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Background
The client is a specialized acute-care rehabilitation hospital dedicated to helping individuals recover from physical and cognitive disabilities caused by injury or disease.
Its clinical teams provide comprehensive inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services for patients recovering from conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, and other serious health challenges.
As a healthcare organization with complex workforce, operational, and patient care needs, the client relied on Workday to support key business functions. However, after going live several years earlier, the organization had limited opportunity to fully optimize the system.
The Challenge
The client deployed Workday in early 2020. Shortly after, the COVID-19 outbreak forced a shift in priorities toward more urgent operational demands. While the system was live, the organization needed additional support to configure, stabilize, and improve the platform so it could better support its teams.
When the hospital began evaluating its existing Workday AMS support model, it needed more than traditional AMS coverage.
The organization sought a partner that could:
- Assess the current state of the system
- Identify practical opportunities for improvement
- Provide flexible support without requiring a large fixed-hour commitment
Our client knew they needed Workday support but did not know exactly how many hours would be required or where the greatest needs would emerge over time. They also needed continuity. In a complex Workday environment, rotating consultants can create delays because each new resource must learn how the system is configured before meaningful progress can begin.
When the client was exploring new options for a Workday AMS support partner, Workday recommended The Planet Group as one of their first-ever Workday Certified Partners. Ultimately, our client selected us for our Workday expertise, flexible service model, and ability to match the right consultant to each specific need.
The Solution
The Planet Group began the engagement with a Workday assessment to understand the organization’s current environment, business needs, and system pain points. The goal was to give our client a practical roadmap for improving how Workday was supporting teams across their organization.
The assessment identified approximately 60 Workday optimization opportunities across multiple areas, including:
- 16 items in Absence
- 19 items in Benefits
- 6 items in Payroll
- 6 items in Financials
- 1 item in Adaptive Planning
From there, The Planet Group shared recommendations with the organization, who then determined which items their internal team would handle and which items would be assigned to The Planet Group.
The initial work focused heavily on:
- Time Tracking
- Absence Management
- Benefits
Over time, the engagement expanded into additional areas of Workday, including:
- Payroll
- Financials
- Banking reconciliation
- Adaptive Planning
- Integrations
- Enhancements
- Incident support
A More Flexible Workday AMS Support Model
The Planet Group’s flexible support model was a key differentiator for our client. Instead of requiring them client to purchase a set number of hours upfront, The Planet Group provided a more adaptable approach aligned to the work being performed.
This was especially valuable for a client that knew they needed help but could not predict exactly how much support they required. Rather than overcommitting to unused hours, the client could access specialized Workday expertise as needs became clear.
The Planet Group also offered a more targeted consultant experience. If the client needed Absence support, we provided an Absence consultant. If the work involved Workday Integrations, Financials, or Adaptive Planning, the team brought in specialists with the right background for that area.
This helped reduce repeated onboarding, preserve system knowledge, and keep work moving efficiently.
Collaborative Delivery
The Planet Group worked closely with the client’s leadership, HRIS team, and functional users to understand the business need behind each request. A dedicated engagement lead helped identify the right consultant, connect the right teams, and keep the work aligned to the client’s goals.
Once assigned, consultants worked directly with the client’s internal teams to understand requirements, deliver the needed configuration or support, demo completed work, and guide testing. Depending on the size and urgency of the project, communication included regular status updates, weekly meetings, and more frequent touchpoints for critical work.
This approach gave the client access to specialized Workday expertise while keeping its internal teams engaged throughout the process.
Business Impact
We helped our client move from Workday frustration to Workday stability.
Through the assessment and optimization work, the organization gained a clearer understanding of where the system needed improvement and how to prioritize those changes. The Planet Group then helped address high-priority items across multiple Workday areas, improving the system’s ability to support the organization’s workflows.
As progress was made on the Workday optimization, the client’s need for heavy support decreased. That reduction was a positive outcome. It showed that the system was becoming more stable, better configured, and easier for the internal team to manage.
Today, The Planet Group continues to support the organization through enhancements, incidents, integrations, and roadmap-based Workday projects. For example, when the client changes a benefits provider, related Workday integrations may need to be rebuilt or adjusted. The Planet Group can immediately step in with the right expertise to support those changes and keep the system aligned with the organization’s needs.
Long-Term Value
The engagement has evolved from assessment and optimization into ongoing Workday support. Once the system reached a more stable state, the relationship shifted toward enhancements, incidents, integrations, and future roadmap items.
This gives the client a trusted Workday partner that can support both planned and unexpected needs. Each year, the client can identify new priorities, determine which projects to pursue, and bring in The Planet Group when specialized Workday expertise is needed.
The Planet Group can meet clients where they are, stabilize what is not working, and help them continue getting more value from Workday over time.
Get in touch with us today and let The Planet Group help you take full advantage of your Workday investments.
