How Zapier Scaled the New-Hire Experience for Explosive Growth: a Case Study

BY Angie Chatman | November 20, 2022

Employees begin to form their first real impressions of an organization during the hiring and onboarding process. A troubled onboarding system is one that provides an inconsistent or overwhelming experience for new hires. Other problems include too much time spent on manual tasks, poor hiring-manager engagement and participation, and lack of visibility within the system to capture real time impact.

On the other end of the spectrum, Enboarder uses an experience-driven onboarding platform to help customers like McDonald’s, Verizon, Shopify, and Zapier, an automation platform. Zapier, for example, has a workforce that is 100% remote, and has employees in 30 different countries. This complicates hiring and onboarding new team members. Zapier used Enboarder to scale onboarding during a period of explosive growth. “They’ve been hailed as that $7 billion Netflix of productivity because of their incredible business growth in the no- code productivity space,” said Matt Frank, enterprise customer-success manager for Enboarder, during a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s Boston conference earlier this year.

 Zapier’s product is a tool that helps to automate repetitive tasks accomplished with two or more applications. With Zapier, your Facebook post will also appear on a specified Slack channel and will be sent via Mailchimp and/or Gmail via a Zap. When you send a job offer letter, Zapier then triggers an onboarding workflow. However, Zapier’s own onboarding system was misaligned. “Everything happening behind the scenes in HR was a nightmare,” said Frank. “Our open API enabled them to use Zapier, their own product, with their other HR systems and automate nearly all their onboarding tasks with an emphasis on employee experience woven into all the platform’s features.”

Here’s what Zapier's onboarding process looks like now:

The hiring manager is involved in the pre-boarding and onboarding experience. As soon as a new hire accepts the job, the hiring manager is then prompted to send them a congratulatory welcome text message, which can be done from within Enboarder. With that welcome message, the new hire is also prompted to complete a survey about their interests and hobbies, as well as pertinent operations information such as their address, emergency contact, and so on. This information is, again automatically, sent to the HR management system platform. In addition, two weeks before the new hire’s start date, Enboarder sends a reminder nudge to the hiring manager to create a 90-day work plan for that new hire.

Matt Frank of Enboarder, center, and a colleague speak with an attendee at From Day One’s Boston conference

Research on onboarding best practices has shown that having a “buddy program” in place increases retention. A “buddy” helps new hires become acquainted with essential information and unstructured knowledge about workplace culture, company policies, perks, and benefits, among other things. “A new-hire buddy program can also be incorporated into the program,” said Frank. “At Zapier, ‘buddies’ are called Zap Pals, and with Enboarder, they too are notified via Slack with instructions on how to be a great Zap Pal.”

With the power of Enboarder’s automation platform, Zapier has saved its team more than 206,000 minutes otherwise spent on manual onboarding tasks. If your schedule is a traditional 9-to-5, five-day work week, that’s the equivalent of 86 work weeks saved. Zapier used that time to rethink what makes new hires successful. They defined their onboarding pillars based on internal and external research to be setting expectations, creating access to resources, building relationships and interpersonal connections, and communicating effectively across the business.

Zapier also reported a 10% increase in hiring-manager participation with onboarding initiatives. “This is a huge win,” Frank said, “because the hiring manager is critical to the onboarding experience of a new hire.” New employees at Zapier are now 2.5 times more likely to check ‘strongly agree’ on the survey item asking whether their onboarding was exceptional when their manager has an active role.

Moreover, there was a 70% decrease in employee turnover within the first three months of employment, a 65% increase in productivity, a 10% to 15% increase in sales appointments, and an impressive 93 out of 100 employee net promoter score (eNPS), a metric used to measure employee satisfaction and loyalty to the organization.

Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Enboarder, who sponsored this thought leadership spotlight.

Angie Chatman is a freelance writer who covers business, technology, education and social justice. She earned her MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.  

