How DocuSign Improved Operational Efficiency Within Its ERGs to Boost Membership to 37%

At a Glance

We don't really talk about the kind of cultural equity that is built and the trust that employees feel by having a platform that allows them to connect with others.

By utilizing Chezie, DocuSign streamlined their ERG process, resulting in improved efficiency and a reduction in administrative burden. This led to a significant improvement in ERG lead tenure, with a notable rise in the likelihood of leaders continuing in their roles. With the ability to focus on more strategic and relevant initiatives, leaders were able to drive an increase in ERG membership and internal and external stakeholder engagement.

Pain Points

• Lack of centralized platform for ERG management leading to disjointed communication and organization.
• Tedious manual methods like spreadsheets and email listservs resulted in inefficiency and time-consuming processes.
• Difficulty in tracking ERG membership and event participation due to disparate data sources.
• Limited visibility into ERG activities and impact, hindering strategic decision-making.
• Challenges in sustaining ERG leadership teams and preventing burnout among leaders.

Results

• Streamlined ERG process through Chezie, improving efficiency and reducing administrative burden.
• Increased employee-to-ERG membership percentage, reaching 37% from an initial 17%.
• Increased ERG lead tenure, with a significant rise in likelihood to continue in leadership roles.
• Improved internal and external ERG engagement, reflected in higher event attendance and satisfaction.
• On average, Chezie has helped DocuSign save about ~20 hours a week from administrative ERG work.
• Enhanced visibility into ERG activities and impact, facilitated by comprehensive data and reporting capabilities.

DocuSign revolutionized its ERG processes, significantly accelerating operations and boosting efficiency. This transformation enabled the team to dedicate more energy to strategic priorities and align with organizational objectives. As a result, DocuSign's ERGs experienced a surge in employee-to-ERG membership ratios, extended tenure for ERG leads, and heightened engagement levels.

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About DocuSign

Founded: 2003

Headquarters: San Francisco, CA

Revenue: $2.5B

Company Size: 7000

Number of ERGs: 12 (21 chapters)

DocuSign helps organizations connect and automate how they navigate their systems of agreement. As part of its industry leading product lineup, DocuSign offers eSignature, the world's #1 way to sign electronically on practically any device, from almost anywhere, at any time.

Since its establishment in 2003, DocuSign has been dedicated to expediting business operations and streamlining life for individuals and organizations worldwide. As pioneers in e-signature technology, they have revolutionized how agreements are prepared, signed, executed, and managed. DocuSign stands as the premier choice for electronic signatures across diverse devices and locations, offering unparalleled convenience.

Their mission is clear: to replace antiquated paper-based processes, which are notorious for being manual, sluggish, costly, and prone to errors, with efficient automation. By eliminating paper and seamlessly integrating with existing business systems, DocuSign facilitates smoother workflows. With over 350 pre-built integrations with popular business applications and a robust API, their platform empowers businesses to embed and connect DocuSign with their websites, mobile apps, and tailored workflows.

Today, DocuSign serves over 1,000,000 customers and hundreds of millions of users in more than 180 countries. Their solution not only accelerates business processes but also simplifies the lives of countless individuals worldwide.

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Introduction

DocuSign's principal goal for their Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) is to drive employee engagement and retention of underrepresented groups while also fueling a pipeline of diverse talent, fostering a culture where employees have meaningful careers and make impactful cultural contributions.

What are DocuSign's ERGs' goals?

“Our ERGs are not only an extension of our global DEI strategy, but integral to things like driving employee engagement, supporting the retention of underrepresented peoples, and filling our pipeline with diverse talent. We want our employees to feel like they not only have meaningful careers, but also have the ability, through our employee resource groups, to make meaningful cultural impacts within the organization and build lasting relationships with the people that they're partnering with.” 

Before implementing Chezie, how were you managing and tracking your ERGs?

