Implementing Workday, a comprehensive suite of applications, can be a daunting task, especially without expert guidance in change management. This is where Workday Partners become invaluable.
These certified companies specialize in providing support for adopting Workday and other enterprise Human Capital Management (HCM) systems. They bring in-depth knowledge of the Workday platform and its modules, assisting users in achieving their goals, overcoming challenges, and guiding IT teams through the complexities of high-stakes HCM implementation projects.
Whether you are a new Workday customer or aiming to optimize your existing system, partnering with the right Workday partner is crucial for a smooth and successful journey.
Discover the Leading Workday Implementation Partners for Enterprises in 2024
Here’s a curated list of top Workday implementation partners to consider in 2024:
- Whatfix
- Accenture
- Deloitte
- CloudRock Partners
- IBM Workday Consulting Services
- Hexaware
- OneSource Virtual
- Alight Solutions
- IJA Strategies
- Invisors
Understanding Workday: A Comprehensive Overview
Workday is a cloud-based enterprise management system designed to streamline and integrate core business operations. It encompasses financial management, human capital management (HCM), supply chain management (SCM), and advanced analytics, all within a unified platform.
Alt Text: Workday unified platform interface displaying modules for financial management, HCM, and analytics.
Key Benefits of Workday for Your Organization
Workday Enterprise Management Cloud offers a wide array of features and capabilities designed to optimize business processes:
- Financial Management: Gain real-time visibility into your company’s financials with tools for general ledger, accounts payable/receivable, financial reporting, budgeting, and expense management.
- Human Capital Management (HCM): Manage the entire employee lifecycle, from data management and payroll to talent acquisition and performance management, all within a centralized HCM module.
- Supply Chain Management (SCM): Efficiently manage inventory, procurement, demand planning, and other critical supply chain operations to enhance agility and responsiveness.
- Analytics and Reporting: Leverage robust reporting and dashboard tools across finance, HR, and supply chain metrics. Create custom reports and visualizations for data-driven decision-making and strategic insights.
By implementing an enterprise HCM system like Workday, organizations can achieve significant HR digital transformation, streamlining critical operations and managing them through a single, integrated interface.
Navigating the Workday Implementation Process
Implementing Workday is a complex undertaking, similar to any large-scale software implementation project. The process typically involves these six key phases:
1. Project Planning: Laying the Foundation
The extensive capabilities of Workday require meticulous planning. Avoid trying to implement everything at once. A phased approach is crucial for managing complexity and ensuring a smooth transition.
Effective project planning involves breaking down the implementation into manageable stages. Set realistic timelines and expectations for each phase of your organization’s Workday journey to ensure a successful rollout.
2. Architecture: Designing the System Framework
This phase focuses on designing the structural blueprint of your Workday system. Begin by thoroughly analyzing your organization’s existing processes, data structures, and integration requirements. Based on this analysis, develop new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that will be effectively supported and enhanced by Workday.
3. Configuration: Tailoring Workday to Your Needs
During configuration, customize Workday to align precisely with your unique business processes. This includes fine-tuning modules, designing user-friendly workflows, and establishing seamless integrations with other systems. The goal is to create a Workday environment that perfectly fits your operational needs.
4. Testing: Ensuring Functionality and Performance
Rigorous testing is essential to validate the functionality of your configured Workday system. This phase includes multiple stages:
- Unit Testing: Testing individual components or modules.
- End-to-End Testing: Verifying the complete workflow across different modules.
- Parallel Testing: Running the new Workday system alongside your existing systems to ensure data accuracy and process consistency.
5. Deployment: Rolling Out Workday to Your Organization
Deployment involves the actual rollout of Workday across your organization. Key activities include:
- Data migration from legacy systems to Workday.
- Finalizing system setup and configurations.
- Delivering comprehensive user training to ensure smooth adoption.
This phase marks the integration of Workday into your day-to-day operations, making it a live and active part of your business.
6. Continuous Adoption: Ongoing Optimization and Support
Workday implementation is not a one-time event but a continuous journey of improvement and refinement. Focus on:
- Monitoring system usage patterns to identify areas for optimization.
- Gathering user feedback to understand pain points and improvement opportunities.
- Providing ongoing technology training to ensure all teams can effectively utilize new workflows and maximize the value derived from Workday.
Workday Implementation Timeline: How Long Does It Take?
The duration of Workday implementation can vary significantly based on project scope, complexity, and organizational readiness. It typically ranges from several months to over a year.
Adopting a phased implementation approach allows organizations to deploy critical functionalities within the initial months, enabling them to realize early benefits and demonstrate quick wins.
Workday Implementation Costs: Understanding the Investment
Implementing Workday represents a significant financial investment. However, the long-term value and strategic advantages the platform provides often justify the upfront costs.
On average, the cost of implementing a new HCM system can range from $500 to $10,000 for most companies, and for large enterprises, it can reach upwards of $100,000. These costs encompass software licensing, implementation services, data migration, training, and ongoing support.
What Defines a Workday Partner?
