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The Client
A nationally recognized quick-service restaurant brand, known for its high-volume franchise operations and signature chicken sandwich platform, launched a multi-phase Workday Core HCM implementation to modernize its HR and payroll infrastructure.
With thousands of employees across corporate offices and field locations, the organization had outgrown its legacy systems. Manual processes limited scalability. Reporting lacked real-time visibility. Payroll operations required unnecessary intervention. As the company continued to grow, leadership recognized the need for a unified Workday human capital management platform that could support long-term expansion.
The organization selected Workday and partnered with a certified implementation firm to lead the deployment. However, successful execution required more than system configuration. It required experienced Workday project management and payroll leadership embedded within the team.
In 2019, The Planet Group was introduced by the implementation partner to provide specialized Workday staffing services during Phase 1 of the rollout.
The Challenge
The client’s priorities were clear, but execution required precision.
They needed to:
- Maintain green status across a complex, multi-workstream Workday implementation
- Transition payroll from an internally managed solution to Workday Payroll
- Align HR, payroll, and operational stakeholders around new workflows
- Stabilize operations during post-go-live Hypercare
- Build a foundation for future implementation phases
As a nationally distributed employer, even minor payroll disruptions could impact thousands of employees. Delays in implementation would slow operational momentum. The organization required certified Workday professionals who could integrate quickly, operate within an enterprise environment, and maintain delivery discipline.
The Solution
From Phase 1 through Phase 3 and ongoing post-production support, The Planet Group delivered certified Workday professionals aligned to each stage of the client’s roadmap.
Phase 1: Workday Core HCM Implementation Support
To ensure accountability and timeline adherence, The Planet Group deployed an experienced Workday Project Manager to lead day-to-day execution.
Responsibilities included:
- Coordinating cross-functional Workday workstreams
- Managing milestones, risks, and dependencies
- Driving accountability across functional leads
- Providing executive-level reporting and visibility
- Maintaining green project status throughout implementation
This embedded leadership role created structure during the most critical stage of deployment. Deliverables were completed on schedule, and alignment between technical configuration and business objectives remained intact.
The result was a disciplined, well-managed Workday Core HCM implementation that positioned the organization for long-term scalability.
Workday Payroll Implementation and Hypercare Stabilization
Simultaneously, The Planet Group delivered a certified Workday Payroll Specialist to guide the transition from the legacy payroll environment to Workday Payroll.
The payroll transformation included:
- Payroll configuration and validation
- Parallel testing and reconciliation cycles
- Data integrity review and issue resolution
- End-user training and knowledge transfer
- Hypercare stabilization following go-live
Payroll touches every employee. Accuracy and compliance were non-negotiable. The embedded specialist worked directly with internal HR and payroll leaders to ensure a smooth system cutover, confident user adoption, and operational continuity.
The outcome was a stabilized Workday Payroll function with reduced manual intervention, improved reporting visibility, and increased processing efficiency.
Scaling Through Phases 2 and 3
Following the success of Phase 1, the client expanded its engagement with The Planet Group as additional Workday functionality rolled out.
As the organization progressed into Phases 2 and 3, including onboarding new business and charitable entities into Workday, additional expertise was required to maintain momentum.
Across all phases, The Planet Group provided 15 additional Workday contract professionals, including:
- Project Managers
- Test Leads
- Talent and Recruiting Specialists
- Change Management Leaders
- Payroll Experts
- Functional Leads across Core HCM and related workstreams
This flexible Workday staffing model allowed the organization to scale resources without increasing permanent headcount. As complexity increased, The Planet Group aligned certified expertise precisely where it was needed.
Post-Production Workday Support and Ongoing Optimization
After implementation, the engagement evolved into ongoing Workday post-production support.
The Planet Group continues to provide:
- Functional troubleshooting
- Workday reporting support
- Integration assistance
- Payroll optimization
- Change enablement leadership
- Stabilization during system updates and business expansion
This lifecycle support model reflects how modern Workday environments operate. Implementation is only the beginning. Growth, acquisitions, entity onboarding, and continuous improvement require sustained expertise.
By embedding certified Workday professionals at key inflection points, The Planet Group helped the client maintain operational stability while controlling cost and risk.
The Results
The multi-phase engagement delivered measurable impact:
- On-time Phase 1 Workday Core HCM implementation
- Successful transition to Workday Payroll with stabilized Hypercare
- Continued expansion into Phase 3 with enterprise-wide adoption
- Deployment of 15+ additional Workday resources across phases
- Ongoing post-production support aligned to business growth
- Standardized onboarding of new business and charitable entities into Workday
Most importantly, the organization maintained delivery momentum across multiple phases of transformation without disrupting employee experience or payroll operations.
Planning a Workday Implementation or Expansion?
Whether you are launching Phase 1, transitioning payroll to Workday, onboarding new entities, or optimizing post-production support, The Planet Group delivers certified Workday expertise aligned to your roadmap.
Connect with our Workday team to align the right talent to your next phase of growth.
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