Thanks to constant advances in technology, today’s healthcare organizations are under immense pressure to adapt. According to a 2022 Workday report, 52% of senior business leaders say there is a “growing gap” between where their business is versus where it should be to compete—and this problem is all the more complex in healthcare. From concerns about data security and privacy to difficulty with maintaining and integrating legacy systems, the need for effective digital transformation is at the forefront for many healthcare leaders—which is why so many healthcare organizations are turning to Workday for their human capital management (HCM) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) needs.
While Workday can help healthcare organizations boost operational efficiency, improve decision-making, and reduce costs, migrating to Workday is no easy feat. Workday implementations require a substantial investment of time, money, and human capital resources to be successful, which is why understanding the scope of the project you’re undertaking—and choosing the right partners to facilitate the process—can be a make-or-break part of your Workday journey.
If you’re preparing to embark on a Workday implementation journey, here’s why you need a Workday Staffing Partner from the onset of your project—and how to choose the right partner for your organization.
The Hidden Risks of Workday Implementations in Healthcare
Workday implementations are massive undertakings, but the true costs extend well beyond the software licensing and consulting fees. The human capital investment required is substantial, and—if you don’t plan for this properly—organizations risk incurring a range of hidden expenses, project delays, and setbacks.
The problem? Most healthcare organizations don’t fully understand their role in making their Workday implementation successful. Many assume that the System Integrator—a Workday Professional Services or Workday Certified Implementation Firm responsible for providing program leadership and strategy, as well as the technical expertise required to configure and implement Workday—will manage the entirety of the project.
However, healthcare organizations need to dedicate significant internal resources to their Workday projects. Healthcare IT teams, for example, play a major role in contributing to the success of your Workday implementation—but they also need to maintain legacy system support. Without adequate backup, this forces healthcare IT teams to play a dual role where they need to juggle their existing responsibilities with the Workday project demands—which can lead to resource constraints, project delays, and an increased risk of errors or system failures in day-to-day operations.
By working with your System Integrator and partnering with a Workday Staffing Partner from the onset, healthcare organizations can build a comprehensive Workday resource and staffing plan to address the common areas where organizations typically need outside support, including legacy system management, functional and operational support, project management, integrations and data management, change management and training, and post-implementation and optimization support. Not only does developing this plan help mitigate any hidden risks, but it will also ensure a more successful, cost-effective implementation as your project commences.
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5 Benefits of Working With a Workday Staffing Partner
Workday Staffing Partners play a critical role in the success of Workday implementation projects. These are select staffing firms, like Healthcare IT Leaders, who Workday recognizes as trusted partners to bring the expertise required to make your Workday project a success, and clients use them to fill technical, functional, project management, testing, and training roles throughout the implementation process and beyond.
A few key advantages to working with a Workday Staffing Partner include:
- Specialized expertise where you need it. Workday implementations require a diverse range of skills—from technical configuration and functional process design to change management and beyond—and Workday Staffing Partners maintain a deep bench of Workday consulting experts who can integrate with your existing teams to fill any gaps. Not only does this help ease the strain on existing resources, but it also allows healthcare organizations to access a larger specialized talent pool when and where they need it most.
- Increased speed and efficiency. Workday implementations can be lengthy and—managed incorrectly—rife with project delays, timeline disruptions, and other setbacks. Collaborating with a Workday Staffing Partner from the beginning can help you avoid these pitfalls by accurately allocating internal resources and by deploying additional resources to help keep your Workday project on track and on time.
- Seamless transitions. Maintaining critical business operations is paramount, and a Workday Staffing Partner can provide the experienced resources necessary to maintain legacy systems—as well as provide functional and operational support in areas like finance, human resources, and supply chain management—so internal teams can focus on the Workday project without compromising stability.
- Cost-effective solutions. As we mentioned before, failing to plan for the human capital demands of a Workday implementation can lead healthcare organizations to risk project delays, budget overruns, and other unexpected costs down the line. A Workday Staffing Partner can help mitigate these risks by helping you build a comprehensive resource plan, backfilling internal roles, and providing additional expert support without needing to invest in additional hiring.
- Ongoing support and optimization. Implementation is just the beginning of your Workday journey. Unfortunately, many organizations lack adequate resources and expertise to fully leverage their new Workday systems after go-live. Workday Staffing Partners can help healthcare organizations fill gaps in their existing teams on a short-term or long-term basis, and they can also provide specialized Workday consulting expertise for complex configuration changes or system optimizations where internal teams might be struggling to keep up.
How to Find the Right Staffing Partner to Support Your Workday Journey
Finding the right partner to support your Workday implementation project is crucial. Not only can they provide immediate value—providing valuable resources to meet critical business needs that exist now—but they also play a role in the long-term success of your Workday project.
With that in mind, here are a few tips on how to find the best staffing partner for your organization:
- Look for a Certified Workday Staffing Partner. Workday has cultivated a network of approved Services and Staffing Partners, which makes it easier to find the expert-level, flexible support you need.
- Prioritize full lifecycle Workday support. Instead of juggling multiple partners, the ideal staffing partner should be able to support you with expertise across all phases of your Workday journey, including system selection, project management, staff augmentation, RICEF support, legacy support, help desk, activation and training, and solution optimization.
- Don’t forget industry and specialty experience. The right staffing partner should have a demonstrated track record of Workday consulting success, as well as industry-specific experience. We recommend looking for case studies demonstrating their results, so you can be sure they understand the complexities of implementing Workday in healthcare.
The most important thing to remember is to start early. While you can always reach out later in your project, it’s best to collaborate with a Workday Staffing Partner from the beginning. Not only can the right partner help provide certified Workday resources to make your implementation journey a success, but they can also help you create a comprehensive resource plan—allowing you to plan, allocate resources, and leverage external support effectively—so your Workday transformation runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible from project initiation through go-live and beyond.