I’m Alba Sánchez Nieto, Business Consultant at SuccessDay. I didn’t go to Rising with a list of expectations. I was mostly curious. It was my first time attending, and I honestly didn’t know what would stand out more for me: the technology or the people.
Realising We’re All Solving the Same Problems
One of my favourite moments was meeting people who are just as deep into Workday as I am. You start talking, and without even trying, the same themes appear again and again. The same pain points. The same configuration questions. The same challenges around job architectures, compensation cycles or visibility design.
It was strangely comforting. And energising.
Rising made it clear that none of us are working in isolation. In a way, we’re refining the ecosystem together, one conversation at a time.
Experiencing My First Rising With the SuccessDay Team
Being there for the first time was already exciting, but experiencing it with the SuccessDay team made it even better. Every session sparked internal discussions about how we could adjust our methodology, improve templates, prepare clients more effectively or rethink how we deliver AMS support.
There was something motivating about sitting together after a full day, each of us excited about different features, mapping out how they might impact the way we work. It felt like the perfect mix of learning, reflecting and planning.
Release Updates That Will Change Daily Work
My world revolves around compensation, job structures and the challenges that come after go-live, so I was especially interested in updates that would directly impact those areas. These weren’t nice-to-have features. They solve issues I’ve been discussing with clients in the last months. Here are the ones that stood out the most to me:
Pay Transparency
Understanding how Workday plans to support pay transparency was a big one. Many clients are unsure about what the new legislation means for communication and fairness. Workday provided clarity on how this will influence the system and how we can guide clients through it.
Job Profile Restricted Visibility
A major step forward for organisations working across multiple countries. Being able to restrict job profiles by company, country or supervisory org will simplify governance and reduce confusion. I immediately thought of at least three clients who would have benefited from this already.
Job Architecture Hub (2025R2)
I loved this. AI-driven insights that help identify similar jobs, market skills or data gaps make job architecture far more actionable. Many customers struggle to maintain their structures over time. This will genuinely help.
New Compensation Review in Manager Insight Hub
A big usability improvement. Managers will finally get insights that feel intuitive and customisable. Reviews should become quicker, clearer and more consistent.
Remove Prior Compensation for Rehires
This one made me smile because it came up in a client conversation earlier this year. Being able to switch it on or off gives much more flexibility and removes awkward workarounds.
Document for Layouts Enhancements
If this arrives in 2026R1, it will make a huge difference.
The current tool for compensation statements has its limits. Seeing improvements like Workday-delivered templates, switching data sources in existing templates and delivering statements in a worker’s language is exactly the kind of update clients have been hoping for.
Calculated Non-Funded Pools
Being able to customise amounts for promotions, adjustments and lump sum pools will help organisations move away from spreadsheets and manual calculations. It’s a small change with a big impact.
AI Insights for Compensation Review (future)
Even without a timeline, it’s clear where Workday is going. Supporting fairer and more confident pay decisions with fewer delays shows the direction the product is heading, and it helps me anticipate how conversations with clients will evolve.
What I’m Taking Back With Me
Rising gave me a clearer understanding of where the product is headed and what that means for our work. I’m more conscious about designing processes that are sustainable and ready for AI. I have a better sense of how to guide clients through pay transparency and the legislation that comes with it. I see new possibilities in job architecture discussions, especially with AI-driven insights coming soon. And I’m excited to use the compensation improvements in real projects straight away.
But most importantly, I’m bringing back a stronger sense of community. Everyone I spoke to is working toward the same goal: making Workday simpler, smarter and more human.
I can’t wait to see how this momentum shapes our work in the coming year!
