Workday Implementation Best Practices

It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense – or cents – for a company to sign off on a transformative system if it doesn’t even come close to getting everything it can from it. In other words, your Workday investment is one thing, deployment is quite the other. For the latter, you’re going to need professional, experienced help. After all, why would you want your system repeatedly idled due to unavoidable delays? It doesn’t have to be that way.

Because you want to get deployment right the first time, here’s what you need to know about Workday implementation best practices.

 Why Do I Need a Workday Partner?

Because of their in-depth Workday knowledge, Workday partners help organizations maximize their software investment and figure out what’s best for the companies’ goals. While Workday does have a user-friendly interface, don’t let the smooth taste fool you: it’s a complex platform that requires help getting – and remaining – all the way off the ground.

What Do Workday Partners Do?

They’re basically a community of global systems integrators that help organizations implement Workday and continually adopt novel capabilities. After all, these are partners that know Workday inside and out. You need them on board.

What are Common Workday Implementation Issues

While it’s one of the most formidable solutions out there, deployment can take some doing, and that‘s why you do need help with Workday implementation.

What you don’t want are avoidable delays that can subtract from your ROI, which is why planning is crucial. Here are some of the most common issues with Workday implementation:

  • Poorly defined project scope. Deployment delays can ensue if projects surrounding implementation are vaguely defined, which usually results in nonproductive confusion. Factors that can impact project scope do include software updates, so plan for those. Delays also come about when the roadmap isn’t clear or didn’t involve all stakeholders. In addition, factors can include possible organizational changes since there may be changes in reporting structure or job function.
  • Communication problems. There are usually a myriad of teams involved in deployments, which can result in communications issues. For example, some companies forget to pull in mid-level managers.
  • Lack of collaboration. Companies sometimes neglect to work with consultants such as Mercer, and service partners, which can lead to avoidable and expensive delays. The same consequence is possible if companies don’t involve other functional groups that will utilize the app, such as supply chain. Finally, not involving stakeholders at various implementation stages can also lead to a drawn-out launch.
  • Mishandling updates. Installing new software necessitates processes updates. However, confusion could occur if you don’t modify your business practices to align with your company’s requirements. You also could experience delays if you don’t develop new processes to handle your new Workday workflow. What’s more, you’ll tick off the project team later if you fail to list third-party apps with which Workday must be implemented. That could pose delays as well.
  • Getting the right partner. When getting help with implementation, include the consultant from the start – don’t wait until the execution stage. Delays can result if the firm isn’t involved during planning. Also, if your domain is new for Workday Implementation, note that service partners usually aren’t chosen according to their expertise.

Now you know that Workday implementation best practices basically involve planning, to avoid unnecessary delays that eat into your ROI, and, well, enlisting good help. We recommend Mercer for its deep Workday knowledge, strategic thinking, technical expertise, digital innovation, and understanding of business and human resources. The firm also provides post-production support, to make certain you’re all set.

Leave a Reply