The Top 3 Workday Optimization Tips to Boost Software ROI
Workday optimization is essential if you want to get the most out of the platform. Across its diverse features, there's plenty that Workday can do for an organization when users are properly instructed on the system.
The process begins with Workday launch, but launching a Workday production environment is only the beginning. Although Workday features some great tools, the platform does require some configuration to tailor processes to each company's needs.
Workday makes this easy for customers by pushing ongoing Workday releases (or versions) of its software every six months. Workday releases are labeled as R1 (for Workday Release 1) and R2 (for Workday Release 2). R1 is released in the year's first half, while R2 is released in the second half.
Each Workday release includes new functions based on past feedback and market trends, providing the perfect opportunity for users to consider the Workday tenant and what changes could improve operations.
These Workday optimization releases allow customers to monitor trends over time and see which gaps, if any, exist in their current implementation. From there, it takes just a little planning (and often, the skills of an ERPA certified Workday post-production support partner) to implement these improvements.
Getting A Return On Your Workday Optimization Investment
A recurrent theme in Workday optimization is that some level of post-production support will usually be needed to unlock the full value of the system. Although Workday's established business processes are a good start, they tend to focus more on helping companies get up and running quickly so they can begin to leverage Workday's great feature set.
However, it would be a mistake to assume that this Workday implementation process is your best final end state. Some level of post-production configuration and improvement will always be necessary to get the full value from the system.
This is why Workday releases version R1 and version R2 exist. Aside from giving users opportunities to implement new features-based on feedback and market trends, these releases often include bug fixes that address issues that may have been identified in previous versions of the platform. These bug fixes can improve the stability and reliability of the platform and ensure that users can carry out their work with efficiency.
The Best Workday Optimization Tips and Trends
Workday release version R1 and version R2 are designed to improve the overall user experience, enhance functionality, and provide users with more tools and features to manage their HR, financial, and payroll processes. Customers can take advantage of these new Workday releases when they upgrade their systems and train their employees on the new features and functions that support full Workday optimization.
These are the 3 best tips for improving Workday optimization functionality:
1. Workday Notifications
At ERPA, we've found that Workday notifications offer one of the best opportunities for quick wins with Workday optimization strategies. However, it's important to be deliberate with this strategy and avoid overuse of system notifications, particularly for administrative roles or frequent Workday users as this can lead to ignored notifications and “alert fatigue.” This has a negative impact on user satisfaction with the platform.
Instead, notifications can drive engagement with Workday, particularly in areas like manager and employee self-service. By strategically enabling notifications, organizations can improve employee satisfaction and encourage the use of Workday in a way that's more efficient, quicker, and better for collaboration across the board.
2. Workday Tenant Assessment
The lack of a robust data quality management strategy and poor data maintenance practices have a significant impact on many Workday implementations, particularly those with high-volume recruitment or large employee bases. Outdated processes have a negative effect on the usability of reporting results and lead to inconsistencies in data sets. While Workday generates valuable insights with ease, these insights are only as good as the accuracy and consistency of your data management practices.
It's best to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the Workday tenant, which can help you identify areas that need improvement. This includes processes that may need to be reworked to better serve their intended purpose. This assessment helps you identify other obstacles that may contribute to errors in the daily tasks of your end users.
This is an excellent starting point to identify Workday optimization opportunities and create a roadmap for platform improvement, especially for users who may be aware of issues but unsure of where to begin.
3. Workday Job Profile and Job Family
The Job Catalog is a core feature of Workday's Human Capital Management (HCM) system; it offers users a simple way to create and manage detailed job profiles across the enterprise. The system can extract job-related definitions, transform associated data, and send it to any endpoint of your choosing, giving you immense control and direction with your Job Profile. These processes can filter candidates for recruiting teams and promote internal career mobility within an existing workforce.
The Job Catalog is flexible and scalable, which allows organizations to customize it to meet their specific needs and to keep it up to date as their business and workforce needs change over time. This feature can be a quick win for companies that struggle with their HCM workflow.
Partner With ERPA To Maximize Your Workday Optimization Functionality
This opportunity for improvement—combined with the dedicated skills of a certified Workday post-production support partner like ERPA—gives businesses the exact tools they need to push the value of Workday as far as it can go.
If you are interested in learning more about the 3 best ways to improve your Workday optimization functionality and improve your software ROI, contact ERPA. Our team of Workday experts will work with you to uncover opportunities in your implementation.
