The Rise of the Citizen Developer

We often think of coding as the domain of engineers and computer scientists. But what if everyone in a company, from HR to finance, could write simple applications to improve their workflows? That’s the idea behind Checkr’s interesting initiative. The company, led by Daniel Yanisse, is encouraging all its employees to “vibe code” – to get hands-on with creating software solutions, even if they don’t have a traditional tech background.

Stipends and AI Days: Incentivizing the Code-Curious

Checkr isn’t just throwing people into the deep end. They’re providing stipends and dedicated “AI days” to help non-technical staff learn and experiment. This shows a real commitment to making coding accessible and not just another corporate buzzword. The stipends can be used for online courses, workshops, or even hiring a tutor. The AI days offer protected time to focus on learning and building.

Why This Matters: Beyond the Hype

At first glance, this might seem like another Silicon Valley perk designed to attract talent. And while it probably does help with that, the potential benefits go much deeper. By empowering employees to create their own tools, Checkr could see increased efficiency, improved workflows, and a more engaged workforce. Imagine an HR employee building an app to streamline the onboarding process, or a finance team member automating a tedious reporting task. These small improvements can add up to significant gains.

The Potential Pitfalls: Not All Sunshine and Rainbows

Of course, there are challenges. Not everyone is going to be a natural coder, and forcing people to participate could backfire. There’s also the risk of creating a patchwork of poorly written, insecure applications that are difficult to maintain. Checkr will need to provide adequate training, support, and governance to ensure this initiative doesn’t create more problems than it solves. They’ll need to think about things like code reviews, security protocols, and a clear process for deploying and maintaining these citizen-developed apps.

Democratizing Tech: A Glimpse into the Future?

Checkr’s experiment raises a bigger question: Is this the future of work? As AI and low-code/no-code platforms become more sophisticated, will coding become a skill that everyone needs to have? It’s possible. The ability to understand and manipulate technology is becoming increasingly important in all aspects of life. And while we’re not all going to become software engineers, having a basic understanding of coding principles could be a valuable asset in any career. Think of it as digital literacy for the modern age.

Beyond Checkr: What Other Companies Can Learn

Even if your company isn’t ready to offer AI days and stipends, there are still lessons to be learned from Checkr’s approach. The most important is the value of empowering employees to solve their own problems. By providing training, resources, and a supportive environment, you can unlock hidden potential and foster a culture of innovation. Start small, maybe with a pilot program or a series of workshops. Focus on teaching basic coding concepts and providing practical examples. And most importantly, be patient and understanding. Not everyone will pick it up right away, and that’s okay.

The Role of AI: A Helping Hand

It’s worth noting the role of AI in all of this. As AI-powered coding tools become more prevalent, the barrier to entry for non-technical users will continue to fall. These tools can help with everything from generating code snippets to debugging errors. They can also provide personalized learning experiences and adapt to individual skill levels. In the future, we may see AI become a co-pilot for citizen developers, helping them to build more complex and sophisticated applications.

A Bold Move, Worth Watching

Checkr’s initiative is a bold experiment that could have a significant impact on the future of work. While there are challenges to overcome, the potential rewards are significant. By democratizing tech and empowering employees to create their own solutions, Checkr could unlock new levels of innovation, efficiency, and engagement. It’s a story worth watching, and one that could inspire other companies to rethink their approach to technology and talent development. Will everyone become a coder? Probably not. But giving everyone the *opportunity* to learn and experiment is a smart move in an increasingly digital world. Ultimately, it’s about fostering a culture of curiosity and continuous learning. And that’s something that benefits everyone.