12th May 2020
An example of transparent leadership communication through difficult times
Some companies have been hit particularly hard by the changes that Covid-19 has brought. One such company is Airbnb whose business revenue is forecasted to be less than half of what they earned in 2019.
With huge losses come difficult conversations about job losses. Airbnb’s Co-Founder and CEO Brian Chesky sent a note to all employees explaining the difficult times ahead with transparency and compassion for his people. As well as a clear outline of the reasons behind the changes, next steps, and available support.
From the Article:
This is my seventh time talking to you from my house. Each time we’ve talked, I’ve shared good news and bad news, but today I have to share some very sad news.
When you’ve asked me about layoffs, I’ve said that nothing is off the table. Today, I must confirm that we are reducing the size of the Airbnb workforce. For a company like us whose mission is centered around belonging, this is incredibly difficult to confront, and it will be even harder for those who have to leave Airbnb. I am going to share as many details as I can on how I arrived at this decision, what we are doing for those leaving, and what will happen next.
Let me start with how we arrived at this decision. We are collectively living through the most harrowing crisis of our lifetime, and as it began to unfold, global travel came to a standstill. Airbnb’s business has been hit hard, with revenue this year forecasted to be less than half of what we earned in 2019. In response, we raised $2 billion in capital and dramatically cut costs that touched nearly every corner of Airbnb.
While these actions were necessary, it became clear that we would have to go further when we faced two hard truths:
- We don’t know exactly when travel will return.
- When travel does return, it will look different.
You can read the full article online: A Message from Co-Founder and CEO Brian Chesky
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