Airbnb’s Pandemic Adaptation Strategy
Intro: During the COVID-19 pandemic, human service organizations faced many challenges to provide optimal services to families in need. The needs of underserved communities grew and required additional services. Yet, many organizations had limited resources and staffing to fill these new demands. Human service professionals began to experience vicarious trauma because of large caseloads and their inability to provide services. Some complained of compassion fatigue and apathy. Human service organizations began to change the type of services they provided to adapt to the needs of their communities.
Instructions : Draft a 10–12-page paper on How Organizations Modified Operations to Adapt to the Pandemic Needs will investigate the obstacles created by the pandemic. (The Annotated Bibliography is already completed on Airbnb)
· Select an organization, non-profit or governmental agency that redefined their business model to adapt to the pandemic challenges.
· Identify the services that were altered to accommodate various needs during the pandemic (i.e., hotels provided extended stays for out-of-town nurses during COVID nursing shortages, the Gap & Athleta company created masks, Armbrust American created N95 respirators).
· Explore the best leadership style for this organizational change. ,
· Examine the change management approach used. ,
· Describe how emotional intelligence was applied to service delivery. ,
· Evaluate the strategies that can help a human service professional overcome compassion fatigue during service delivery. ,
· Compare self-care methods that human service professionals can use to overcome apathy.
APA Citation-Required Annotated Bibliography
Airbnb’s Pandemic Adaptation Strategy
The COVID-19 pandemic forced organizations globally to take a deeper evaluation of their operations to adapt to challenges never seen before. The evaluations were needed to prevent internal loss, improve their business model, and keep the business heartbeat strong to survive. Many businesses faced these challenges, and one of the most distinctive companies to adapt to the unprecedented times was Airbnb. Airbnb emerged as an example of resilience and innovation. The leadership mindset shifted as Airbnb was formerly known for short-term vacation rentals. Still, after triaging the environment, they could pivot their services and begin accommodating long-term stays and virtual experiences. This focus was tailored more for remote workers and prudent travelers. We will explore Airbnb’s strategic adaptation during the pandemic. This transformation was profoundly grounded in leadership, change management, and employee well-being.
Annotated Bibliography
Organization Overview: Airnb’s Business Model Shift
Reinhold, S., & Dolnicar, S. (2021). The evolution of Airbnb’s business model. Uq.pressbooks.pub. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14195957
Reinhold provides a comprehensive overview of how Airbnb conditioned its business model because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The author further highlights Airbnb’s change management shift from short-term vacation rentals towards long-term stays, accommodating remote workers into their business mix and including more virtual experiences. This ability to adapt helped Airbnb remain relevant by responding to consumers’ transition needs. This article supports that strategic adaptability is not about survival but more about realigning services and creating new realities. It helped Airbnb to create a new frame and become proactive and innovative instead of complacent and reactive.
Adamiak, C. (2021). Changes in the global Airbnb offer during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Airbnb’s Pandemic Adaptation Strategy
Adamiak’s study used data highlighting Airbnb’s services by offering a change based on geographical and strategic changes during the pandemic. The research supports a decline in urban listings but a rise in rural and suburban accommodations, supporting a shift in consumers’ purchasing behavior. This evidence is vital as it captures Airbnb’s adaptability and supports the company in realigning its services by cross-referencing emerging trends. This concept reinforces the essential components of data-driven decision-making while incorporating strategic planning. Through Airbnb’s flexibility and open model business lens, their innovation allowed them to gain and maintain a competitive advantage during a global crisis.
Leadership Styles
Carrington Legal. (2020). Lessons in leadership during COVID-19: Airbnb. https://carringtonlegal.com/blog/lessons-in-leadership-during-covid-19-airbnb
The article illustrates the leadership that Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky executed during one of the most vulnerable and challenging times in the company’s history. Chesky’s transformational leadership style resonated with their colleagues through his communication, empathetic decision-making, and prioritization for employees’ well-being while having to go through a complex process of laying off constituents. The article supports effective leadership while experiencing a crisis, which requires more than just strategic thinking; it demands emotional intelligence and putting people first. The CEO’s actions helped elevate and preserve trust while boosting morale even as the company was revamping significantly.
Forbes. (2020). How Airbnb survived the pandemic. https://www.forbes.com/sites/deniselyohn/2020/11/10/how-airbnb-survived-the-pandemic–and-how-you-can-too/
The article reinforces Airbnb’s CEO Chesky’s role as a transformational leader through innovation and emphasizes his commitment to the company’s core values and long-term vision. The article illustrates how Chesky maintained strategic clarity while chartering through a choppy, unstable environment. It is also important to highlight how the organization prioritizes emotionally intelligent leadership by guiding the company through rapid change. The article also points towards how leaders can inspire resilience and innovate others by remaining grounded with purpose and authentic communication. This demonstrated Chesky’s senior leadership, which galvanized Airbnb and helped it gain a renewed sense of direction and identity, which was born through a crisis environment.