RELATED STORIES

Applying the Drivers of Appreciation to Support People and Business

Showing employees that you appreciate them doesn’t stop at recognizing efforts on a specific project; that’s only the beginning. To inspire engagement, loyalty, and performance, it’s important to demonstrate that you appreciate and support the employee as a whole person.At From Day One’s Miami conference, Alexandra Powell, the director of cultural insights at Reward Gateway, spoke in a thought leadership spotlight session on the distinction between recognition and appreciation, and shared new insights on leveraging appreciation drivers to boost employee engagement and satisfaction. With 15 years of experience driving organizational culture change through leadership coaching and training, Powell leads employee recognition research at Reward Gateway and partners with clients seeking enhanced engagement through the use of recognition and communication tools.The Power of AppreciationBerkeley Haas School of Business conducted a study showing that people who were recognized at work were 23% more effective and productive, while people who felt appreciated for who they are as a person were 43% more effective and productive.While these numbers speak for themselves—feeling genuinely appreciated nearly doubled employee effectiveness and productivity—it is more nuanced than simply telling people leaders to appreciate their employees more.Powell demonstrated this difference in a qualitative way through a personal anecdote. A few years ago when her daughter needed additional parental support, Powell’s boss quickly created a simple system for her to easily communicate each morning the level of work she was capable of that day, and helped to triage and manage her workflow on the days that she was less available. This leader honored that Powell was not only an extremely valuable employee, but a mother, and understood the importance of supporting her in balancing those roles.Despite how vital it is to both people and businesses, actions supporting employee appreciation can be challenging to identify and initiate. This led Reward Gateway to research employee perceptions to help train leaders for success.Early Research FindingsFor the first phase of their study, Reward Gateway worked with 3,000 people across the US, United Kingdom, and Australia. With traditional surveys, results can be skewed as respondents have time for a longer thought process and tend to give the answer they want to give, or the answer they think is wanted, rather than the actual answer. To record true, instinctive answers to the survey questions, Reward Gateway used a fast-response model where statements were flashed on the screen and participants had a limited amount of time to respond.The full 40-page study will be published in January, but early findings validate the importance of employees being and feeling appreciated. Using a scale of 0–100, employee appreciation is shown to impact how hard the employee works (average rating of 72.14), their engagement (average rating of 70.5), and how satisfied they are with their job (average rating of 68.7). Across the surveyed population, the average global appreciation index is 65 on that same 0–100 scale (with, of course, some deviations across multiple demographics such as gender, industry, seniority, age, organization size, and control over work.)By measuring the response speed for each statement, Powell’s team was able to identify the top five most likely drivers of employees feeling appreciated. Finding ways to impact the employee experience in these areas is one key to boosting engagement:I am recognized by managers.My hard work is rewarded.I feel I belong here.My managers support me.My organization praises me.Applying Appreciation DriversPowell shared some examples of actions her clients have taken to influence their employees’ sense of appreciation. Recognition and appreciation don’t necessarily have to require developing a comprehensive program or system. You can start with simply meeting employees where they are to show genuine interest and gratitude for them.I am recognized by managers. Add a recognition moment to team huddles. If you have weekly huddles, this adds over 50 opportunities per year to recognize and appreciate your team members—even more if this is implemented across multiple departments. If you don’t know exactly what every person is working on, that’s okay. Ask them what they have done recently that they’re most proud of, and have a conversation about it.My hard work is rewarded. A couple years ago, one of Reward Gateway’s UK clients designed and sent a festive end-of-year holiday card to all employees and, because it had been a tough year, deposited just 20 pounds into everyone’s reward accounts. The CEO was concerned about the amount of the gift, so the day the card and reward were released, the organization also shared a video from the CEO communicating “how much he appreciated them, how hard it had been, and how instrumental they’d been to this success.” He got many messages of thanks from people who could see and sense his authentic appreciation for them.I feel I belong here. Top performers may appreciate additional professional development opportunities, or having the option, after a challenging project, to participate in enrichment events outside of the office. Expand traditional recognition programs to include celebrations of individual groups and belief systems. One of Powell’s clients created a series of 124 such celebrations organized on a quarterly calendar to recognize holidays such as Autism Awareness Month, Diversity Month, National Volunteer Week, Lesbian Visibility Day, Military Appreciation Month, as well as various religious holidays. They included supporting materials and a glossary of how to recognize and celebrate intentionally.Alexandra Powell, director of client cultural insights at Reward Gateway, led the thought leadership spotlightAnother client put additional effort into welcoming and celebrating new hires during the early stages of their tenure through automated recognition of their 30, 60, and 90-day milestones. This, in combination with ongoing in-person interactions, lets employees know right away that their presence is appreciated.My managers support me. Place a well-being block on everyone’s calendar for them to use as they see fit—yoga, a walk, play music, read a book, meal plan, attend a virtual wellness class—illustrating and reinforcing the company’s awareness that each person needs time to take care of themselves in whatever way is appropriate for them.My organization praises me. Use existing recognition events to ensure frequent praise and awareness across teams. Some examples include employee appreciation days, holiday celebrations, or highlighting the team members working on new and high-visibility projects.Powell provided insights into existing theories, but also introduced some new research findings and examples of practical ways to better support appreciation in the workplace, arming attendees with a framework of ideas to improve organizational engagement and illustrate to their teams the impact they have each day.Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Reward Gateway, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. Jessica Swenson is a freelance writer and proofreader based in the Midwest. Learn more about her at jmswensonllc.com.

