Core Need Solved
Cloud-HR giant sought to hold on to scarce high-potential talent during intense market competition.
What We Delivered
“Accelerate” program bundling strategic projects, executive mentoring, and a curated internal network, delivered virtually across geos.
Proof of Impact
Exit-risk for participants dropped; >90 % of alumni still at Workday one year later.
Are you looking for strategies to engage and retain your top talent?
You’re not alone. In fact, talent retention ranks as the #2 strategic priority for HR leaders worldwide in 2025 [1].
When high-performers receive competitive offers weekly, the question isn’t whether they have options elsewhere, but why they should stay with you.
Learn how Workday transformed their “Activate for Sales” program into a powerful retention engine with remarkable results:
- 73% of participants said the program heavily influenced their decision to stay at Workday
- NPS of 75.5—well above industry benchmarks
- 90% of participants volunteered to mentor future cohorts
In this case study, we will break down how we partnered with Workday to achieve these results.
- Our Approach
- What We Delivered
- The Business Impact
- And Why It Matters
1. Our Approach
Workday’s “Activate for Sales” program had been running for three years, but despite bringing together 80 top-performing sales professionals annually, it wasn’t delivering its full potential. The program primarily focused on recognition rather than development, with passive learning formats and limited opportunities for application.
The Program Lead had a vision to transform Activate into an “Elite Academy” that participants would aspire to join. The challenge was clear: elevate the experience by addressing what high-potentials truly value.
1.1: Understanding the High-Performer Mindset
To design an effective solution, we first needed to understand the participants. These weren’t just any sales professionals—they were Workday’s top performers across the globe, individuals who:
- Are highly competitive and achievement-oriented
- Constantly seek ways to gain an edge
- Value networking and connection with peers
- Aspire to leadership positions
- Navigate daily challenges requiring quick decisions and strategic thinking
By analyzing of their goals and challenges, we identified what they truly wanted from the program: practical skill application, opportunities to connect with leadership, and meaningful peer relationships that would help them continue to excel.
1.2: Identifying the Critical Skills
We started by creating a comprehensive skill map that defined what successful sales leadership at Workday looks like. By analyzing leadership feedback and performance data, we identified 28 sub-skills that were organized into three core competency areas:
- Leading Self – Embracing change with a growth mindset, developing high agency, and creating a compelling personal vision
- Navigating Information and Making Decisions – Consuming insights proactively, synthesizing information, and making intuitive decisions under pressure
- Influencing Executives – through clear communication, capturing executive attention, and building bulletproof business cases.
These skill categories aligned perfectly with Workday’s strategic themes for 2025: Drive Innovation, Move with Speed & Agility, Embrace Change, and have a Growth Mindset.
1.3: From Passive to Active Learning
With a clear understanding of both the participants and the skills needed, we reimagined the program structure to transform it from passive consumption to active engagement:
- Redesigned Live Sessions – Instead of having participants listen to speakers for 45 minutes with no follow-up activities, we created interactive workshops with immediate skill application. Each session directly addressed real challenges the sales professionals faced daily.
- Collaborative Problem-Solving – We introduced a “Capstone Project” where participants worked in strategically formed pods of three to tackle real business challenges facing Workday. This approach didn’t just build skills—it created solutions the company could actually implement.
- Group Coaching – We replaced the underutilized digital coaching platform with dynamic group coaching sessions that connected directly to participants’ collaborative projects and real-world challenges.
- Executive Visibility – We created structured opportunities for high-potentials to receive direct feedback from senior leaders they admired, including a final presentation where company directors evaluated their solutions.
- Community Building – Throughout the program, we wove in opportunities for meaningful connection—from the carefully designed pod structure to facilitated networking events that fostered relationships across geographical and functional boundaries.
The result was a comprehensive 9-month experience that addressed all the elements high-performers said they valued, while simultaneously building critical skills that would help Workday succeed in its strategic priorities.
2. What We Delivered
Imagine being handpicked from Workday’s high-performing sales teams to join an exclusive, nine-month experience—one designed not just to recognize your achievements, but to propel your career to new heights.
That’s exactly what participants encountered in the reimagined “Activate for Sales” program. It had everything a top performer dreams about: challenging real-world problem-solving, direct access to senior leadership, immediate application of new skills, and meaningful peer relationships that often continue well past the program’s end.
Below is how it all came together.
2.1: Four Customized Sessions Tackling Real Challenges
From day one, participants stepped into sessions that dove straight into the realities they face daily—whether that’s overcoming objections, influencing at the executive level, or leading diverse account teams scattered across time zones. Each workshop moved beyond typical “talking head” lectures. Instead, participants engaged in:
- Hands-On Exercises: They tackled scenarios pulled directly from Workday’s sales environment.
- Interactive Discussions: Debates, case studies, and role-play to cement learning.
- Immediate Application Activities: Tools and techniques were tested right away, so they could see what worked in their actual deals.
Why It Mattered: By tying every session to the participants’ day-to-day context, learning became sticky. High-performers saw value instantly—no generic “training fluff.”
2.2: A Creative Problem-Solving Blueprint (Plus a Surprise Fourth Step)
Rather than leave people inspired but unsure how to act, the program introduced a three-phase framework to guide them from idea to implementation:
- Define the Problem
Guiding videos, resources, and coaching helped each pod identify a Workday challenge worth solving. - Generate & Refine Solutions
Participants joined collaborative “pod” sessions, where they brainstormed bold ideas, tested assumptions, and refined concepts using structured tools. - Develop Action Plans
Supported by convergent-thinking methods, pods solidified the strongest solutions into tangible proposals.
