peopletechguide.com

Tag: workday learning

  • If I Had to Start Over in Workday

    Workday Feels Huge. It Doesn’t Have to Be.

    Open any Workday job description and you might see a long list of buzzwords: HCM, Recruiting, Time, Absence, Security, Integrations, Reporting, Prism, Financials, and more.​
    For someone starting out, it can feel like you’re already behind before you even begin.

    The reality is that most successful Workday professionals did not master everything. They picked a starting point, built depth in one area, and grew from there. If you had to start over in Workday today, you would not try to learn the entire product. You would design a path that gives you confidence, portfolio-worthy work, and a clear story for interviews.

    Get Your Fundamentals in Order

    Before specialising, you need a simple mental model of how Workday works. That means understanding:

    • What Workday is used for: HR, Finance, recruiting, payroll, analytics.
    • The core building blocks: workers, positions, jobs, organisations, business processes, security, and reports.
    • How business users (HR, managers, employees) actually use the system day to day.​

    Rather than memorising screens, focus on answering questions like:

    • How does a hire move through Workday from request to onboarding?
    • How does a job change or promotion get approved?
    • How does a report pull data from Workday objects?

    This foundation turns Workday from a black box into a system you can reason about.

    Pick One Core Area as Your “Home Base”

    Trying to learn every module at once is the fastest way to feel stuck. A better move is to pick one primary area that will be your home base for the next few months:

    • Core HCM / HR if you like structure, people data, and org design.
    • Recruiting if you’re drawn to talent pipelines and hiring flows.
    • Reporting & Analytics if you enjoy data, metrics, and dashboards.
    • Integrations if you have a technical or API-oriented background.
    • Finance if you’re comfortable with accounting and cost structures.​

    This doesn’t mean you will do only that forever. It just means you will go deep enough in one direction to stop feeling like a beginner.

    A good test: if someone says “We need help with Workday reporting” (or recruiting, or HCM), your goal is to be the person who says, “I know where to start.”

    Learn the Core Flows, Not Every Feature

    Within your chosen focus, there are a few essential flows that matter more than anything else. These are the flows you should understand end to end.

    For example:

    • In HCM: hire, job change, transfer, termination.
    • In Recruiting: create requisition, post, screen, interview, offer, hire.
    • In Reporting: clarify the business question, choose the right data source, build the report, validate the output.​

    Instead of chasing every corner of the configuration, ask:

    • What steps do HR, managers, and employees see for this process?
    • Which parts are controlled by business processes and security?
    • Which reports or dashboards use data from this flow?

    If you can explain a process clearly in normal language, you’re already ahead of many people who only know where to click.

    Get Your Hands Dirty With Realistic Scenarios

    Workday knowledge becomes real when you apply it. You don’t need to start with complex integrations or multi-country rollouts. Start small and practical.

    If you have tenant access (sandbox, training, demo):

    • Configure a simple hire business process with approvals and notifications.
    • Build a basic custom report for headcount or movement by supervisory organisation.
    • Experiment with security by comparing what different roles can see.​

    If you don’t have tenant access yet:

    • Draw out the hire or recruiting process you’d design in Workday and annotate the steps.
    • Sketch a dashboard and list the fields and filters it would need.
    • Write a short design note explaining how you’d fix a common Workday problem (for example, messy approvals or confusing reports).

    The goal is to move from “I watched a course” to “Here’s how I would solve this type of problem.”

    Build a Simple Workday Portfolio

    Most candidates only show certificates and a CV. You can stand out by showing how you think.

    Your Workday portfolio might include:

    • One or two process maps (for example, a clean hire-to-retire or recruit-to-hire flow).
    • A sample reporting design (e.g., a headcount dashboard with questions it answers).
    • A short case study: “How I’d fix X in Workday” (like improving a broken offer process).
    • A couple of educational posts or articles explaining Workday concepts for beginners.

    This doesn’t have to be fancy. A simple Notion page, PDF, or one-page site is enough. What matters is that you demonstrate that you understand both the system and the business context around it.

    Learn Enough HR and Finance to Be Dangerous (In a Good Way)

    Workday is not just a technical platform; it’s a business platform. The more you understand HR and Finance language, the more valuable your Workday skills become.

