Airbnb founder tasked employee experience specialist Mark Levy with modernizing HR in 2013. Levy found Airbnb's HR functions were fragmented and reported to different parts of the business. He was given a mandate to create a unique approach to HR, moving beyond traditional methods. Levy consolidated HR functions and added wellness and social impact, rebranding it Employee Experience to focus on enhancing employee engagement. This new department fostered a strong sense of belonging that extended to hosts and boosted Airbnb's global brand. A key strategy was cocreation, where HR involved employees in designing solutions, exemplified by redesigning performance management with the engineering team. Levy stresses being intentional about HR’s purpose and clearly communicating expectations to align with company mission and values. He advises embracing nontraditional HR approaches, like Airbnb's self-organizing Ground Control team, and empowering employees in shaping culture. Repositioning HR in employees' eyes by demonstrating value beyond policy enforcement is crucial, as shown by employees helping design office spaces. Ultimately, evolving HR requires top-down support, a singular focus on employee engagement, and empowering employees through cocreation to build a trusted and effective function.