Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says he spends three hours a day on recruitment—and if his hiring managers don’t like his input, he tells them to leave

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky dedicates three hours each day to recruitment, a task traditionally handled by HR. Chesky, who oversees an 8,200-strong workforce at the $98 billion company, believes that being directly involved in the hiring process is essential. If his managers object to his active participation, Chesky advises them to leave the company.

He explained, "I probably spend three hours a day recruiting," adding, "I treat myself as the co-hiring manager for all my directs." This hands-on approach stems from his belief that every future hire could potentially become a successor to his leadership. Chesky did not always adopt this method; it was influenced by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who told Chesky hiring should account for 50% of one's job. Chesky credits Altman's influence for the change in his hiring priorities.