Workday Rising 2024 in Las Vegas is coming up quickly. And with the session scheduler now live for attendees, it’s time to lock in your plans.
Attending sessions is one of the best ways to get the most out of your Workday Rising experience. But with more than 400 sessions featuring over 500 speakers, how do you decide which to attend?
That question is why we put this blog together.
Building your Workday Rising agenda
We’ve scoured this year’s session scheduler to create recommended agendas for HR, payroll, and finance attendees. In addition to the sessions, we’ve carved out time in these agendas for you to explore the Expo Hall, network, and more to ensure you’re maximizing your Workday Rising experience.
If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out the Braindate platform. With Braindate, you can set up one-to-one or small group meetings with your peers to talk about anything you’d like. Ask for help with a problem or share your expertise to help someone else! It’s a great way to sharpen your skills and grow your network.
We encourage you to copy one of these agendas as is and consider your pre-event planning done or use one as a baseline to build your own unique experience. Just remember: once you identify the sessions you like, sign up as soon as possible to reserve your spots, as sessions will fill up quickly. We’ve included the session IDs to make it easy to look them up in the session scheduler.
If you find that the sessions you’re interested in are already full, don’t worry. Most will be available for you to watch on demand following the conference — some are even available to be streamed live during the conference! We strongly recommend utilizing this on-demand session feature after the event, since it is difficult to attend more than a small handful of sessions in person.
Now, let’s get into the agendas.
Workday Rising agenda for Payroll
Are you a payroll professional on your way to Workday Rising? You’re in luck! This year, the conference offers 55 sessions related to payroll. You’ll get the chance to hear from Workday product managers, Workday Payroll customers, and Workday partners on topics ranging from how to use AI in payroll to how to build a seamless global payroll program.
Monday
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Registration and badge pickup
Technically, registration and badge pick-up is open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday and during additional times throughout the event. However, we suggest heading over to the check-in area a little before the Welcome Keynote so you’re not rushing to get your badge before attending sessions later.
5:00 PM – 6:15 PM: Welcome Keynote
You won’t want to miss this opening keynote headlined by Former First Lady Michelle Obama. The keynote promises inspirational stories of transformational change and asks attendees to “prepare to open your mind to what’s possible.” The keynote also features Carl Eschenbach, CEO, Workday; Emma Chalwin, CMO, Workday; and Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing.
6:15 – 8:00 PM: Welcome Reception
This is your first chance to get a look at the Expo Hall. You’ll get to check out the exhibitors, snag some swag, enjoy a wide array of appetizers, and start networking! It’s also a great opportunity to get familiar with the lay of the land ahead of the first full day of the conference.
Tuesday
6:15 AM – 7:30 AM: Sunrise 5k Fun Run and Walk (optional)
You’ll be spending a lot of time indoors standing and sitting throughout the week. This activity is a great opportunity to get some fresh air and get your blood flowing before an action-packed day. Feel free to take it easy by walking — this should help wake you up not wear you out!
8:00 AM – 8:45 AM: Lite bites and coffee
Take advantage of the complimentary food and coffee at the conference. Enjoy the added benefit of being near the Innovation Keynote room, so you’re not having to rush off after your breakfast to claim a seat for this wildly popular keynote!
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM: Innovation Keynote
In this keynote, leaders from across Workday, including Chief Product Officer David Somers and Chief Technology Officer Jim Stratton, share their vision for the future of work. This session always gets the most press, and deservedly so! You’ll get a peek into the Workday roadmap and hear all about the latest Workday innovations.
11:30 AM – 12:15 PM: Lunch
Of course, we have a break for lunch! Be sure to fill up and get hydrated for the busy afternoon. Believe us, with so much to see and do at Workday Rising, it’s easy to accidentally skip lunch.
12:15 PM – 1:00 PM: Workday Payroll Strategy and Vision [PSVHR2064]
Hear the latest on Workday’s mission to deliver a global payroll solution that simplifies payroll complexity through seamless experiences, tighter partner integrations, trustworthy AI, and more — and get a sneak peek into what's next.
1:00 PM – 3:45 PM: The Expo Hall and Braindates
This is prime time to attend Braindates and explore the Expo Hall.
3:45 PM – 4:30 PM: Going Beyond Getting It Right: Transforming Payroll and Total Rewards [SPLP1840]
Beyond payroll fundamentals, hear how Workday Payroll customers are reducing compliance risk, increasing efficiency, and improving the employee experience to transform their organizations. Featuring Purple, Owens & Minor, and Niagara Bottling.
