Case study: Transforming HR - How WMQ achieved a 40% reduction in people & culture admin costs with Strada & Workday

Wesley Mission Queensland (WMQ) is a not-for-profit community service provider founded in 1907 by the Albert Street Uniting Church.  Originally focused on providing meals to children and women in need, by 2016 WMQ has since grown into a comprehensive organization offering community support, mental health services, retirement living, and aged, disability, and palliative care. Today, the organization has more than 2800 employees and 2,400 volunteers working across approximately 80 services.

Solutions Provided

• Strada Solution: Deployment
• Partner Solution: Human Capital Management (HCM), Recruitment, Learning, Talent/Performance, Peakon, Journeys

Growth outpaced the tools in place

WMQ were running HR on disparate systems, using many manual processes that were repetitive and time consuming. The result: slow, siloed systems which stifled communication flow, required excessive administrative labour, and caused multiple data errors.

Reporting was slow and laborious. Their system featured no dashboards and no way for managers to easily view employee or candidate information. Their recruitment and learning management systems were also quickly becoming outdated.

With a growing workforce, an improved user experience was also not only a priority, but a necessity.

A compelling case was urgently presented to senior management underscoring the critical need for improved systems and streamlined operations. 

A smarter, unified path forward

After considering multiple vendors, WMQ chose Workday. They needed a platform that would serve as a single source of truth, allowing for seamless data flow across their HR and payroll operations. It was also important to WMQ to select an agile, scalable system that could innovate and grow with their organization.

When it came time to choose an implementation partner, WMQ chose Strada, due in large part to their experience, references, and accessibility. Strada immediately went to work creating a roadmap for WMQ’s transformation, showing in detail what they could expect from the path ahead.

Given the ongoing demands of running a non-profit like WMQ, it was crucial to move quickly. Strada worked closely with WMQ’s team to balance that need for speed with long-term success, emphasizing the value of investing time upfront in workshops and training. These workshops were meticulously planned, delivered both in-person and online, and aligned with WMQ's day-to-day operations.

"I really cannot give Strada enough credit. They have such a fantastic customer focus and have been amazing the whole way through. The Strada team always found the time to truly listen and understand what our requirements were and where our challenges lay. They really put themselves in our shoes and helped us meet our needs."

Jacinta Creedy
Manager oneConnect, People and Culture

To support continued momentum, Strada also set up a Teams channel so the project team including the People and Culture SME’s could quickly access real-time advice and insights from Strada’s implementation team, helping to speed up the process.

When an unexpected organisational change hit six weeks out from go-live, Strada proved flexible and supportive throughout the delay. Post go-live, the results were immediate. The organization realised an increase in efficiency with a now unified system, improving communication, reducing administrative labour, and minimizing data inaccuracies.

While some integrations and workflows are still being finalised, early results are promising translating to a 40% reduction in weekly administration costs for the People and Culture team.

“Strada's speed, accuracy, and efficiency assisted the project to launch Workday on time, on budget and within scope. Their support was invaluable in our successful transition to Workday.”

Jacinta Creedy
Manager oneConnect, People and Culture

Simplified processes with stronger adoption

Immediately after go-live, WMQ started to see increased efficiency.

WMQ gained more than just a new system; they achieved a smarter, more connected way of working.

• Flexible, scalable foundation: The organization now has a modern HCM platform that can evolve with their needs, supporting their growth across nearly 80 services.
• Greater visibility and control: Real-time dashboards and simplified reporting make it easier for mangers to make informed decisions.
• Enhanced user experience: Employees now have anytime access via desktop and mobile phone, with over two-thirds of the workforce logging onto Workday within the first month of go-live.

From recruitment to reporting, WMQ now has a system in place that has transformed how their organization operates. To further make the most of their Workday platform, the organization is exploring other modules such as time and attendance and absence.

“Strada has been an extremely valuable partner and responsive. When we faced issues during implementation Strada quickly rectified them, demonstrating excellent support and customer care. Strada and Workday have significantly transformed the employee experience at WMQ. The efficiencies realised through the help of Workday and Strada, mean we can better support the thousands of people who need us every week, whether it’s in aged care, our homelessness services or youth and family support, the impact is great”.

Tracey Green
Director People and Culture

Tip for other customers:  

Engage a multidisciplinary team and involve stakeholders early in the process to ensure everyone owns their responsibilities. Effective change management is key to a successful transformation.