Author: Drinnette du Randt
Organisations across industries are racing to transform, investing millions in enterprise systems like Workday to revolutionise their operations. These platforms promise operational efficiencies, streamlined processes, and a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving world of work. But beneath these promises lies a crucial truth: without aligning and preparing your people, these transformations can fail—spectacularly.
The cost of failure is staggering. Companies typically spend between 1% and 3% of their annual revenue on enterprise system implementations, with licensing, customisation, and ongoing support inflating these costs further. Yet, studies show that nearly 70% of large-scale transformations fail, often because of poor adoption and misalignment with employee needs. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, the pressure to transform is unrelenting. Organisations must adapt their processes and systems to remain competitive. But true transformation begins with people. The best technology in the world will fail if your workforce isn’t prepared to embrace it.
This isn’t just about avoiding failure—it’s about maximising opportunity. As businesses shift to hybrid models, automation accelerates, and talent expectations evolve, organisations must position themselves as leaders, not laggards.
At VSLS, we’ve made a deliberate and strategic decision to align exclusively with Workday for our transformation services. Why? Because Workday represents the gold standard in Human Capital Management (HCM) systems. Its modern, cloud-based design embodies everything we value in organisational transformation: adaptability, user-centric innovation, and an uncompromising commitment to operational excellence.
Workday’s technology mirrors our philosophy. It’s built for modern organisations navigating complex challenges, offering tools that are intuitive, scalable, and designed to empower people to succeed. For VSLS, this alignment isn’t just a partnership—it’s a shared vision. By focusing exclusively on Workday, we’re able to deepen our expertise, refine our methodologies, and deliver unmatched value to our clients.
Our conviction is clear: if you’re investing in a platform to future-proof your workforce and operations, Workday is the obvious choice. And if you want to ensure that investment succeeds, VSLS is the partner that will make it happen.
Enterprise systems like Workday are sold on the promise of increased productivity and operational efficiency. Organisations justify these investments with projections of better decision-making, faster processes, and reduced manual workloads. However, when implementation delays pile up or employees fail to adopt the system, these benefits vanish.
Consider this: one organisation spent years on a major system rollout, only to abandon it entirely due to poor adoption. The result? Millions wasted, a demoralised workforce, and the scramble to rebuild credibility. This isn’t just a failure of technology—it’s a failure to prioritise people.
While organisations spend millions on technology, people transformation often accounts for just 5% of the total implementation budget (Workday strategy 001 DDR) (Rio Tinto Workday Peopl…). Yet, this small investment can determine the difference between success and failure. Josh Bersin, a leading voice in enterprise learning and transformation, notes that “the success of any digital transformation depends 90% on people and culture.”
Neglecting this critical element exposes organisations to significant risks:
At VSLS, we’ve built our reputation as Workday’s strategic transformation partner by tackling one of the biggest challenges in enterprise transformation: ensuring people are ready, aligned, and motivated to drive success. Our belief is simple: technology unlocks potential, but people turn it into reality.
By integrating these elements, VSLS doesn’t just implement Workday; we amplify its success by preparing your people to lead the way.
Think of VSLS as an insurance policy for your transformation. For around 5% of the total implementation cost, we ensure your people are not only ready to embrace the system but excited to leverage it. We are not an afterthought—we are the foundation.
Our proven approach ensures:
One leader from a recent engagement captured it perfectly: “The VSLS team didn’t just teach us how to use the system—they showed us how to thrive within it.”
Workday is, without a doubt, the most advanced HCM platform available today. Its user-centric design, robust analytics, and flexibility set it apart from competitors. VSLS’s strategic decision to focus exclusively on Workday underscores our belief in its transformative potential.
By pairing Workday’s technology with VSLS’s human-centric expertise, organisations unlock the full power of transformation. Together, we ensure seamless integration of systems, processes, and, most importantly, people.
For organisations planning their next big transformation, the message is clear: don’t leave your people behind. Systems Implementation Partners can get the technology running, but it takes a partner like VSLS to ensure your people are ready to run with it.
Together, we can redefine what transformation looks like in your organisation. Because the future of work isn’t just about systems—it’s about people.
Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your transformation? Let’s talk.