“There were a lot of spreadsheets that looked very different depending on who the ERG was. We had several different tools and mechanisms just to track who our members were. That was just a big problem. We also used several systems that were not connected to our people data. As people move and change it just became really challenging.“

“Until we had a platform like Chezie, the amount of time and energy that our leaders took to create a process was so taxing that it caused a lot of burn out. Having something that streamlined the process and optimized the experience for ERG leaders, not only created a positive experience for our ERG members and others who were learning about our ERGs, but also had a tremendous impact on the longevity of our ERG leadership team.”

Why did you choose to work with us?

“We looked across multiple ERG platforms, and the number one criteria was which of these platforms met most of the requirements that we had from a functionality standpoint. We needed a platform that was malleable and evolving. And we found that partnership with Chezie.”

DocuSign was on the hunt for a solution that could help simplify the way that they managed their ERG members and how they communicated with them. They needed something to help them provide more consistency with which they planned and executed their ERG activations. When they found Chezie, they began their journey to help their employees find community.

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Operational Efficiency

Before finding Chezie, DocuSign utilized manual methods like spreadsheets and email listservs to oversee their ERGs. These tools lacked integration, hampering communication among members, leaders, and other ERGs. Consequently, managing and organizing ERGs became laborious and less efficient.

Why was increasing the operational efficiency of your ERGs important?

“Automating administrative tasks was mission-critical for us, as it saves a significant amount of time. As a small DEI team with a robust ERG leadership program, we aimed to introduce efficiencies wherever possible. One strategy was implementing a consistent platform and methodology for engaging with our leaders and employees. Our goal was to streamline processes and utilize the platform to simplify operations as much as we could.”

How has Chezie helped improve your process?

“The platform offers numerous phenomenal benefits. It enables us to make more informed decisions about managing our program holistically. Moreover, its integrations with tools like Zoom, Workday, HR platforms, and other systems eliminate the need for manual management of multiple systems, granting us access to information for a more comprehensive and responsive approach to our business needs. Previously, without a platform, we were reliant on hearsay and organizational changes, factors beyond our ERG's control.”

How has the reduced workload affected both you and your ERG leaders?

“Based on our last fiscal year-end survey, we observed a double-digit increase in ERG leaders' likelihood to stay and remain in their roles. This leap indicates that the platform is facilitating smoother workflows, making employees more inclined to stay in these positions for an extended period of time.”

How much time did you and your ERG leaders spend on ERG activities before utilizing Chezie ? How much time are you spending now?

“They were primarily focusing on the administrative components—planning, executing, and researching events—rather than solely execution. Our ERG leaders are still investing the same amount of time. However, we've observed that this time investment now translates into planning more activities because the process has become much simpler. While there might not be a direct time-saving on a one-to-one basis, what we do witness is an optimization of the time spent on activity planning.”

By transitioning from manual spreadsheets and email management to a streamlined, integrated platform, Chezie allowed ERG leaders to redirect their focus from administrative tasks to strategic planning and execution. Although the total hours invested by ERG leaders remained constant, their time is now utilized more effectively, paving the way for more impactful and inclusive ERG activities.

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Data and Reporting

As a data-driven organization, DocuSign places a high value on having access to comprehensive, reliable data that informs their strategic decision-making. Chezie transformed DocuSign's approach to data collection and reporting, improving efficiency and providing insights into the impact of their ERGs.

Why was having access to data crucial for you?

“DocuSign is a data-driven organization. Previously, we lacked a reliable data source to understand what's working or not working within our ERGs' operations, putting us at a significant disadvantage. Now, with access to comprehensive data, we can make informed decisions about our investments. I can't overstate the importance of having a robust data and reporting platform like Chezie.”

How did you collect reports before integrating Chezie, and what kind of data did you report on?

“We didn’t have a method for reporting on the number of members participating across different regions and departments, or how many identified as group members versus allies. We also lacked holistic feedback on our ERG programming and were unclear about any gaps. We really relied on guesswork, anecdotal information, and makeshift surveys.”

