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The Challenge
Certified Expertise, Misaligned Work
A global financial technology company was facing growing pressure across its Workday Financials and HR Tech environments. A highly skilled Workday-certified Financials consultant was tied up in Tier 1 and Tier 2 support including basic troubleshooting, user requests, and other repetitive tasks.
That created a ripple effect:
- Critical Tier 3 work (configuration changes, reporting, integrations) stalled
- High-cost specialized resources were underutilized
- Operational efficiency dropped
The Workday-certified consultant became a de facto help desk. This was an unsustainable and costly model. The organization needed a more efficient support structure that would reduce costs without compromising quality.
The Shift
Smart Resourcing. Real Results.
The Planet Group introduced a tiered support model tailored to the client’s Workday architecture and internal workflows. Our approach blended cost efficiency with specialized support—freeing top-tier consultants to do what they do best.
Tier 1 + Tier 2: A New Role, Purpose-Built
We placed a non-certified Workday Financials resource into a high-volume support role:
- Managing user questions and routine tasks
- Owning basic troubleshooting and light functional support
- Operating at 20 hours per week with growing demand
Result: ~$40/hour cost savings compared to having a certified consultant perform the same work.
Tier 3: Experts Back Where They Belong
Workday-certified consultants were refocused on high-impact work:
- Configuration and business process updates
- Advanced reporting
- Integration design and remediation
Result: Increased productivity, faster turnaround, higher ROI per hour
The Ripple Effect
From Support Fix to Strategic Expansion
The success of the model sparked trust and traction across the client’s broader ecosystem.
Expansion into HR Tech
After proving value in Financials, Planet was invited to support the HR Tech side:
- Workday HCM integrations
- Reporting and troubleshooting
- Temporary backfill during internal turnover
We helped stabilize their HR Tech function, particularly around complex integrations.
Becoming the Go-To Integration Partner
As the relationship deepened:
- Most integration work began flowing directly to Planet
- Our senior Workday consultants became embedded team members
- The tiered support model became essential to sustaining internal capacity
This combined structure provided the client with consistent coverage across disciplines and tiers of complexity.
The Impact
Efficiency. Continuity. Confidence.
Cost Savings
- $40/hour reduction for Tier 1/Tier 2 tasks
- Certified resources focused on strategic deliverables
Improved Productivity
- Faster resolution for routine requests
- Greater throughput for configuration and reporting
- Reliable coverage through workforce transitions
High Stakeholder Satisfaction
- Strong feedback from both FIN and HR Tech leaders
- Ongoing requests for expanded support
Scalable Model for Future Clients
- Proven framework for non-standard Workday support
- Adaptable across HR, FIN, and integration teams
- Built for evolution as client needs shift
Why It Worked
Alignment Drives Performance
This engagement showed what happens when the right talent is aligned to the right tasks. By rethinking resource allocation, The Planet Group helped the client cut costs, unlock productivity, and scale smarter—without sacrificing quality.
The result? Deeper trust. Broader impact. And a repeatable model that turns support into a strategic lever.
Ready to get your Workday systems optimized? The Planet Group is Workday’s first global staffing and AMS partner across North America and Europe. Connect with us today.