Given the complexity of Workday implementation, most companies require external expertise. Workday partners are carefully selected and certified companies authorized by Workday to manage and support the entire implementation process.
These partners bring specialized knowledge, proven methodologies, and dedicated resources to ensure successful Workday deployments, minimizing disruption and maximizing the platform’s benefits for their clients.
Types of Workday Partnership
Workday offers a structured partner ecosystem, categorized into four main types, each designed to provide specific expertise and support:
- Advisory Partners: These partners focus on strategic guidance, helping clients define optimal solutions, navigate digital transformation, and make informed decisions throughout their Workday journey, from initial strategy to change management.
- Global Payroll Partners: For organizations with international payroll needs, these partners facilitate seamless integration with third-party payroll providers across the globe. Workday collaborates with Global Payroll Partners to offer certified, pre-built integrations in over 100 countries.
- Services Partners: This category includes global systems integrators (GSIs) and regional firms that specialize in Workday deployment and ongoing adoption support. These partners undergo rigorous Workday training and possess the expertise to assist organizations at every stage of implementation and beyond.
- Software Partners: These partners develop complementary solutions that extend Workday’s functionality. They provide applications, extensions, and add-ons that integrate seamlessly with Workday’s core offerings, enabling businesses to tailor the platform to highly specific needs.
Top 10 Workday Implementation Partners in Detail for 2024
This section provides a detailed overview of the top Workday-certified partners and innovative tools that can significantly enhance your Workday adoption process.
1. Whatfix
Whatfix is a Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) that empowers companies to create in-app guidance and self-help support directly within the Workday interface using a no-code editor.
Whatfix in-app guidance example within Workday
Alt Text: Interactive walkthrough created with Whatfix guiding users through a Workday process within the application.
While not a traditional implementation partner, Whatfix adds tremendous value by streamlining Workday training and providing on-demand self-help resources. This accelerates user adoption and maximizes ROI from your Workday investment.
With Whatfix, you can build interactive walkthroughs, tooltips, and pop-ups that guide users step-by-step through Workday processes. This hands-on learning approach significantly reduces the learning curve and enhances user productivity.
Whatfix also integrates with your existing knowledge repositories and third-party documentation, creating a comprehensive self-help wiki accessible directly within Workday. By consolidating process documentation, intranet resources, LMS content, and IT support portals, Whatfix ensures employees can easily find answers and effectively adopt Workday.
The platform’s analytics capabilities provide valuable insights into user behavior, helping organizations refine their Workday implementation, tailor training programs, identify user friction points, and optimize support for underutilized features.
Alt Text: Whatfix Digital Adoption Platform logo, representing in-app guidance and user support.
Explore Whatfix DAP →
2. Accenture
Accenture is a globally recognized consulting and professional services firm and a leading Workday partner. They were recognized with three Partner Innovation Awards by Workday in 2023, underscoring their expertise and innovation in the Workday ecosystem.
Accenture offers end-to-end support throughout your Workday journey, from initial strategy and planning to implementation, configuration, testing, and deployment. They collaborate closely with clients to align Workday functionalities with specific business objectives, ensuring a solution that truly meets organizational needs.
Beyond implementation, Accenture provides comprehensive change management services to help organizations navigate the organizational and cultural shifts associated with adopting a new system like Workday. Their focus on human capital management expertise ensures smooth transitions and high user adoption rates.
Accenture also prioritizes attracting and retaining top HCM-certified consultants, building a deep talent pool dedicated to providing world-class Workday services.
3. Deloitte
Deloitte is a prominent professional services network offering a broad spectrum of services, including consulting, audit, financial advisory, and tax services. They provide specialized transformation services to assist IT, finance, HR, and analytics teams in successfully implementing Workday solutions within their organizations.
Deloitte is recognized as a Workday Initial Industry Accelerator partner, alongside Accenture, PwC, and KPMG. This program, launched by Workday in 2022, aims to accelerate enterprise cloud transformations for companies in industries like banking, healthcare, insurance, and technology. Deloitte leverages its deep industry knowledge, proven solutions, and strong network of software providers to ensure seamless integration with Workday Enterprise Management Cloud.
Deloitte and Workday partnership logo
Alt Text: Deloitte and Workday alliance partnership logo, signifying collaboration for cloud transformation solutions.
4. CloudRock Partners
CloudRock Partners is a certified Workday implementation partner specializing in helping organizations maximize their Workday investment. As both a Workday Advisory and AMS Services Partner, CloudRock offers comprehensive pre- and post-implementation support and optimization services.
Their services include AMS Support, strategic reviews, system health checks, and roadmap planning. With a global presence spanning the UK, Portugal, India, Australia, and the USA, CloudRock delivers both global reach and localized expertise, ensuring tailored support for diverse organizational needs.
5. IBM Workday Consulting Services
IBM, a trusted Workday implementation partner, combines its leadership in finance and HR transformation with its consulting expertise to guide organizations through their transformative journeys with Workday. IBM integrates design thinking, agile methodologies, and AI capabilities to foster organizational culture change and drive successful Workday adoption.
