EROAD lifts Workday performance with Datacom

• Datacom delivered tailored Workday training and workshops to uplift internal capability.

• Key HR processes like recruitment and onboarding have been streamlined and automated.

• Ongoing support has improved system use, reporting accuracy and user engagement.

EROAD is a technology company that specialises in fleet management software, tolling and road user charges. Founded in Auckland in 2000, EROAD has since expanded its operations to Australia and the USA, and is at the forefront of the surging fleet tech industry. Its products can not only cut costs for its clients, but also save lives, by reducing speeding, driver fatigue and driver distraction.

Taking care of its own people is also a priority for the business, which employs around 470 individuals. EROAD has relied on Workday to manage the day-to-day admin of human resources for many years, but a rapid initial implementation meant it never got the full value out of the platform.

“I think Workday is a really good product, it was just implemented a bit too quickly, not configured as well as it could have been, and there was a lack of buy-in,” says Mary Richards, P&C Operations Manager at EROAD. “At the time, we had gone for a minimum viable product, but it wasn’t providing a good experience for the business user.”

Workday is an AI-powered platform for managing people and finances, seamlessly connecting payroll and HR. More than 10,000 customers around the world rely on Workday, including around 650 clients in Australia and New Zealand. Globally, the Workday customer community represents over 60 million workers.

Workday’s cloud-based suite of applications has a wide range of features and it is easy to get started with Workday, which can be a fantastic tool for streamlining HR and finances at any organisation. But learning how to get the maximum value out of the platform’s many capabilities is trickier, particularly as an organisation grows and evolves.

Which is where Datacom often steps in with support for local organisations – Datacom is a Workday partner, and can provide Workday implementation, integration, support and even bespoke training to help companies get more out of the platform and take advantage of more of its functionality.

Richards and her team knew they could achieve more with Workday, if they could get the right support. Having already tried a few options that weren’t the right fit, Richards was pleased to hear that Datacom had become a Workday partner. EROAD had an existing relationship with Datacom, and became Datacom’s first Workday optimisation customer.

Together, the teams took the first step, reviewing the system to see what was working well and where improvements could be made. The review identified some knowledge gaps among the EROAD team, which they asked Datacom to address.

“Workday’s system training isn’t designed specifically for HR team members,” explains Richards. “So a Datacom senior consultant designed some bespoke training, and we did three in-person workshops with tailored learning. That was very helpful.” 

With more knowledge under their belts, the EROAD team turned to redesigning some of its key HR processes. When the full-time in-house recruiter resigned, they rethought the recruitment process from start to finish. Instead of hiring a replacement, the new process was automated and leader-led. Workday guided leaders through their job requisitions, advertising, job offers and background checks.

“That was quite an interesting project,” Richards says. “We had a tight timeframe and that business process is one of the most complex. We were able to streamline it so it Is time saving and labour saving – it’s all automated with embedded help text and links to resources.”

Then Datacom and EROAD revamped the onboarding process, leading to a much simpler and more helpful induction for new employees. Reporting, too, has been upgraded – HR forecasting, for example, is now helping the finance team better manage payroll outgoings.

“We’re definitely getting more value out of Workday,” says Richards. “The ongoing relationship with Datacom has been a fruitful one. I like Datacom’s flexible approach in terms of support. We have weekly backlog meetings, work through all the tickets and prioritise them, and my team has access to two regular consultants plus three other consultants when we need them.”

"The Datacom team has made a real difference to our Workday experience, uplifting our internal capability, streamlining processes and enhancing configuration we previously thought wasn't possible," says Richards.

"The Datacom team also takes the time to understand our issues and challenges, clearly explains possible resolutions and walks us through agreed configuration changes so we can manage them going forward. We're confident our Workday tenant is in safe hands with Datacom."

Datacom’s GM Core Business Solutions Ross Fodie says EROAD’s experience shows what’s possible when you combine a strong platform like Workday with the right support and strategy.

“By tailoring training, rethinking processes, and building internal capability, our team has been able to help EROAD turn Workday into a driver of efficiency, accuracy and engagement and unlock real business value.”

There’s plenty more on Richards’ to-do list when it comes to getting the most out of Workday. As an overarching goal, she would like to optimise self-service in Workday for the whole organisation, which would reduce down the steady flow of requests for minor tasks. For example, having team members able to generate agreements and variation letters.

“There’s lots we want to do – generally we want to make our HR more streamlined and less labour intensive,” Richards explains, “saving time and getting more value out of the platform.”

With the changes she’s already made, there’s been a noticeable attitude shift when it comes to Workday. People who previously avoided interacting with the platform are now feeling more positive about it and using it frequently – they’re starting to realise its value, Richards says.

“We’ve come a long, long way in the last couple of years,” she adds. “I’m really happy with the support we’ve had. It’s been a lot of hard work, but we’re getting there.”