Maximizing Your Workday HCM Investment: Top 5 Features You Might Be Underutilizing

Workday HCM is a powerful suite designed to simplify and elevate HR operations. 

But even with its intuitive interface and robust capabilities, many organizations don’t fully tap into its potential. 

Whether you're in the middle of a deployment, recently went live, or have been using Workday for years, it’s worth exploring which features could further enhance your investment.

Here are the top five underutilized Workday HCM features that can deliver immediate value:

1. Workday People Experience (PX) 

The People Experience is more than just a new interface — it’s a personalized, AI-powered gateway for employees and managers. PX curates content, tasks, and suggestions based on a user's role and activity, transforming the way people interact with Workday. Many companies enable it but stop short of tailoring the experience or training employees to make the most of it.

How to Maximize It:

• Enable personalized recommendations

• Customize the homepage by persona

• Use Workday Journeys to guide employees through complex tasks like onboarding or internal mobility

2. Workday Skills Cloud 

Skills Cloud uses machine learning to recognize, classify, and infer skills from job descriptions, resumes, and experience data. It’s a game-changer for workforce planning, career development, and talent acquisition — but only if it’s properly configured and maintained.

How to Maximize It:

• Regularly audit skills data for accuracy

• Tag job profiles and learning content with relevant skills

• Leverage Skills Cloud in talent reviews and succession planning

3. Talent Marketplace 

Workday’s Talent Marketplace enables internal gig and project opportunities, encouraging agility and career development. Yet, many organizations shy away from implementing it due to change management concerns or resource constraints.

How to Maximize It:

• Start with pilot projects in specific departments

• Promote gig opportunities during performance and career conversations

• Integrate it with succession planning and mentorship programs

4. Advanced Compensation Reviews 

Beyond annual merit cycles, Workday’s compensation functionality supports strategic use of bonuses, equity, and pay-for-performance modeling. However, most companies only scratch the surface of what’s possible.

How to Maximize It:

• Use compensation benchmarks to guide salary adjustments

• Simulate future pay scenarios for planning

• Align compensation decisions with skills and performance data

5. Audit and Compliance Dashboards 

Workday offers robust audit and compliance capabilities, yet many organizations don’t set up custom dashboards or reports that proactively flag issues.

How to Maximize It:

• Create alerts for data anomalies (e.g., missing I-9s, expired certifications)

• Automate reporting for compliance-related metrics

• Use dashboards to track policy adherence in real time

Bonus Tip: Integrate Learning into Everyday Workflows 

Embedding learning content into Workday tasks — such as training before submitting a performance review — enhances adoption and knowledge retention.

Final Thoughts 

Workday HCM offers a wealth of features designed to drive strategic HR transformation, but realizing its full value means going beyond the basics. By focusing on these five (plus one) often underutilized features, HR teams can significantly enhance employee engagement, improve data-driven decision-making, and ensure their Workday investment is truly maximized.

If you're unsure where to start, consider conducting a system health check or working with a Workday HCM consultant to identify quick wins and long-term opportunities.