

  2. Creating a grassroots movement and incubating a learning organisation (invite over inflict)

  3. Addressing the system of work and the importance of value streams (investing in how we work alongside what we work on)

  4. Cultivating senior leader engagement and buy-in (leaders go first)

  5. Impediments they have overcome, and lessons learned are a key focus through the case study (impediments are not in the path, they are the path)


Impact:


  •  Better

- Launched Nimble home, a world class self-service and community platform.


  •    Value

- Shift in focus from output to outcomes to move faster together with a focus on the ‘right’ things

         -  Empowerment to improve customer and agent experience


  •   Happier

- +42 in eNPS likelihood to recommend ways of working

         - Expanded WoW footprint to 26%

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