Jessica Swenson | January 03, 2025

How Workers Can Make Their Money Go Further With HSA and Limited Purpose FSA

An emerging but underutilized strategy involves pairing a health savings account (HSA) with a limited purpose flexible spending account (LPFSA) to save on future healthcare costs. This approach allows employees to maximize the benefits of their health and retirement investments.“Why folks often wish to pair an LPFSA with an HSA is that many folks are using the HSA like an IRA, because they’re saving it for the future,” Michael C. Eldredge, HSA product manager at Inspira Financial, said during a From Day One webinar. In collaboration with the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), Inspira Financial released findings that employees who own both an HSA and an LPFSA invest about $3,419, yet, 30% don't withdraw from their LPFSA. 64% of workers with both accounts also still withdraw money from their HSA per year. The information sheds light on how workers with both accounts are missing significant cost-saving opportunities, and not using their LPFSAs to their fullest potential. Employers can support their workers where a major concern is securing future care benefits by informing them of this strategy. Stretching Your Healthcare Dollars Inspira Financial is an organization committed to providing health care, retirement, wealth, and benefits solutions to support the employee health and wealth journey. Their collaborative report with the EBRI outlined several ways workers can achieve maximum financial healthcare benefits. One way to maximize long-term savings is to set aside an amount that optimizes growth over time in a health savings account. Every dollar contributed reduces taxable income, and funds can grow tax-free. For example, investing $1,000 per year in an HSA could grow to over $165,000 in 40 years, while contributing less significantly reduces the total savingsMichael C. Eldredge, HSA product manager at Inspira Financial, led the webinar (company photo)Another particular advantage, Eldredge notes, is that LPFSA funds can cover preventive care that isn't covered by an employer’s health plan such as dental and vision or care for chronic health conditions. This means workers can save more by not withdrawing from their HSA accounts for those procedures. “It’s an awareness point to make sure folks realize they don’t accidentally spend from the HSA, for let’s say an online bill payment or something like that when they could have done it from the LPFSA.” Unused LPFSA funds are also carried over the next year and often have a grace period so workers have the chance to use all of it instead of losing what’s left of it. A noticeable trend with Americans who invest in HSA/FSAs alone strategize pre-tax savings to determine estimations for future medical care and copays, according to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA). Inspira estimates that on average, men must save $184K for health care expenses in retirement, women must save $217K, and couples must save $351K. Undoubtedly, these are estimates that Americans with both accounts base their strategic planning on. This reflects a growing mindset shift occurring as more workers learn the value of HSA and LPFSA in avoiding paying more out-of-pocket and maximizing reimbursement. American Use and Perception of HSA/FSAs A 2023 CHPA study revealed that only 1 in 5 Americans have an HSA or FSA, and most are unfamiliar with their purpose. As a result, many without these accounts were unaware of the 2020 legislation that made over-the-counter medications and menstrual products eligible for reimbursement through HSAs and FSAs.Half of American workers with HSA/FSA accounts plan to invest less than $2,000 annually, unaffected by the 2020 legislation expanding eligible reimbursements to over-the-counter medications and menstrual products. Instead, 81% of workers with these accounts are focusing their investments on reimbursable medical expenses and preparing for high-cost medical and dental needs.While most American workers, both those with and without HSA/FSA accounts, agree that more healthcare expenses should qualify for reimbursement, this sentiment alone isn’t motivating them to contribute more.Employers can leverage this opportunity to educate workers about the potential to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare costs by combining HSAs with LPFSAs. Eldredge highlights that when employees understand how an LPFSA can preserve HSA funds by covering eligible dental and vision expenses with tax benefits, they can better plan for maximum reimbursement and long-term savings.Editor's note: From Day One thanks our partner, Inspira Financial, for sponsoring this webinar. Stephanie Reed is a freelance news, marketing, and content writer. Much of her work features small business owners throughout diverse industries. She is passionate about promoting small, ethical, and eco-conscious businesses.

