HR-led AI transformation work kit

HR-led AI transformation work kit

HR-led AI transformation work kit

How Zapier's HR team unlocked AI fluency and 89% adoption company-wide
How Zapier's HR team unlocked AI fluency and 89% adoption company-wide

See the playbooks, workflows, and strategies that made HR the engine of Zapier’s AI transformation. Learn how your team can do the same.

See the playbooks, workflows, and strategies that made HR the engine of Zapier’s AI transformation. Learn how your team can do the same.

A Proven Approach

A Proven Approach

89%

89%

89%

89%

of Zapier employees use AI every day

2x

2x

2x

2x

faster hiring operations

30+

30+

30+

30+

ready-to-use AI workflows

"We believe strongly in 'open sourcing' our AI adoption journey and department playbooks to empower other organizations. HR teams, in particular, have an incredible leadership opportunity to guide their workforce toward AI fluency."

"We believe strongly in 'open sourcing' our AI adoption journey and department playbooks to empower other organizations. HR teams, in particular, have an incredible leadership opportunity to guide their workforce toward AI fluency."

— Brandon Sammut, Chief People Officer (CPO), Zapier

— Brandon Sammut, Chief People Officer (CPO), Zapier

Why AI fluency and automation matter

Why AI fluency and automation matter

Why AI fluency and automation matter

Why AI fluency and automation matter

Zapier’s HR team was uniquely positioned to lead how our employees mastered AI fluency. We had been building our own automations for years, a unique advantage for an HR professional working at a technology company that delivers a no-code automation platform. We were ready to tap AI's potential.

Zapier’s HR team was uniquely positioned to lead how our employees mastered AI fluency. We had been building our own automations for years, a unique advantage for an HR professional working at a technology company that delivers a no-code automation platform. We were ready to tap AI's potential.

Zapier’s HR team was uniquely positioned to lead how our employees mastered AI fluency. We had been building our own automations for years, a unique advantage for an HR professional working at a technology company that delivers a no-code automation platform. We were ready to tap AI's potential.

AI Fluency is non-negotiable

Everyone in HR (and across Zapier) must have baseline skills and curiosity about AI.

AI Fluency is non-negotiable

Everyone in HR (and across Zapier) must have baseline skills and curiosity about AI.

AI Fluency is non-negotiable

Everyone in HR (and across Zapier) must have baseline skills and curiosity about AI.

AI Fluency is non-negotiable

Everyone in HR (and across Zapier) must have baseline skills and curiosity about AI.

Empower builders, not just consumers

Automation and AI should be accessible and buildable by HR practitioners, not just technical teams.

Empower builders, not just consumers

Automation and AI should be accessible and buildable by HR practitioners, not just technical teams.

Empower builders, not just consumers

Automation and AI should be accessible and buildable by HR practitioners, not just technical teams.

Empower builders, not just consumers

Automation and AI should be accessible and buildable by HR practitioners, not just technical teams.

Automation + AI = superpowered humans

Automation amplifies human impact; it doesn't replace it.

Automation + AI = superpowered humans

Automation amplifies human impact; it doesn't replace it.

Automation + AI = superpowered humans

Automation amplifies human impact; it doesn't replace it.

Automation + AI = superpowered humans

Automation amplifies human impact; it doesn't replace it.

Human-in-the-loop is strategic

Not everything should be handed over to AI – now or in the future. Intentional human touch points ensure quality, personalization, and trust within the candidate and employee experience.

Human-in-the-loop is strategic

Not everything should be handed over to AI – now or in the future. Intentional human touch points ensure quality, personalization, and trust within the candidate and employee experience.

Human-in-the-loop is strategic

Not everything should be handed over to AI – now or in the future. Intentional human touch points ensure quality, personalization, and trust within the candidate and employee experience.

Human-in-the-loop is strategic

Not everything should be handed over to AI – now or in the future. Intentional human touch points ensure quality, personalization, and trust within the candidate and employee experience.

Our AI fluency rubric at Zapier

Our AI fluency rubric at Zapier

Our AI fluency rubric at Zapier

Our AI fluency rubric at Zapier

level 1

Unacceptable

Lacks basic skill or interest.

CLUE:

Look for vague curiosity or dismissive attitudes. They’ve not crossed the threshold into meaningful use.

