Behind the Computer: Unpacking the Dynamic Role of an Engineer on the German Payroll Team

I’m Adrien, a Senior Associate Software Engineer on the German Payroll team. I’m originally from Nice, France, but I ended up in the hustle and bustle of New York City for high school. Later on, I embarked on an exciting journey by pursuing my undergraduate degree at New York University’s campus in Shanghai, China. The pandemic brought me back to France just before I graduated in May 2021. And this was just the beginning. My journey to Workday was a long one-1,000 kilometres to be exact.

I was on the lookout for opportunities all over Europe, and was thrilled when Workday offered me a role in Munich, Germany. I had never been to Germany and knew very little about German culture. But, to me, life is all about adventures — so I said yes.

Workday’s Global Mobility team helped move me to Munich. Our Global Mobility team does a lot, but one of their key offerings is supporting Workmates who are relocating to other countries. They offered loads of advice and guided me through important things like how taxes would work in my transition year when I moved from France to Germany. The mobility team also proposed to help me find an apartment, but I chose to look for myself. In hindsight, I should have accepted their help!

When I flew in from Nice I got a short term rental for a month. My host was very nice, he cooked me dinner multiple times and showed me around Munich. At the same time I was going through onboarding and bootcamp at Workday, it was a very exciting time for me. The apartment search was much tougher than I thought it would be, so I ended up extending my stay by another two weeks. I think I easily visited a dozen places before finding one I liked! Everyone at work was very supportive and many asked if I needed help with administrative tasks. Fortunately as you have already gleaned, I’m used to moving to new countries so that wasn’t necessary, but the support was very much appreciated from all.

Deciding to become a software engineer was a slow and gradual process. I originally studied physics in university, but the focus on theory and lack of hands-on application didn’t quite float my boat. So, I shifted gears and dove into electrical engineering, which only required one computer programming class. That one class was a game-changer! I couldn’t resist the lure of coding and soon found myself taking more computer science courses. It became clear that my career path was leading me to be a Software Engineer!

Unpacking the Workday Culture

The best thing about Workday is the friendliness of everyone here. From the very first person who told me about the company to the newest members of our team, I was blown away by the tight-knit and welcoming atmosphere.

Workday really emphasises finding people who bring unique perspectives to the table. Making work days brighter for all is no small feat, but we all value and respect a proper work-life balance.

We recognize doing our best work requires us having time to do what we love outside of the office, and also getting rest.

I also really appreciate that opinions are valued here. We’re all about teamwork, and nobody’s stuck in a hierarchy. We’re all open to new ideas, and that makes things exciting around here. Fun is one of our core values, after all. So, if you’re looking for a place where friendliness, work-life balance, and creative thinking are cherished, you’ve found it at Workday!

A Snapshot of a Typical Day

A typical day for me usually involves providing updates on the tasks I’m working on and attending meetings where one of our product managers presents upcoming requirements. In these meetings, we discuss things like technical feasibility, potential gaps in requirements, testing strategies, and dependencies. We also estimate the complexity of each task and prioritize to ensure proper schedule management.

Lately, there’s been a growing need for in-depth technical discussions about certain features, and I absolutely love it! It allows me to work closely with our Product Managers, gain a deeper understanding of our product’s direction, and collaborate more closely with different teams across the organization.

Aside from meetings and discussions, a large part of my day is dedicated to coding and debugging. I also enjoy helping newer developers with their challenges and offering support whenever needed. Each day is dynamic and engaging-and that keeps me on my toes.

The Team’s Core Responsibilities

Our main focus as a team is to complete and launch the German Payroll product. This is a significant project that I strongly believe will pave the way for success in countries with complex payroll systems and strict requirements. It involves various tasks, such as collecting and verifying data from different parts of the Workday platform, enabling payroll admins to enter necessary data for workers and companies, calculating taxes based on German Law, compiling official reports that comply with German Tax Law(s), and maintaining regular communication with German regulators and agencies. It’s a comprehensive effort that requires attention to detail and effective collaboration.

Navigating Obstacles

One of the challenges my team faces is solving complex problems that require collaboration with other teams. We’re currently working on a feature that involves close partnership with teams outside of the payroll department. The biggest hurdle is bridging the gap between these teams and finding a solution that satisfies everyone. At times, we find ourselves in the position of persuading others to embrace what we firmly believe is the optimal solution. I appreciate the healthy, cross-functional discussions.

This collaboration is not only important for our product but also for strengthening our offering and making our offering more adaptable. Innovation is another one of our core values, and it’s great to see this in action daily. Our approach is to proactively reach out to different teams with potential solutions and clearly communicate our needs. It takes a lot of communication and patience, but it’s worth it in the end when we agree on a deliverable that will net a real impact for our customers.

Skills to be Successful

The most valuable skills one needs to be a software engineer at Workday are to be flexible and to be a good listener. It doesn’t matter where you come from or what your experience is- you need to be open to new ideas, processes, and ways of doing things.

It’s also important to have humility and recognize what you don’t know. Asking for help and offering help when needed is key to success here.

Lastly, having a strong team spirit is crucial. Instead of thinking “this is not my job,” you should replace it with “am I the best person for this?” or “is this the best approach?” This mindset shift will greatly benefit you and any organization where you work.

A brighter work day is just around the corner☀️. Explore career opportunities here. For more #WDAYLife content, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.