    For HR, learn basics like:

    • Headcount, turnover, and internal movement.
    • Time to fill, source of hire, and pipeline conversion.
    • Performance, compensation cycles, and talent management.​

    For Finance, understand:

    • How companies, cost centres, and ledgers are structured.
    • The difference between budgets and actuals.
    • What Finance leaders want to see in reports and dashboards.​

    You don’t need to become an HRBP or CFO, but knowing their world helps you build Workday solutions they will actually care about.

    Share Your Learning and Attract Opportunities

    One of the most underrated ways to grow in Workday is to share what you are learning in public. That could look like:

    • Short LinkedIn posts explaining Workday features in plain language.
    • Mini-threads breaking down a process or report type.
    • Reflections on what you’ve learned from a project, course, or mock design.

    Doing this consistently accomplishes two things:

    • It forces you to clarify your own understanding.
    • It makes it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find you when they search for Workday expertise.

    You don’t need to be a “Workday influencer” to benefit from this. You just need to show up regularly with useful insights.

    Turn Interviews Into Problem-Solving Conversations

    When you start talking to employers, treat interviews as conversations about problems rather than quizzes about screens.

    Expect questions like:

    • How would you design a simple hire process for a new Workday customer?
    • How would you build a headcount report for HR leadership?
    • How would you help HR clean up messy data or approvals?

    Use your portfolio and practice scenarios to answer:

    • Here’s how I’d approach it.
    • Here’s the flow or report I’d design.
    • Here’s how I’d work with HR or Finance to get it right.

    This shows that you’re not just clicking buttons—you’re thinking like someone who owns the system.

    If You Had to Start Over in Workday Today

    If you were starting over right now, a practical path could look like this:

    • First 1–2 months: understand Workday fundamentals and choose a core focus.
    • Next 2–4 months: go deep on that focus area, learn the key flows, practise with realistic scenarios.
    • In parallel: build a small portfolio and share parts of your learning in public.
    • After that: expand into adjacent areas and continue turning learning into visible work.

    Workday will always be a large platform, but your path into it does not have to be complicated. With a focused plan and consistent practice, you can move from “where do I even start?” to “here’s exactly how I can help” much faster than you think.

  • How to Start a Career in Workday

    Why Workday Can Feel Overwhelming at the Start

    Workday sits at the centre of HR and Finance for many large organisations. It powers core HR, recruiting, payroll, talent, and financial processes, which is why roles like Workday analyst, Workday consultant, and Workday admin are in such high demand.​

    From the outside, though, Workday can look like an ocean. There are multiple modules, countless configuration options, and a lot of jargon. Many people start by jumping between random courses and YouTube videos, learning a little bit about everything and not enough about anything in particular.​

    The truth is you don’t need to know “all of Workday” to become valuable. You need a clear foundation, a focused area of depth, and evidence that you understand how Workday supports real HR and Finance work.

    Start With the Fundamentals, Not the Screens

    The first step is to build a solid understanding of what Workday actually does and how it is structured. Before worrying about specific configuration pages, focus on big-picture questions:

    • What problems does Workday solve for HR and Finance?
    • How does it represent people, jobs, organisations, and processes?
    • How do business users interact with the system day to day?

    At this stage, it is helpful to think in terms of concepts rather than features:

    • Workers, positions, jobs, and organisations as the core “objects”.
    • Business processes as the flows that move transactions from request to approval.
    • Security and roles as the guardrails around who can see and do what.
    • Reports and dashboards as the windows into data.​

    A clear mental model makes everything else easier to place. When you later learn a specific configuration step, you will know why it matters.

    Choose One Core Area to Focus On

    Workday is broad, so trying to master everything at once leads to shallow knowledge. A better approach is to pick one core area as your primary focus for the first several months.

    Common choices include:

    • Core HCM / HR: organisations, positions, workers, job changes, and basic HR processes.
    • Recruiting: job requisitions, candidates, pipelines, offers, and hiring.
    • Reporting & Analytics: custom reports, dashboards, metrics, and data for HR and Finance.
    • Integrations: moving data between Workday and other systems using APIs and tools.
    • Finance: company structures, ledgers, cost centres, and financial processes.​

    Your background can guide this choice. For example, if you have HR experience, HCM or Recruiting might feel natural. If you enjoy data, reporting is a strong fit. If you have a technical or integration background, you might focus on integrations first.

