When tech leaders at Zapier wanted to hone in on AI skills development, they saw an opportunity for upskilling through the internal groups that were already supporting employees: the ERGs.
“When Zapier committed to becoming an AI-first company, ERGs could have been bystanders or left behind in that transition,” Marcos Valdez, DIBE program manager, said. “Instead, we updated our ERG vision to make Zapier product fluency and AI skill development a core part of what ERG membership means at Zapier.”
Now, investing in skills development and belonging go hand in hand at the AI orchestration platform.
Built In spoke with Valdez about how the ERGs at Zapier have led the way in AI training while facilitating supportive and psychologically safe work environments.
Zapier is an AI orchestration platform. By connecting over 8,000 of the most popular work apps, Zapier empowers its users to make the most of the tools they already use.
How do you build inclusion into everyday decisions, not just events?
At Zapier, we call our approach “DIBE as DNA.” It's a proactive approach to embedding diversity, inclusion, belonging and equity into how decisions get made across the company, rather than reserved for adhoc moments. The goal is for DIBE to be present wherever important decisions are made before outcomes are already set. This approach is reflected in how we build inclusion into everyday work. DIBE subject-matter expertise is integrated into processes like AI transformation, impact reviews, recruitment, engagement surveys and other culture cornerstones. Our four employee resource groups are activated not just as places where community is built and fostered, but in skill development, AI fluency and to provide input on various companywide initiatives. Getting DIBE into touchpoints like these consistently is what makes the difference between DIBE as DNA and a one-time practice.
What ERG or initiative has made the biggest impact on your culture?
Last year, Zapier updated its ERG vision, specifically committing to connect ERG membership to AI and product skill development alongside the always important community-building and connection opportunities that are key to our ERG program. When Zapier committed to becoming an AI-first company, ERGs could have been bystanders or left behind in that transition. Instead, we updated our ERG vision to make Zapier product fluency and AI skill development a core part of what ERG membership means at Zapier. ERG members are offered expert facilitated workshops and learning sessions to experiment with and troubleshoot the latest in AI, all in psychologically safe, supportive environments. The outcome of that vision update shows that ERG members reported higher rates of incorporating workflows that meaningfully improve their efficiency or outcomes compared to non-members. ERG members also show higher overall engagement compared to non-members. Those two numbers together tell the story we care about most — that investing in belonging and skill development can go hand-in-hand.
How are ERGs helping employees upskill at Zapier?
“ERG members are offered expert facilitated workshops and learning sessions to experiment with and troubleshoot the latest in AI, all in psychologically safe, supportive environments. The outcome of that vision update shows that ERG members reported higher rates of incorporating workflows that meaningfully improve their efficiency or outcomes compared to non-members.”
— Marcos Valdez, DIBE Program Manager
How do you measure progress and accountability on DEI goals?
Our DIBE strategy is our north star. It's what “DIBE as DNA” points back to — a shared commitment that DIBE is not a standalone work stream but something woven into how the company operates and makes decisions. That shows up most concretely in how we set goals. DIBE goals are established alongside company and people team planning, so they're connected to what's most important for Zapier at any given time rather than running on a separate track. This also helps keep our DIBE team agile and adaptive to where we can make the most impact and where we may need to de-prioritize. Additionally, belonging is measured through our engagement surveys as a regular signal rather than a periodic check-in and ERG leaders build their strategies in partnership with the DIBE team each half to make sure they're focused on work that can have the highest impact on their members. The result is accountability that the DIBE team owns but that doesn't live in one place. It is meant so that all Zapiens feel they have a hand in making Zapier a place where everyone can thrive — because the goals were built together from the start.