Change Management Styles
Lead Read Today. (2020). Resilience, focus and the broader perspective: The case of Airbnb. Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University. https://fisher.osu.edu/blogs/leadreadtoday/resilience-focus-and-broader-perspective-case-airbnb
The source dives into how Airbnb embraced adaptive change management, which helped navigate uncertainty during the pandemic. Instead of reacting impulsively, the CEO strategically measured his approach and began focusing on the company’s core mission, listening to stakeholders, and making tough but much-needed adjustments. The article emphasizes the importance of resilience and long-term thinking while managing change. The article details how successful change management connects operational shifts, cultural commitment, flexibility, and ongoing learning.
Inc. (2020). 3 important lessons from Airbnb’s pandemic pivot. https://www.inc.com/akhil-kambhammettu/airbnb-brian-chesky-advice-for-pivoting.html
The article highlights Airbnb’s leadership, which was implemented by understanding their community, hosts, guests, and employees. The company understood it needed to pivot quickly while being transparent and creating an empathetic environment, leading to a participative change management style. The article also shows how involving stakeholders in the change process helps build trust and reduce organizational resistance, including the board of directors. Lastly, the article sheds light on how there was trust in experimenting. Airbnb’s willingness to experiment and allow an open mindset allowed the organization to adapt quickly and, as a result, was more effective while experiencing an evolving crisis.
Emotional Intelligence and Compassion Fatigue
Lluch, C., Galiana, L., Doménech, P., Sansó, N., & Vidal-Blanco, G. (2022). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction in healthcare personnel: A systematic review. Healthcare, 10(2), 364. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10020364
This study focuses on healthcare professionals. It also provides valuable insights into how emotional strain and compassion fatigue affect employees across sectors during a crisis. The study’s results show how prolonged stress, uncertainty, and emotional labor lead to burnout and reduced job satisfaction. This information and data help frame the emotional challenges Airbnb employees likely faced during the pandemic, especially while experiencing layoffs, shifting roles, and a rapidly changing working environment. This study details how emotionally intelligent leadership recognizes and responds to different pressures while providing empathy and support.
Wee, E. Y. M., & Fehr, R. (2021). Compassion during difficult times: Team compassion behavior and the role of leader affective presence. Journal of Applied Psychology, 106(4), 514–529. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000893
This article details how leaders who demonstrate emotional intelligence with warmth, empathy, and presence act as a buffer for any adverse effects of stress and uncertainty. The ideology supports the thought that emotionally intelligent leadership is not a soft skill but a nonnegotiable factor in maintaining team cohesion and morale during challenging times. This article directly relates to Airbnb’s leadership approach, being transparent and compassionate in communication, which helped employees feel seen, heard, and supported amid difficult decisions.
Self-Care Strategies for Human Service Professionals
National Association of Social Workers. (2020). Self-care for social workers during the coronavirus pandemic. https://www.socialworkers.org/Practice/Infectious-Diseases/Coronavirus/Self-Care-During-the-Coronavirus-Pandemic
This resource covers practical strategies for managing stress and maintaining well-being during a crisis. The article covers the importance of setting boundaries, practicing mindfulness, and staying connected with supportive peers. This guidance is primarily relevant for any human service professional navigating due to emotionally demanding work. These guided resources reinforce the idea that self-care is not optional. Sustainability must remain effective and avoid burnout, especially during prolonged periods of uncertainty similar to the pandemic.
Ottawa University. (2020). Best self-care practices during a pandemic. https://telfer.uottawa.ca/telfer-knowledge-hub/career-centre/covid-19-three-easy-ways-to-practice-self-care
The article details the range of techniques associated with self-care, such as breathing exercises and journaling to maintain a routine. This helps professionals set boundaries, prioritize rest, and get the proper mental, physical, and psychological help they need. This article outlines a holistic approach by focusing on multiple faucets for proper well-being and illustrating to organizations that resilience is deeply connected to the health and sustainability of its people.
The Pandemic was challenging for many. Some businesses experienced tremendous challenges and became victims of the tragic economic climate around them. Many other organizations, such as Airbnb, can adapt with purpose and lead by deploying empathy and making it a mission to prioritize innovation and well-being. Airbnb experienced a holistic restructuring in its business model, transformational leadership, and thoughtful change management. They were able to defy the odds and emerge with a new roadmap with a greater sense of direction. During this time, many employees experienced a lot of hardship due to layoffs