Stephanie Reed | December 31, 2024

The ROI of Comprehensive Cancer Care Benefits: A Data-Driven Approach

What does taking control of cancer look like? For one patient, 43-year-old Kristen, it has meant the world. At her company’s cancer assessment through Color, which offers a comprehensive cancer program with employers, Kristen realized she was late for a mammogram. The Color care team got her an appointment within two weeks.Unfortunately, doctors found an abnormality, and again the care team got Kristen in quickly for the appointment that would indicate she needed a biopsy. The biopsy concluded that she did indeed have breast cancer. Fortunately, they found it at stage one.“We did all this in 52 days, from start to finish,” Joshua Sturm, chief revenue officer at Color said during a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s NYC benefits conference.“On average, this takes 155 days in this current system. So, we reduced that time by over 60% and that reduced time is a difference from one stage shift to another,” he said.  Looking at these and other data has helped drive how it approached cancer treatment.The speed at which Color can help patients through the process not only helps increase their rate of survival, it also helps employers by saving money through their cancer program investment.Detect EarlyBased on general demographics in the U.S., about 10 to 15% of people are at high risk of cancer, Sturm told listeners at the presentation. Screening is paramount to catch that risk as early as possible so treatment can be started earlier and be less invasive and expensive. But screenings take time and money. “You’ve got to make it simple,” he said. “How are you going to make it simple for your members to follow through on getting screened on cancer? Bring it to their home. Bring it on site. If it’s a screening that isn’t available to be done at home or on site, manage that entire process for them.”Color can help schedule those in weeks rather than months, and they can help patients actually follow through with results, which has become even more of a priority.“The biggest gap right now in cancer screening is not necessarily people getting them done, although that’s a big issue,” Sturm said. “It’s when the abnormal result comes back, the majority of people do not follow through on the next phase, they actually understand if they truly have cancer or not, and suddenly there’s a high cost claimant that comes out of nowhere.” Those things alone can increase ROI and survivor rates. So, detect early, and help patients follow through. Managing TreatmentAt any given time, about 1% of people are actively going through cancer treatment. During this time, the patient is scared. No one knows the final outcome. One thing Color has been focused on is closing gaps between diagnostics and first actionable steps. Having action steps means a lot to patients. “More than 40% of meetings that happen the first time when you go in are not actionable because these diagnostics aren’t done. That means more cost to you, because you’re going to have to go back in again. It’'s a horrible patient experience. And it’s more expensive.”Again, speeding up the process and giving the patient hope are paramount, according to Sturm. Employers should also pay attention to extra costs that come up that aren’t typically covered by medical insurance. Rides to treatment, loved ones taking time off work, and so on. “It's really important to think about that,” he added.  Being vigilant about treatment means helping them manage their symptoms, so they can stay out of the ER if possible. Sturm said they found that being available 24/7 for patients to call and write scripts for not only helps them stay on top of their health, but it increases their rate of satisfaction. There’s a big mental health component to this, he says, and really being there for employees means a lot in this critical time. Support SurvivorsSurviving cancer is a huge step, and most typically celebrate that. But what about the days and weeks and even months following? Do employers realize what that employee might be going through?Supporting survivors is key, Sturm said. Start by assessing who on your payroll is a survivor so you know who you need to help support. “These people are just trying to get back to work. They are just trying to live their life like they did before they were an active cancer patient. They are dealing with mental health issues, physical health issues, dietary issues,” he said. Not only that, but cancer survivors have a much higher rate of cancer (recurrence) than those who have never had it.One survivor might have trouble doing any work after 2:00 in the afternoon, so companies need to make sure that patients know how to communicate with their manager or with HR so they can get accommodations.They may also have additional screenings for the next months or years. Taking that burden off them and helping them get through that is something companies can offer, Sturm added. “We’re going to get you back to work and help you understand how to talk to your employer, or we'll talk to your employer on your behalf. We're going to help the team around you to understand what you’ve just gone through. Because it doesn’t end, right? It doesn’t end when you’re a survivor.”In the end, companies need to make sure everyone gets a care plan. “Make sure everyone understands what they need to do physically, mentally, dietary wise, to survive. Make sure they’re following through.” All of this leads to healthier employees and less costs for the company and the patient overall. Using data to better manage cancer has led Color to focus on easier screening, faster diagnosis, following up on treatment, and supporting survivors. With this, they’ve been able to decrease costs and help patients have better outcomes. “We’re very proud of this kind of work that we're doing,” he added. Stories like Kristen’s resonate because most everyone knows someone who has had cancer. They know the fear, the side effects, the waiting. And if Color can help companies alleviate some of that, then they’re doing their job.Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Color, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight.Carrie Snider is a Phoenix-based journalist and marketing copywriter.

Carrie Snider | December 30, 2024