    Once you choose a focus area, let it drive your learning so you can go deeper than the average generalist.

    Understand the Core Flows in Your Area

    Every part of Workday has a few essential flows that everything else is built around. Understanding these “core loops” is more important than memorising every configuration option.

    For example:

    • In Core HR: the journey from hiring someone, moving them between roles or locations, and eventually ending employment.
    • In Recruiting: moving from opening a requisition, attracting candidates, evaluating them, making offers, and hiring.
    • In Reporting: turning a business question into a report that pulls from the right data sources with clear filters and fields.​

    Spend time studying and sketching out these flows. Ask:

    • What steps does Workday show to the user?
    • Which parts are controlled by business processes?
    • Where does data come from and where does it go?

    Being able to explain these flows clearly is what helps you speak confidently with HR and Finance stakeholders, not just other system specialists.

    Move From Theory to Practice

    Reading and watching can only take you so far. At some point, you need to work through real or realistic scenarios.

    If you have access to a training or demo tenant, use it to:

    • Configure simple business processes and see how they behave.
    • Build basic custom reports using key fields and filters.
    • Experiment with security roles and see how they change what users can see.​

    If you don’t yet have direct system access, you can still practise by designing on paper or in diagrams:

    • Sketch the steps of a hire process and note which approvals and validations are needed.
    • Draft a design for a headcount dashboard and list the fields and filters it would need.
    • Map out how data should flow between Workday and another system in a given scenario.

    The goal is to train yourself to think like someone who owns Workday processes, even before you are formally in that role.

    Build a Simple Portfolio That Shows How You Think

    Most candidates present only a CV and a list of courses. You can differentiate yourself by creating a small portfolio of Workday-related work.

    This doesn’t require access to production systems. It can include:

    • Short case studies describing how you would improve a process using Workday (for example, fixing a confusing hire flow or cleaning up reporting).
    • Process diagrams that show how key HR or recruiting scenarios should work in Workday.
    • Sample reporting designs with explanations of what questions they answer.
    • Articles or posts that explain Workday concepts in simple language.

    Collect these into a single document or page that you can share with recruiters and hiring managers. The purpose is to show your reasoning, not to reveal any confidential configuration details. It helps employers see that you understand both the tool and the business context.

    Learn the Basics of HR and Finance Alongside Workday

    Workday is built for HR and Finance teams, so learning some functional basics in parallel will make you much more effective.

    On the HR side, it helps to understand:

    • Headcount, turnover, and movement metrics.
    • Recruiting funnel concepts like time to fill, source of hire, and pipeline stages.
    • Performance, compensation cycles, and talent management.​

    On the Finance side, it is useful to know:

    • Cost centres, companies, and basic financial structures.
    • Budget versus actuals and how labour cost fits into that picture.
    • The kinds of reports Finance teams rely on for decision-making.​

    The more you understand how HR and Finance think, the easier it becomes to design Workday solutions they will actually use.

    Share Your Learning Journey Publicly

    A practical way to accelerate your growth and visibility is to share what you are learning. This could be via LinkedIn posts, short articles, or simple write-ups.

    You might:

    • Explain a Workday concept in plain language each week.
    • Share lessons from a course or a mock project.
    • Break down a common problem and outline how Workday can help solve it.

    You don’t need to claim expert status; you simply need to be consistent and honest. Over time, your name becomes associated with Workday topics, which helps when you start applying for roles.

    Approach Interviews as Conversations About Problems

    When you reach the interview stage, employers are usually trying to understand three things:

    • Whether you understand Workday at a conceptual level.
    • Whether you can think through real scenarios logically.
    • Whether you have shown initiative beyond passive learning.

    Prepare by:

    • Practising how you would talk through designing or troubleshooting specific situations.
    • Using your portfolio pieces as anchors for your stories.
    • Being transparent about where you are strong and where you’re still growing.

    Hiring managers often prefer someone with clear thinking and focus over someone who claims to “know everything” but cannot explain it simply.

    A Simple Roadmap to Follow

    If you had to start your Workday journey today, a realistic plan could look like this:

    • First couple of months: learn the fundamentals and pick a core focus area.
    • Next few months: go deeper on that area, understand its key flows, and practise with scenarios.
    • Along the way: build a small portfolio and share some of your learning in public.
    • After that: expand into neighbouring areas and continue turning learning into visible work.

