Discovering Alignment — My Journey With Workday
There’s a unique sense of fulfillment that comes from working with a company whose culture and values interlock with your own core values. That’s exactly what happened to me when I joined Workday — the company values mirrored my own. This sense of shared purpose has fueled my dedication and has fostered an environment where I feel empowered to do my best work.
As the Sr. Director of Workday’s India Customer Experience team and the site leader for Mumbai office, I’ve personally witnessed incredible growth while also observing the growth of Workday internationally. This expansion often meant venturing beyond my usual duties, but the shared goal of proving our potential and ensuring our venture is a resounding success was a powerful motivator. It wasn’t just about the work; it was about the impact we were making together.
From Employee Number One to Leading a Thriving Organization
In my entire career journey, Workday has been the most unique and fulfilling experience. What set this experience apart was the company’s inception in India. My initial engagement with Workday was less of an interview and more of a strategic dialogue — a mutual exploration of how I could contribute to building something new. It felt like a true partnership, where we were both invested in finding the right fit, not just showcasing my skills on a resume.
Starting out, I took on projects independently through a network of partners, successfully delivering two key projects. There were challenges, but I always wanted to prove to the leadership that this model could succeed-and it did-which eventually led to significant investment in our operations.
From scouting suitable real estate to recruiting the right talent, to taking on responsibilities like IT facilitation to HR and finance, I ensured that every aspect of our nascent operation was attended to. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I personally configured and shipped laptops to our team, enabling them to seamlessly transition to remote work. There’s a different kind of reward in doing all these things while you’re delivering on all your projects!
Our journey began with just eight team members five years ago and today, our workforce in India has grown exponentially to encompass over 400 dedicated Workmates across various functions. I always thought of Workday as my own venture and always worked like an entrepreneur and that’s how I continue to work today. I can do this because I know that my contributions make a direct impact on the success of the business.
Discovering Your Happy Place
It’s crucial to find a place that aligns with your personal values. It has always given me a different kind of satisfaction and feeling of success when I see that I am able to deliver what the organization expects without compromising on my personal values.
Trust forms the bedrock of any successful endeavor. I firmly believe in building trust and ensuring that that trust is always sustained. Trust between yourself and your team, leadership, and customers is vital, and we have been able to build that trust here.
It’s critical to surround yourself with a capable team. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have an exceptional group of individuals who have been indispensable to our success. We work together, debate, challenge each other and are stronger together because of our collective skills.
Three Ways Workday is Different
I am often asked what’s unique about Workday. Believe me, I have a long list, but here are my top reasons:
● Our commitment to internal mobility: It’s not just a policy but a cornerstone of our culture. Transparency is key — we ensure that all internal job openings are accessible to everyone, empowering employees to pursue new opportunities aligned with their career aspirations. Managers actively encourage team members to step forward when new teams are formed, fostering a supportive environment where growth is nurtured. In the Mumbai office, in the last 2 years, about one third of all roles have been filled through internal transfers, which shows our commitment to providing Workmates internal opportunities to grow.
● Growing employees as specialists: Instead of being generalists and being asked to work on everything that comes to their plate and have them put into situations where they’re not ready for it, employees have the opportunity to build their career as specialists. We focus on ramp up plans, training plans, on the job training, career coaching to set them up for success as specialists.
● Employee Wellbeing: Our approach to employee wellbeing is driven by recognizing the health and happiness of our Workmates, both in and out of work. Our employees are the core of our business and taking care of one another is a part of our culture. Often, my team brings up how Workday supported the through situations or how different programs have been so beneficial for them.
Serious About Work and Equally Serious About Fun
Think of a consulting organization and what comes to mind are long hours and endless presentations. As a team, we often have to stretch outside work hours, but we also place a strong emphasis on having fun. Fun isn’t just an afterthought here — it’s a core value at Workday. Our diverse range of work clubs across different locations offer unique opportunities that set us apart from many other organizations, not just in India but globally.
Personally, I find joy in being part of our hiking and cricket clubs. Last year, our hike to Karla Caves amidst the monsoon rains was an unforgettable adventure. Recently, my team explored Bhandardara, where they witnessed thousands of fireflies. It was nothing short of magical! Cricket holds a quasi-religious status in India. So, unsurprisingly, cricket matches are major events here, and we often have our own games on weekends. I have been participating in Mumbai marathon for the last thirteen years as well as in other marathons around Mumbai.
At Workday, balancing hard work with moments of enjoyment isn’t just encouraged — it’s celebrated. These shared experiences ensure that we approach our work with a sense of fulfillment.
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.