Wednesday
6:15 AM – 7:30 AM: Sunrise yoga (optional)
Yoga may not be for everyone, but we promise this activity is 100% beginner-friendly. Never underestimate the power of a good stretch! If you can’t or don’t want to do all the poses, it’s totally fine to focus on the few you like or simply meditate. The beauty of yoga is that it’s a personal practice you can form to fit your needs.
8:00 AM – 8:45 AM: Lite bites and coffee
Enjoy a light breakfast and coffee at the conference before heading off to the Community Keynote.
9:00 AM – 10:20 AM: Community Keynote
Go behind the scenes with some of the world’s most successful companies to hear how the Workday platform is helping them elevate humans and supercharge work. Following a presentation by a group of Workday leaders, Racetrac VP of Accounting Merlix Reynolds will take the stage to close out the keynote.
11:30 AM – 1:30 PM: Lunch
Lunch again! We’re going to keep putting this in here to make sure you take the time to nourish yourself. This is also a great time for Braindates and Expo Hall exploration.
2:45 PM – 3:30 PM: What’s New: Workday Global Payroll [HRWN2085]
Explore exciting new and upcoming features of Workday Global Payroll. Learn how to configure and leverage these features to provide a seamless experience for your employees and payroll practitioners.
7:30 PM – 10:30 PM: Customer Appreciation Party
Did you really go to Workday Rising if you didn’t attend the Customer Appreciation Party? See Gwen Stefani live in concert for this “Neon Nevada Nights” party at Allegiant Stadium. The crowd will be decked out in their flashiest neon attire, so be sure to pack yours!
Thursday
9:15 AM – 10:00 AM: AI and the Positive Impact on Payroll [HRLP2115]
AI is everywhere, but what is it? Come learn about the Workday human-first approach to AI in payroll, discover how AI is already being applied, and get a glimpse of where Workday is headed in the future.
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM: Brunch
Follow up for final session of the conference with some brunch before taking one last look around the Expo Hall and heading out.
Workday Rising agenda for HR
In addition to the keynote sessions, Workday Rising offers 182 sessions for the HR audience that explore seven key themes. Those themes are 1) diversity, equity, and inclusion 2) elevating employee experiences 3) innovation and optimizations 4) organizational agility 5) people insights and planning 6) skills and the talent lifecycle and 7) workforce management.
Since employee engagement and improving the employee experience are at the center of many HR strategies today, we’ve built an agenda that focuses most strongly on those areas. These sessions are perfect for you if you’re looking for ways to utilize Workday and its partner ecosystem to improve employee satisfaction, engagement, and productivity.
Monday
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Registration and badge pickup
Technically, registration and badge pick-up is open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday and during additional times throughout the event. However, we suggest heading over to the check-in area a little before the Welcome Keynote so you’re not rushing to get your badge before attending sessions later.
5:00 PM – 6:15 PM: Welcome Keynote
You won’t want to miss this opening keynote headlined by Former First Lady Michelle Obama. The keynote promises inspirational stories of transformational change and asks attendees to “prepare to open your mind to what’s possible.” The keynote also features Carl Eschenbach, CEO, Workday; Emma Chalwin, CMO, Workday; and Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing.
6:15 – 8:00 PM: Welcome Reception
This is your first chance to get a look at the Expo Hall. You’ll get to check out the exhibitors, snag some swag, enjoy a wide array of appetizers, and start networking! It’s also a great opportunity to get familiar with the lay of the land ahead of the first full day of the conference.
Tuesday
6:15 AM – 7:30 AM: Sunrise 5k Fun Run and Walk (optional)
You’ll be spending a lot of time indoors standing and sitting throughout the week. This activity is a great opportunity to get some fresh air and get your blood flowing before an action-packed day. Feel free to take it easy by walking — this should help wake you up not wear you out!
8:00 AM – 8:45 AM: Lite bites and coffee
Take advantage of the complimentary food and coffee at the conference. Enjoy the added benefit of being near the Innovation Keynote room, so you’re not having to rush off after your breakfast to claim a seat for this wildly popular keynote!
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM: Innovation Keynote
In this keynote, leaders from across Workday, including Chief Product Officer David Somers and Chief Technology Officer Jim Stratton, share their vision for the future of work. This session always gets the most press, and deservedly so! You’ll get a peek into the Workday roadmap and hear all about the latest Workday innovations.
11:30 AM – 1:30 PM: Lunch
Of course, we have a break for lunch! Be sure to fill up and get hydrated for the busy afternoon. We’d also recommend using this break between sessions to schedule Braindates and explore the Expo Hall.