    This approach turns Workday from a vague, overwhelming topic into a structured, achievable path. With steady effort, you can move from being a beginner to someone who contributes real value to Workday projects and teams.

  • Turn Workday Learning Into a Product

    Turn Workday Learning Into a Product

    Most tenants treat Workday Learning like a file cabinet for SCORM files and compliance videos. The result is predictable: low completion, annoyed learners, and business leaders who do not see value. The mindset shift is to treat Workday Learning like a product: structured, branded, targeted and measured. The core building blocks are Courses, Programs and Learning Campaigns, supported by good Topics, Audiences and reporting.​

    This guide walks through how to structure Workday Learning so people actually use it.

    Start with a product mindset for learning

    Before creating any content, answer a few product-style questions:

    • Who is the audience for this learning: new hires, frontline managers, HR, finance, individual contributors?
    • What problem does this learning solve in their day-to-day work?
    • What is the smallest set of content that gets them from “stuck” to “confident”?
    • How will you measure success – completion, reduced tickets, improved process adoption, certification rates?​

    Workday Learning can deliver Required Learning, skill development, or “in the flow of work” guidance, but only if content is designed around real workflows and not just course titles.​

    Structure Courses that feel focused, not bloated

    In Workday Learning, Courses are structured learning experiences that bring together Lessons (videos, documents, quizzes, etc.).​​

    Design principles for Courses:

    • Keep each course focused on a single outcome, such as “Approve Time in Workday”, “Create Job Requisition”, or “Run Headcount Report”.​
    • Use digital courses for self-paced content and blended courses when you need instructor-led sessions with Offerings.​​
    • Combine 3–7 short lessons rather than one long video; people prefer snackable units they can complete between tasks.​

    In configuration:

    • Use Topics (e.g., “Workday for Managers”, “HR Processes”, “Compliance”) so courses are easy to discover.​
    • Make key lessons mandatory within the course where completion really matters (for example, policy content or core process steps).​
    • Add simple assessments or knowledge checks where you truly need proof of understanding, not just for the sake of a quiz.​

    Think of Courses as “features”: each one should solve a clear learner problem in 10–30 minutes.

    Use Programs as learning journeys, not dumping grounds

    Learning Programs in Workday bundle multiple Courses and other learning items into a sequence or pathway.​​

    Good use cases for Programs:

    • Onboarding paths: a sequence for new hires (e.g., “Welcome to Company”, “Workday Basics”, “Security & Compliance”).
    • Role-based academies: “New Manager Program”, “HR Partner Program”, “Workday Champion Program”.
    • Certification journeys: modules that lead up to an internal certification or badge.​

    Design tips:

    • Limit each Program to a realistic volume of content – for example, 2–6 hours spread across several weeks instead of a huge one-time demand.
    • Use prerequisites and optional items to differentiate between “must-do” and “nice-to-have” learning.​
    • Consider scheduling Dates or time windows (e.g., modules by week) for leadership or cohort-based programs to create momentum.

    Programs are your “learning journeys”. If you build them as curated sequences with clear outcomes and timelines, they feel like real products, not playlists of random courses.

    Learning Campaigns: your marketing engine inside Workday

    Even good content fails without promotion. Learning Campaigns are how you market learning inside Workday – pushing specific content to targeted Audiences with notifications and dashboard placements.​

    What Learning Campaigns can do:

    • Promote content on learners’ Learning app home page (for example, in Required for You or Announcements areas).​
    • Send notifications about new or required learning, with one-time or recurring schedules.
    • Target specific Audiences based on attributes like Company, Location, Role, or even dynamic criteria (for example, new hires in the last 30 days).​

    Patterns that work:

    • Required learning campaigns for compliance or critical change training. Pair a Required campaign with a “required” Audience so items appear in the “Required for You” worklet.​
    • Adoption campaigns around key Workday releases, new processes or seasonal events (e.g., performance review season, open enrollment).​
    • Onboarding campaigns that run on a daily or weekly recurrence and automatically pick up new hires based on a dynamic Audience.​

    Treat campaigns as ongoing “product marketing” for learning: each campaign should have a clear message, target audience and timeline.