‍“Before using Chezie, we reported on our ERG events and budgets manually through spreadsheets. Our leaders had to deal with a mix of different tools like spreadsheets and listservs. We struggled to capture comprehensive data, often reporting only on individual ERGs rather than the program as a whole. Now, with Chezie, I can access dashboards with critical information at the click of a button.” 

What has having this data allowed you to do?

“Implementing a system that allows us to see aggregate ERG data has given us a way to identify gaps in the employee experience and action on them…[Aggregated data] has informed our decision-making around where we invest. For example, understanding how the budget is allocated across our ERG chapters and identifying who benefits from participating in these events allows us to make really great financial decisions around how we fund our ERGs going into future years.”

DocuSign's collaboration with Chezie has streamlined their data collection and reporting processes, eliminating manual spreadsheets and disjointed systems. This enhanced accessibility empowers the organization to optimize its ERG activities and investments, fostering a more cohesive and impactful engagement strategy.  This partnership underscores the effectiveness of integrating data solutions to drive organizational outcomes.

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Engagement

Engagement is pivotal to ERG success since these groups revolve around people and connections; without those, an ERG can't thrive. Before adopting a solution, DocuSign grappled with substantial challenges in these aspects. Chezie's platform offered tailored solutions, enhancing engagement and visibility within their ERGs. The outcome? A notable surge in membership and event attendance.

What specific challenges did you face with member engagement or visibility in ERGs before using Chezie?

“Our employees had no idea that we even had ERGs or had no idea what an ERG was. They didn't know what kind of ERGs existed, what the benefits might be, what kind of events were being planned and all of that. So from an employee awareness perspective, when we launched Chezie, at our organization, it provided us with the opportunity to create a baseline of understanding.”

How has Chezie helped to improve the member experience?

“It's leveled up all across the board. Chezie streamlined communication by providing clear and concise communication protocols and templates that can be easily facilitated through the platform, including email and Slack integration. ERG leaders can craft one message and select the channels they want to communicate with, and members get to keep up with everything going on within the groups…Chezie provides a great opportunity for employees across our entire organization to understand the global impact and importance of an ERG program like this, and to see just how widespread it is. This understanding contributes to how our leadership views investing in these communities."

"While cultural equity wasn't what we initially anticipated, we're delighted to see this perspective, which we frequently hear from our employees: 'I'm so glad that DocuSign supports our employees by having ERGs and implementing a tool like Core [DocuSign's name for Chezie.]'"

Chezie’s centralized platform simplified ERG management, aiding leaders in organizing and promoting events more efficiently. This streamlined process resulted in increased event quantity and quality, leading to higher membership and participation rates. Additionally, Chezie’s comprehensive resources, including speakers and event templates, reduced leaders' administrative workload, allowing them to prioritize impactful activities. This improved engagement within ERGs and bolstered DocuSign's commitment to cultural equity, reinforcing its reputation as an employer valuing diversity and inclusion. 

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The wrap up‍

“I attribute our boost in employee membership in our ERGs, to the Chezie platform”

DocuSign's adoption of Chezie has profoundly transformed how they manage their ERGs. By moving away from cumbersome spreadsheets and disjointed systems, they've streamlined processes, enabling ERG leaders to focus on engagement and retention. The outcome? A noticeable increase in membership and participation, with leaders now able to devote energy to creating meaningful events and opportunities.

This shift to a more integrated and user-friendly platform has not only boosted efficiency but also improved visibility and communication within ERGs. DocuSign employees now have a clearer understanding of ERGs and their benefits. It’s a win-win: the company strengthens community ties, and employees feel more connected and supported. The success of this partnership with Chezie highlights the importance of selecting the right tools to support and expand employee resource groups.

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Want to dive deeper and see how Chezie could work for your organization? Don’t hesitate to book a demo with us!