1:15 PM – 2:00 PM: Workday Human Capital Management, Workday Help, and Total Rewards: Strategy and Vision [PSVHR2065]
Workday is showcasing the latest innovations and sharing its vision for the future of HR. Learn how to master the dynamic business environment with one secure foundation to power productivity and humanize your organization.
2:00 PM – 3:45 PM: The Expo Hall and Braindates
This is another great time for Braindates and Expo Hall exploration.
3:45 PM – 4:30 PM: Going Beyond Getting It Right: Transforming Payroll and Total Rewards [SPLP1840]
Beyond payroll fundamentals, hear how Workday customers are reducing compliance risk, increasing efficiency, and improving the employee experience to transform their organization. Featuring Purple, Owens & Minor, and Niagara Bottling.
Wednesday
6:15 AM – 7:30 AM: Sunrise yoga (optional)
Yoga may not be for everyone, but we promise this activity is 100% beginner-friendly. Never underestimate the power of a good stretch! If you can’t or don’t want to do all the poses, it’s totally fine to focus on the few you like or simply meditate. The beauty of yoga is that it’s a personal practice you can form to fit your needs.
8:00 AM – 8:45 AM: Lite bites and coffee
Enjoy a light breakfast and coffee at the conference before heading off to the Community Keynote.
9:00 AM – 10:20 AM: Community Keynote
Go behind the scenes with some of the world’s most successful companies to hear how the Workday platform is helping them elevate humans and supercharge work. Following a presentation by a group of Workday leaders, Racetrac VP of Accounting Merlix Reynolds will take the stage to close out the keynote.
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM: Lunch
Lunch again! We’re going to keep putting this in here to make sure you take the time to nourish yourself. If there is more you'd like to see in the Expo Hall, this is a good opportunity to do that as well.
1:15 PM – 2:00 PM: Skills First: Revolutionize Your Hiring and Talent Strategies [HRLP2101]
Explore innovative approaches to recruitment, candidate engagement, and talent optimization in a skills-driven economy. See how Workday products enable companies to optimize and develop their workforce with skills-based programs.
3:25 PM – 3:45 PM: A Hands-On Guide to Rolling Out the New Total Rewards Experience [HRD2128]
Learn how to craft an impactful total rewards experience that enables you to stand out and retain top talent. Get tips and tricks on how to provide visibility into the compensation, benefits, and perks that employees care most about.
7:30 PM – 10:30 PM: Customer Appreciation Party
Did you really go to Workday Rising if you didn’t attend the Customer Appreciation Party? See Gwen Stefani live in concert for this “Neon Nevada Nights” party at Allegiant Stadium. The crowd will be decked out in their flashiest neon attire, so be sure to pack yours!
Thursday
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM: Brunch
No sweat if you stayed up late the night before at the Customer Appreciation Party. You can take a little extra time to get up on Thursday morning and head over to enjoy brunch starting at 9:00 a.m.
10:30 AM – 11:15 AM: Moments That Matter: Measure the Effectiveness of Your Employee Experience, from Onboarding to Exit [HRLP2094]
Learn how to integrate Workday Peakon Employee Voice with Workday Journeys and Workday Onboarding to measure the impact of the most pivotal moments in the employee experience.
Workday Rising agenda for Finance
Finance professionals will also be pleasantly surprised by the number of finance-related sessions at Workday Rising. These 153 sessions cover the following key themes: 1) data-driven decision-making 2) efficient finance operations 3) enterprise planning and 4) proactive spend management.
We’ve selected a range of sessions focused on digital transformation and FP&A to help maximize your investment in Workday Financials.
Monday
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Registration and badge pickup
Technically, registration and badge pick-up is open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday and during additional times throughout the event. However, we suggest heading over to the check-in area a little before the Welcome Keynote so you’re not rushing to get your badge before attending sessions later.
5:00 PM – 6:15 PM: Welcome Keynote
You won’t want to miss this opening keynote headlined by Former First Lady Michelle Obama. The keynote promises inspirational stories of transformational change and asks attendees to “prepare to open your mind to what’s possible.” The keynote also features Carl Eschenbach, CEO, Workday; Emma Chalwin, CMO, Workday; and Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing.
6:15 – 8:00 PM: Welcome Reception
This is your first chance to get a look at the Expo Hall. You’ll get to check out the exhibitors, snag some swag, enjoy a wide array of appetizers, and start networking! It’s also a great opportunity to get familiar with the lay of the land ahead of the first full day of the conference.
Tuesday
6:15 AM – 7:30 AM: Sunrise 5k Fun Run and Walk (optional)
You’ll be spending a lot of time indoors standing and sitting throughout the week. This activity is a great opportunity to get some fresh air and get your blood flowing before an action-packed day. Feel free to take it easy by walking — this should help wake you up not wear you out!