EXAMPLE

“AI sounds interesting, but I don’t know how I’d use it.”

level 2

Capable

Has basic skill but limited application.

CLUE:

They have real examples they can describe or reflect on, even if they are simple. You want clear proof they are using AI.

EXAMPLE

“I often use ChatGPT to help me research topics more efficiently—it consistently saves me time.”

level 3

Adaptive

Regularly applies AI to improve current workflows.

CLUE:

They move beyond casual use into thoughtful, regular application. Look for clear ROI stories.

EXAMPLE

“I use a few AI tools, specifically X, Y, and Z, and I’ve seen the following results…”

level 4

Transformational

Uses AI to fundamentally rethink workflows and job design.

CLUE:

This person hasn’t just adopted AI tools, but AI has fundamentally transformed how they and their team work.

EXAMPLE

“I introduced AI tools X, Y, Z across my team—we now save 10+ hours per week and improved quality.”

You can see the full rubric here.

You can see the full rubric here.

"To transform our business and grow Zapier’s talent density over the next two years, Zapier needs to become AI-first in everything we do. And that’s why we spent 5 weeks in the spring of 2025 implementing our AI fluency standards so we can evaluate 100% of candidates equally."

"To transform our business and grow Zapier’s talent density over the next two years, Zapier needs to become AI-first in everything we do. And that’s why we spent 5 weeks in the spring of 2025 implementing our AI fluency standards so we can evaluate 100% of candidates equally."

— Tracy St. Dic, Global Head of Talent, Zapier

— Tracy St. Dic, Global Head of Talent, Zapier

Strategic principles for driving HR AI Adoption

Strategic principles for driving HR AI Adoption

Strategic principles for driving HR AI Adoption

Strategic principles for driving HR AI Adoption

Zapier’s HR team was uniquely positioned for AI fluency. We had been building our own automations for years – a unique advantage for an HR professional working at a technology company that delivers a no code automation platform.

Zapier’s HR team was uniquely positioned for AI fluency. We had been building our own automations for years – a unique advantage for an HR professional working at a technology company that delivers a no code automation platform.

Zapier’s HR team was uniquely positioned for AI fluency. We had been building our own automations for years – a unique advantage for an HR professional working at a technology company that delivers a no code automation platform.

Start small, scale quickly

Start small, scale quickly

Everyone in HR (and across Zapier) must have baseline skills and curiosity about AI.

Everyone in HR (and across Zapier) must have baseline skills and curiosity about AI.

Empower builders, not just consumers

Empower builders, not just consumers

Everyone in HR (and across Zapier) must have baseline skills and curiosity about AI.

Everyone in HR (and across Zapier) must have baseline skills and curiosity about AI.

Automation + AI = superpowered humans

Automation + AI = superpowered humans

Everyone in HR (and across Zapier) must have baseline skills and curiosity about AI.

Everyone in HR (and across Zapier) must have baseline skills and curiosity about AI.

Human-in-the-loop is strategic

Human-in-the-loop is strategic

Everyone in HR (and across Zapier) must have baseline skills and curiosity about AI.

Everyone in HR (and across Zapier) must have baseline skills and curiosity about AI.

Our proven AI playbook for HR teams

Our proven AI playbook for HR teams

Our proven AI playbook for HR teams

Our proven AI playbook for HR teams

Our playbook collects and shares templates for our top automated workflows and agents. There are 30+ examples to get started with – across hiring, onboarding, culture development, performance, and operations.

Our playbook collects and shares templates for our top automated workflows and agents. There are 30+ examples to get started with – across hiring, onboarding, culture development, performance, and operations.

We’ve highlighted 5 places to start, complete with templates and demo videos from the members of our team that built them.

We’ve highlighted 5 places to start, complete with templates and demo videos from the members of our team that built them.

HIRING

AI-powered hiring materials

Kick off hiring 2x faster by automating creation of job descriptions and interview guides

VALUE:

Significantly accelerates hiring processes, improving candidate experience and internal efficiency.

hiring

Candidate fraud detector

Automatically detect suspicious applicants using IP and phone verification to protect your recruiting teams.

VALUE:

Protect our recruitment process from fraudulent applicants, save time and resources, enhance compliance and security.

Culture Development

Team ReadMe Creator

Automate team ReadMes with AI to strengthen team relationships and streamline onboarding.

VALUE:

Boost team cohesion, reduce attrition rates, and enhance company culture with minimal effort.

