On July 1, you can bid “goodbye” to plain old black and white, and say “hello” to a more colorful workday — Workday at Yale, that is.
In technical terms, Workday is an “enterprise system,” a large-scale software application that will support Yale’s payroll and human resources processes. It will replace the Oracle HR system, which has been in use at the university since 2000.
In real-world terms, Workday is designed to make it simpler and faster to get your work done — and harder to make mistakes. The system was configured to meet Yale’s needs in collaboration with Workday, Inc., with extensive input from Yale community members. The software is already in use at more than a dozen U.S. colleges and universities.
Each faculty and staff member will access the Workday@Yale home page by logging into the Yale Portal and choosing “My Pay and Info” or “My Benefits.” Each home page has an Inbox, where the Workday system will send notifications and task reminders.
The thing most people notice when they see the Workday@Yale home page for the first time is its vibrant, bubble-like icons, each representing a different category of information that can be viewed or modified in Workday. “Everyone’s colorful home page will vary depending on what role they have in Workday” — for instance, whether you are an employee or manager, and whether you handle personnel matters or financial transactions — said Cindy Pattison, human resource generalist, who was one of the more than 250 staff members who helped test the new system before launch.
As of July 1, staff and faculty can use Workday to view and modify their benefits; to edit their profile information (including changes in their dependents, address, emergency contact, and marital status); to alter their tax withholdings; to set up or revise direct deposit; and to view their pay slips and print W-2 forms. For managers, initiating job posting and hirings or making changes in their staff’s job descriptions and compensation will be easier through Workday. Academic departments can use the system to support faculty and post-doc appointment and promotions processing.
Staff will continue to use My Time to report hours worked, sick days, and paid time off — although eventually those tasks may move to Workday.
Employees who have helped test Workday report that it is both easy to learn and easy to use. “Workday is very user-friendly,” says human resource generalist Kyleen Kolomick. “I like that Workday can adjust to your own style and preferences by giving users various different ways to access information and business processes. I can do my work and get it done my own way.”
“Once you have a chance to try it, you’ll be amazed at how intuitive it is,” said Sonja Beamon Rezendes, a finance and administrative manager for Human Resources and Administration. “With very little direct training, I was able to easily move through the system using only the training guides.”
Workday automatically routes each task to the appropriate person for approval, and users can track its progress through the system — another feature that was popular with testers. “It is great how instantaneous Workday is,” said Grace Camire, assistant administrator in human resources at the School of Medicine. “You can see approvals and results immediately. Our current system takes a while, and you have to wait for things to appear as approved. Now, we have to keep emailing contacts to see if they’ve done their next steps and submitted their paperwork. In Workday, you always know where each transaction is and what step each person is at in the process. I think Workday will be an excellent time saver.”
Using cloud-based software, Workday can be accessed 24/7 using any device with an Internet connection — be it a Mac, PC, iPhone, Android device, or tablet. Because it is a software-as-a-service rather than a Yale-maintained system, Workday is less expensive to maintain.
Over the next few years, the university’s financial processes and other information will also be phased into the Workday system.
“Workday will help simplify and standardize the university’s administrative and other related business processes — reducing redundancies, eliminating paperwork, and improving service, while lowering costs overall,” said Shauna King, vice president for finance and business operations. “It will bring together in one place the records of all university employees — be they faculty members, managers, clinicians, researchers, professionals, or other staff — allowing for more accurate reporting and improved decision making.
“By providing excellent administrative services through Workday, we will be better able to support Yale’s excellence in teaching, research, and practice, while making it easier for faculty and staff to get their work done,” added King. “I encourage everyone to log onto their Workday@Yale page this summer and discover its benefits for themselves.”
To learn more, visit the Workday@Yale website. There you can find information about training sessions, read the latest news, and subscribe to the Workday@Yale newsletter. After the July 1 launch, those with questions about changing their personal information can also contact the Employee Service Center by phone at 203-432-5552 or via email at employee.services@yale.edu.