8:00 AM – 8:45 AM: Lite bites and coffee
Take advantage of the complimentary food and coffee at the conference. Enjoy the added benefit of being near the Innovation Keynote room, so you’re not having to rush off after your breakfast to claim a seat for this wildly popular keynote!
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM: Innovation Keynote
In this keynote, leaders from across Workday, including Chief Product Officer David Somers and Chief Technology Officer Jim Stratton, share their vision for the future of work. This session always gets the most press, and deservedly so! You’ll get a peek into the Workday roadmap and hear all about the latest Workday innovations.
11:30 AM – 1:15 PM: Lunch
Of course, we have a break for lunch! Be sure to fill up and get hydrated for the busy afternoon. Believe us, with so much to see and do at Workday Rising, it’s easy to accidentally skip lunch.
1:15 PM – 2:00 PM: Finance Transformation for Tech Companies: Medidata and Indeed [INLP2207]
Even if you’re not a tech company, you’ll benefit from hearing the stories of Medidata and Indeed. Hear how they began their financial transformations with a deep assessment of people, processes, and technology. Learn how Workday Financial Management enabled them to bring simplicity and agility to their businesses to create a platform of growth.
2:45 PM – 3:30 PM: Customer Panel on FP&A Readiness: Strategically Preparing for AI [PLLP2004]
Hear from your peers on how FP&A can strategically prepare for incorporating AI into enterprise planning and take finance from hindsight to foresight.
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM: The Expo Hall and Braindates
End your day exploring the Expo Hall. This could also be a good window of time for you to schedule Braindates.
Wednesday
6:15 AM – 7:30 AM: Sunrise yoga (optional)
Yoga may not be for everyone, but we promise this activity is 100% beginner-friendly. Never underestimate the power of a good stretch! If you can’t or don’t want to do all the poses, it’s totally fine to focus on the few you like or simply meditate. The beauty of yoga is that it’s a personal practice you can form to fit your needs.
8:00 AM – 8:45 AM: Lite bites and coffee
Enjoy a light breakfast and coffee at the conference before heading off to the Community Keynote.
9:00 AM – 10:20 AM: Community Keynote
Go behind the scenes with some of the world’s most successful companies to hear how the Workday platform is helping them elevate humans and supercharge work. Following a presentation by a group of Workday leaders, Racetrac VP of Accounting Merlix Reynolds will take the stage to close out the keynote.
11:55 AM – 12:15 PM: Demo: Accounting and FP&A [FND2231]
Join this session to see how Workday Financial Management and Workday Adaptive Planning work seamlessly together.
12:15 PM – 1:30 PM: Lunch
Another reminder to take a moment to make sure you eat something for lunch. We also recommend using this time between sessions to explore the Expo Hall and schedule a Braindate or two.
3:45 PM – 4:45 PM: What’s New: Financial Reporting [FNWN2038]
Learn about the latest enhancements with financial reporting in Workday. This session will look at the different reporting needs of the finance department, from operational reporting to financial statements and everything in between.
7:30 PM – 10:30 PM: Customer Appreciation Party
Did you really go to Workday Rising if you didn’t attend the Customer Appreciation Party? See Gwen Stefani live in concert for this “Neon Nevada Nights” party at Allegiant Stadium. The crowd will be decked out in their flashiest neon attire, so be sure to pack yours!
Thursday
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM: Brunch
No sweat if you stayed up late the night before at the Customer Appreciation Party. You can take a little extra time getting up Thursday morning and head over to enjoy brunch starting at 9:00 a.m.
10:15 AM – 11:00 AM: Don’t Leave Money on the Table: Fund Your Next Workday Project with Accounts Payable [SPLP1841]
There’s untapped cash hidden in your AP process. Hear how these Workday Financial Management customers are streamlining operations and modernizing payments to uncover cash in AP—all without additional tech complexity, cost, or risk.
See you at Workday Rising
We hope this blog has made the scheduling process easier as you prepare for next month’s conference. When you’re out in the Expo Hall on Monday night, come stop by the OneSource Virtual booth to say hi! We have a variety of activities planned for the conference that we'd love to share with you.
About OneSource Virtual
OneSource Virtual (OSV) delivers in-tenant technology and expert services to automate the administrative, transactional tasks of Workday payroll, taxes, payments, and benefits. With over 1,000 customers and 95% customer retention, OSV is the leading exclusive provider of Business-Process-as-a-Service (BPaaS) solutions to Workday customers.