IBM offers end-to-end Workday-enabled HR and finance reinvention services that extend beyond mere technology implementation. They emphasize aligning organizational culture with employee and customer experiences, facilitating profound transformations that drive tangible business outcomes.
In addition to consulting, IBM leverages cognitive tools like IBM Watson to enhance the capabilities of the Workday platform, offering innovative solutions that leverage AI to improve Workday functionality and user experience.
IBM and Workday consulting services representation
Alt Text: Image representing IBM Workday Consulting Services, highlighting technology and partnership.
6. Hexaware
Hexaware is a leading provider of enterprise cloud solutions and a Workday Services Partner. They offer specialized application support and maintenance services to ensure the continuous, smooth operation of Workday systems.
With a global footprint and deep expertise across industries such as banking, financial services, retail, healthcare, and insurance, Hexaware has established itself as a leader in enterprise solution delivery and Workday support. Their services are designed to provide ongoing value and stability for Workday users.
Hexaware’s ongoing Workday support services start at $4400/month, offering a structured and cost-effective approach to maintaining your Workday environment.
7. OneSource Virtual
OneSource Virtual is an exclusive Workday partner focused on helping customers maximize the value and maintain optimal performance throughout the entire Workday lifecycle.
They offer a comprehensive suite of services, from initial deployment to ongoing support in areas such as North American and global payroll, financial management, and application management. Their services are designed to cover every aspect of the Workday experience, ensuring clients realize the full potential of their investment.
Beyond advisory services, OneSource Virtual also provides digital products that integrate seamlessly with your payroll setup, further streamlining and enhancing Workday’s capabilities in payroll management.
OneSource Virtual logo and Workday partnership
Alt Text: OneSource Virtual logo alongside Workday logo, indicating an exclusive partnership for virtual services.
8. Alight Solutions
Alight Solutions is an information technology and consulting company that assists organizations in successfully adopting and optimizing the Workday platform, among other services.
Alight’s Workday offerings include support for financial management, HCM, adaptive planning, payroll, and testing initiatives. Their broad service portfolio addresses diverse Workday needs, ensuring comprehensive support for their clients.
Workday recognized Alight with a 2023 Partner Innovation Award for their Benefits Application Interface, highlighting their innovative contributions to the Workday ecosystem.
Alight Solutions is collaborating with Workday to develop a solution aimed at providing a simplified and unified payroll experience for HR and payroll professionals globally. By integrating Alight Worklife and Workday HCM, they are creating a centralized platform to help clients manage the complexities of multinational workforces more effectively.
Alight Solutions and Workday collaboration
Alt Text: Alight Solutions and Workday partnership visual, emphasizing collaboration on HCM and payroll solutions.
9. IJA Strategies
IJA Strategies is an independent Workday consulting firm holding Workday PRO, Workday HCM, Workday Payroll, and Workday Compensation certifications. Their independence allows them to offer unique perspectives and tailored solutions.
IJA Strategies adopts a holistic approach to Workday implementations, considering process improvement, change management, and user adoption to ensure seamless integration into organizational operations. They provide personalized guidance and support throughout the implementation journey, helping clients optimize Workday usage and achieve long-term success.
IJA Strategies differentiates itself by claiming to offer the same high-quality services as larger certified partners but at a more affordable price point, making them an attractive option for organizations seeking cost-effective Workday expertise.
IJA Strategies team and Workday expertise
Alt Text: IJA Strategies team image, representing their independent Workday consulting expertise.
10. Invisors
Invisors is a boutique Workday consulting firm specializing in strategic consulting, system implementation, and ongoing optimization services for Workday users and organizations considering Workday.
Invisors employs a unique enablement approach throughout the deployment process, focusing on knowledge transfer to ensure organizations are well-prepared and equipped with the skills needed to effectively leverage their new Workday system. This approach empowers clients to become self-sufficient Workday users.
With expertise in HCM, finance, planning, and analytics, Invisors helps organizations harness the power of data and adopt new routines to achieve their business objectives through optimized Workday utilization.
Drive Workday Adoption with Innovative Tools
Implementing Workday successfully requires not only expert partners but also effective tools to drive user adoption and maximize platform utilization.
Engaging workday partners is crucial for streamlining the implementation process and realizing the full value of the platform. However, even with expert guidance, the process can be lengthy. Whatfix offers a suite of tools designed to accelerate Workday implementation and adoption, including in-app guidance, self-help user support, and product adoption analytics.
Whatfix’s capabilities significantly improve knowledge discovery and enhance employee proficiency with Workday features. By providing on-demand support and interactive training directly within the application, Whatfix ensures a smoother, faster, and more effective Workday adoption journey.
Take proactive steps to enhance your Workday adoption strategy. Explore how Whatfix’s comprehensive suite of tools can empower your workforce with in-app guidance, self-help support, and valuable product adoption analytics, ensuring a successful and impactful transition to Workday.
