“HR Heretics” | How CPOs, CHROs, Founders, and Boards Build High Performing Companies Applying Design Thinking to People Operations with Iain Roberts, Airbnb
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Sep 11, 2025 Iain Roberts, Global Head of Employee Experience at Airbnb and former IDEO designer, shares insights on transforming HR through design thinking. He discusses redefining leadership and collaboration in large organizations, showcasing how innovative structures lead to better team cohesion. Iain explores Airbnb's 'Live and Work Anywhere' policy, highlighting tailored strategies for collaboration. He also delves into evolving workforce dynamics, using AI to navigate changes in workplace approaches post-pandemic and advocating for customized employee experiences.
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Designing The Organization
- Everything in an organization is a conscious design choice shaping people, systems, and technology.
- Ian Roberts frames HR as a design challenge: align 7,000 people into right structures to deliver outcomes.
Leadership By Presence
- Leadership works best as collaborative presence, not absence.
- Roberts describes Brian Chesky leading like a designer: rolling up sleeves and iterating together.
One Roadmap, Big Releases
- Airbnb runs a single product roadmap across the company to drive aligned, meaningful releases.
- This cadence produced 535 product upgrades in recent years and increased delivery focus.