Why has the average time to complete employee onboarding using Workday's HR suite doubled in the past month?

Introduction

The doubling of average employee onboarding time using Workday's HR suite in the past month is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This sudden increase in onboarding duration not only impacts employee productivity but also affects the overall efficiency of the HR department. To address this problem, I'll employ a systematic approach to identify, validate, and resolve the root cause while considering both short-term fixes and long-term strategic implications.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking there might have been a recent system update. Has Workday released any major updates or patches in the last 1-2 months?

Why it matters: System changes often lead to unexpected behavior. Expected answer: Yes, there was a recent update. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd focus on post-update issues.

• Considering user segments, I'm curious about the distribution of this increase. Is the doubling of onboarding time consistent across all departments or employee levels?

Why it matters: Helps identify if the issue is systemic or localized. Expected answer: The increase varies across departments. Impact on approach: We'd investigate department-specific factors if variation exists.

• Thinking about the metric itself, has there been any change in how onboarding completion is defined or measured in the system?

Why it matters: Ensures we're comparing apples to apples. Expected answer: No changes in metric definition. Impact on approach: If changed, we'd need to reassess the problem statement.

• Reflecting on external factors, have there been any significant changes in the company's hiring practices or onboarding process in the past month?

Why it matters: External changes could explain the metric shift. Expected answer: No major changes in hiring or onboarding processes. Impact on approach: If changes occurred, we'd examine their impact on the onboarding timeline.