PERFORMANCE

Predictive Attrition Prevention

Kick off hiring 2x faster by automating creation of job descriptions and interview guides

VALUE:

Significantly accelerates hiring processes, improving candidate experience and internal efficiency.

hiring

Employee Offboarding

Streamline departures by automating Slack messages, document generation, and feedback collection.

VALUE:

Saves substantial time per employee exit, ensures consistent offboarding experience, and simplifies compliance and record-keeping.

Operations

One-on-one meeting coach

Automate interview summaries and receive personalized coaching feedback all from your Zoom recordings.

VALUE:

Receive instant feedback on communication style, improve interview quality, and capture better interview notes.

Resources

Resources

Resources

Resources

Monthly AI Workshop

Join HR leaders in an exclusive monthly session to explore AI strategies and drive transformation at your organization. Learn from peers and shape your company's AI adoption approach.

Monthly AI Leaders AMA

Connect directly with executives leading successful AI transformations. Learn how to align CEO vision with HR strategy for rapid, sustainable AI adoption.

AI Leaders Lab

An invite-only session to exchange strategies with AI leaders and shape how your company adopts AI.

Agents of Scale podcast

Zapier CEO Wade Foster talks with leaders about scaling AI in their organizations.

AI Adoption Report

This report explores the strategies successful enterprises use to scale AI and stay ahead.

Principles for successful implementation

Principles for successful implementation

Principles for successful implementation

Principles for successful implementation

To replicate Zapier’s AI adoption success, keep these in mind:

To replicate Zapier’s AI adoption success, keep these in mind:

To replicate Zapier’s AI adoption success, keep these in mind:

Build quick, iterate faster

Start with simple automations. Iterate rapidly based on real-world feedback.

Build quick, iterate faster

Start with simple automations. Iterate rapidly based on real-world feedback.

Build quick, iterate faster

Start with simple automations. Iterate rapidly based on real-world feedback.

Build quick, iterate faster

Start with simple automations. Iterate rapidly based on real-world feedback.

Transparency builds trust

Clearly communicate what data is collected, where it's stored, and who sees it.

Transparency builds trust

Clearly communicate what data is collected, where it's stored, and who sees it.

Transparency builds trust

Clearly communicate what data is collected, where it's stored, and who sees it.

Transparency builds trust

Clearly communicate what data is collected, where it's stored, and who sees it.

Treat adoption as internal marketing

Promote your automations internally through storytelling. Highlight HR user stories for adoption and advocacy.

Treat adoption as internal marketing

Promote your automations internally through storytelling. Highlight HR user stories for adoption and advocacy.

Treat adoption as internal marketing

Promote your automations internally through storytelling. Highlight HR user stories for adoption and advocacy.

Treat adoption as internal marketing

Promote your automations internally through storytelling. Highlight HR user stories for adoption and advocacy.

Prioritize human-in-the-loop where needed

Not every workflow should be fully automated. Intentional human involvement ensures relevance, quality, and personalization.

Prioritize human-in-the-loop where needed

Not every workflow should be fully automated. Intentional human involvement ensures relevance, quality, and personalization.

Prioritize human-in-the-loop where needed

Not every workflow should be fully automated. Intentional human involvement ensures relevance, quality, and personalization.

Prioritize human-in-the-loop where needed

Not every workflow should be fully automated. Intentional human involvement ensures relevance, quality, and personalization.

“What are HR leaders hungry for? Real examples of how AI and automation can be used to elevate their work and the employee experience. I think we’ve all had enough hype and theory! That’s why we are offering events, webinars, and templates so we can all learn and build together.”

“What are HR leaders hungry for? Real examples of how AI and automation can be used to elevate their work and the employee experience. I think we’ve all had enough hype and theory! That’s why we are offering events, webinars, and templates so we can all learn and build together.”

— Emily Mabie, Senior Learning Designer, Zapier

— Emily Mabie, Senior Learning Designer, Zapier

Get started now

Get started now

Start with our proven playbook. Or join one of Zapier's HR leaders for a virtual session where you can learn strategies, tactics, and use cases for increasing AI fluency in your workforce and transform your HR department.

Start with our proven playbook. Or join one of Zapier's HR leaders for a virtual session where you can learn strategies, tactics, and use cases for increasing AI fluency in your workforce and transform your HR department.