Then came the surprise “bonus” step:
Present to Directors
A panel of senior leaders provided feedback, deep visibility, and a realistic path to adopt the best ideas. This experience put real skin in the game, made participants feel heard by top leadership, and showed that Workday takes their insights seriously.
Why It Mattered: This structure helped channel creativity in a way that produced tangible outcomes—some of which have already influenced Workday strategy. Busy salespeople don’t have time to guess what to do next. Clear, user-friendly documentation helped each pod stay focused and move forward confidently.
2.3: Outside Experts With Fresh Perspectives
To raise the bar higher, a roster of external thought leaders joined key sessions:
- High-Performance Psychology: An elite coach to Special Forces and pro athletes showed participants how to leverage mental resilience and peak performance strategies in high-stakes sales.
- Strategic Communication: A sales communication specialist taught frameworks for shaping narratives in executive-level conversations.
These experts challenged participants to test new approaches, leading to breakthrough “aha” moments—whether in negotiation strategies, personal resilience, or leadership presence.
Why It Mattered: Bringing in world-class experts underscored that “Activate for Sales” wasn’t just another corporate training; it was a premier development experience worthy of top performers’ ambitions.
2.4: “Baseball Cards” for Self-Awareness
One of the most memorable program artifacts came in Session 1, which focused on personal leadership—understanding who you are and what you bring to the team. Each participant created their own “baseball card,” capturing:
- Origin Story & Personal Vision
- Core Strengths & PI (Predictive Index) Insights
- Key Goals & Areas for Growth
When participants gathered in Pleasanton, these cards sparked deeper conversation, helping colleagues quickly grasp each other’s backgrounds, motivations, and dreams.
Why It Mattered: Elite performers crave personalization. The cards offered a tangible, fun way to share personal narratives—and to celebrate each other as unique contributors within a global organization.
2.5: Robust Feedback & Measurement Tools
From the outset, data collection shaped the experience. Workday wanted participants’ voices to guide future improvements, and they wanted to ensure each skill actually transferred back to the job. So we built out:
- Knowledge Check Surveys
Quick pre- and post-session assessments to measure how confident participants felt about specific skills. - Program Feedback Surveys
Gathered candid input on session quality, pacing, and real-world usefulness. - Goal-Setting Surveys
Conducted at the very beginning to align each participant’s personal aspirations with both the team’s and Workday’s broader objectives.
Why It Mattered: Hard numbers and anecdotal stories combined to paint a clear picture of effectiveness. Post-program reports showed a meaningful skills boost and even a direct link to higher retention rates.
2.6: Group Coaching for Targeted Reinforcement
Between the big sessions, participants hopped into small-group coaching led by professional facilitators. Because everyone was working on actual challenges, coaches could go beyond theory and offer razor-sharp advice on issues like:
- Handling tough stakeholder conversations
- Navigating conflicting priorities in global sales teams
- Overcoming mental blocks in high-pressure deals
Why It Mattered: Top performers often want real-time help with real problems. This group coaching ensured no one fell behind and that each skill learned had a clear application in the heat of the moment.
2.7: Executive Visibility for High Stakes & Recognition
One of the program’s most powerful draws? Direct interaction with senior leadership. In the final phase, directors attended participants’ presentations, evaluating the viability of each proposed solution. They also offered personalized insights on leadership presence and provided a potential runway for implementing the best ideas.
Why It Mattered: High-potential employees want to be seen and valued by top decision-makers. This step added prestige, accountability, and real stakes—a key ingredient in fueling ongoing motivation.
3. Business Impact
By addressing what high-potentials truly value, the enhanced program delivered measurable returns:
- 73% retention influence: Nearly three-quarters of participants reported the program significantly influenced their decision to stay at Workday.
- Extraordinary engagement: The program generated an NPS score of 75.5 (far exceeding industry standards).
- Self-sustaining community: 90% of participants volunteered as mentors for future cohorts, creating a cycle of peer learning.
- Career advancement: As one participant noted, “Activate helped change how I viewed my place at Workday. It introduced me to different business areas and led to interviews for a director position—exactly what I wanted to prepare for.”
But what do these numbers really mean?
Hear what the participants had to say through their own words below:
💥 Belonging. Purpose. Promotions.
Belonging drives performance. With a 75.5 NPS, this program strengthens the fabric of Workday, where people grow their careers—and grow closer to the company.
🔒 People stay where they grow.
73% say Activate highly influenced their decision to stay—because recognition, connection, and growth aren’t optional, they’re expected.
🧠 Real aha moments = real change.
From brain science to bold leadership, 63% left with insights that reshaped how they think and lead.
🚀 From Workshops to Workday.
100% of the participants reported they are applying what they learned—on deals, leadership, and even breathing before big moments. This is learning that sticks.
🪞 From autopilot to intentional growth.
In a world that rarely pauses, this program created space to reflect, connect, and grow. Participants walked away with more than skills—they left with clarity on who they are, how they think, and what they bring to the table.
Why This Matters
The stakes are significant: when top performers leave, organizations lose institutional knowledge, face substantial replacement costs, and damage their employer brand. The 73% of participants influenced to stay confirms the power of Workday’s approach.
The key insight? The most effective retention strategy isn’t defensive—it’s creating an environment so compelling that your highest performers choose to stay despite continuous competitive offers. That’s not just good talent development; it’s strategic business leadership.
Want to learn more about our programs directly from our clients?
We love the spirit of sharing knowledge, and we would be happy to set you in contact with any of these amazing clients below:
