Workday vs Dayforce

Which HCM Platform Fits Your Business?

Workday: Enterprise-Grade Power, But at a Cost

Workday is a leading name in the Human Capital Management (HCM) space, offering a comprehensive suite of enterprise solutions. From talent acquisition to workforce planning and analytics, Workday’s platform is built for large organizations with complex needs. Its robust architecture and extensive features provide enterprise-grade capabilities that support scalability and strategic decision-making. Workday’s implementation process often takes 6 to 14 months.

Dayforce: Workforce and HR Management Platform

Dayforce is a versatile HCM platform that integrates workforce management with HR functionalities, delivering a unified experience for organizations. Known for its strength in payroll processing, compliance, and employee scheduling, Dayforce also supports talent management and employee engagement initiatives. This holistic approach enables companies to streamline operations, optimize workforce efficiency, and maintain compliance, making it a solid choice for organizations looking for an all-in-one solution.

From Reviews to Recognition: How Workday and Dayforce Compare

Workday: A Robust Solution for Structured Performance Management

Workday offers a wide range of features that cater to structured performance management processes:

  • Performance Reviews: Provides a robust framework for conducting employee evaluations.
  • Performance Review Templates: Offers ready-to-use templates for streamlining review processes.
  • Multiple Layers of Performance Reviews: Supports multi-tiered reviews to capture feedback from various levels.
  • Bulk Performance Review Launch: Allows organizations to manage reviews at scale, saving time and effort.
  • Goals in Performance Reviews: Enables goal-setting and tracking as part of the review process.

Workday’s tools ensure a structured approach to employee performance management, making it ideal for large organizations with complex requirements.

Dayforce: A Reliable Platform for Streamlined Performance Management

Dayforce focuses on delivering essential features for employee evaluations and engagement:

  • Performance Reviews: Simplifies the process of conducting reviews for employees.
  • Goals Management: Integrates goal-setting into performance tracking for clear alignment.
  • Performance Feedback: Provides tools to deliver structured feedback effectively.
  • Check-ins: Facilitates regular, ongoing communication between employees and managers.

Dayforce’s streamlined approach ensures that performance processes are simple and intuitive, making it a practical solution for organizations seeking efficiency in workforce management.

Features Workday Dayforce ClayHR
Checkins ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Goals ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Skills in Performance Reviews ❌ ❌ ✔️
Signature Flow in Performance Reviews ❌ ❌ ✔️
Add External Reviewer in Performance Reviews ❌ ❌ ✔️
Goals in Performance Review ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
OKRs ❌ ❌ ✔️
Performance Feedback ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Awards ❌ ❌ ✔️
Giftcards ❌ ❌ ✔️
AI in Feedbacks ❌ ❌ ✔️

From Applications to Onboarding: How Top ATS Solutions Measure Up

Workday: Strong in Applicant Tracking and Onboarding

Workday offers a variety of features designed to support efficient applicant tracking and onboarding processes:

  • ATS: Provides a comprehensive system for managing applicant tracking.
  • Resume Parsing: Simplifies the hiring process by automatically extracting information from resumes.
  • Offer Letters: Streamlines the generation and management of offer letters for candidates.
  • Custom Onboarding/Workflows: Enables organizations to design tailored workflows for a seamless onboarding experience.
  • Candidate Portal: Easy-to-use platform for candidates to track application status, upload documents, and stay informed.

Workday’s solutions are well-suited for organizations that need structured applicant management tools combined with customizable onboarding workflows.

Dayforce: Simplified and Integrated Talent Management

Dayforce focuses on delivering integrated tools for talent acquisition and onboarding:

  • ATS: Supports core applicant tracking system functionalities for efficient recruitment.
  • Resume Parsing: Automates the extraction of candidate information to save time.
  • Offer Letters: Provides capabilities to generate and manage offer letters effortlessly.
  • Career Planning: Assists in outlining clear growth paths for employees.
  • Succession Planning: Helps organizations plan for key role transitions effectively.

Dayforce's streamlined and integrated approach ensures that companies can manage both hiring and employee progression with ease.

Features Workday Dayforce ClayHR
Career Planning ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Succession Planning ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Candidate Portal ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Position Requisition ✔️ ❌ ✔️
Chrome Extension for LinkedIn ❌ ❌ ✔️
Requisition Approval Flows ❌ ❌ ✔️
Offer Letters Approval Flows ❌ ❌ ✔️
Candidate Funnels ❌ ❌ ✔️
Funnel Automations ❌ ❌ ✔️
Automation in Workflows ❌ ❌ ✔️
Recruitment Agencies ❌ ❌ ✔️
AI in creating Job Descriptions, Responsibilities, and Requirements ❌ ❌ ✔️

The Essential Extras: Additional HR Features That Matter

Workday: Advanced HR Features for Customization and Reporting

Workday provides a range of advanced HR features to support customization and streamline operations:

  • AskHR: Includes an internal employee support feature to address HR-related queries quickly and efficiently.
  • Custom Fields: Allows organizations to tailor data fields to meet specific requirements.
  • Audit History: Tracks changes and provides visibility into key actions for accountability.
  • Custom Reports: Enables the creation of tailored reports to meet unique business needs.
  • Scheduled Reports: Automates report generation and delivery for consistent updates.

Workday’s robust feature set ensures flexibility in customization, detailed reporting, and streamlined employee support through AskHR.

Dayforce: Simplified Solutions for Operational Efficiency

Dayforce delivers essential features to enhance HR and operational workflows:

  • AskHR: Provides a built-in feature to handle employee HR queries, improving response times and engagement.
  • Resume Custom Fields: Provides flexibility to define data fields for organizational needs.
  • Custom Fields and Tables in Reports: Supports combining custom data for detailed reporting.
  • Expense Management: Streamlines tracking and approval of employee expenses.
  • Shift/Roster Management: Ensures efficient scheduling and workforce planning.

Dayforce’s intuitive tools help organizations maintain operational efficiency, with AskHR enhancing employee support.

Features Workday Dayforce ClayHR
Custom Fields and Tables in Reports ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Scheduled Reports ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Expense Management ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Shift/Roster Management ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Audit History ✔️ ❌ ✔️
Custom Tables ❌ ❌ ✔️
Ask HR for Candidates ❌ ❌ ✔️

The Bottom Line

Choosing the right HCM platform depends on your organization’s unique priorities and requirements. Workday is a strong choice for large enterprises with complex HR processes that require advanced customization, detailed reporting, and enterprise-grade scalability. Its robust features, such as performance review templates and audit history, make it ideal for organizations looking for structured solutions to manage extensive operations.

On the other hand, Dayforce excels in workforce management and payroll, making it a great fit for organizations prioritizing compliance, expense tracking, and streamlined scheduling. Its simplified tools for managing performance reviews and check-ins cater to businesses seeking operational efficiency and ease of use.

Ultimately, both platforms offer powerful solutions tailored to specific needs—making it crucial for organizations to assess their priorities, workflows, and growth plans before deciding which platform aligns best with their goals.

Strategic Insights for CHROs: 10 HR KPIs to Elevate Workforce Impact

Discover the 10 critical HR KPIs that every CHRO must track to drive success and stay competitive. Get insights that will help your organization:

  • Improve employee retention and reduce turnover
  • Boost productivity by optimizing recruitment strategies
  • Enhance employee satisfaction and engagement
  • Control hiring costs with data-driven decisions
  • Foster diversity and inclusion for a thriving workplace

Get ahead of the curve with actionable strategies and metrics that can transform your workforce.

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