Your Best Workday Student Video Probably Isn’t About Workday Student
Technology plays an important role in any major system change, but technology on its own rarely inspires people to engage, adapt, or lead through change. What truly motivates people is the future a system makes possible and the role they see for themselves within it.
As institutions prepare for Workday Student implementations, it’s common for communications to focus heavily on the platform itself: features, timelines, milestones, and what’s changing in the system. While this information is necessary, it’s rarely what builds understanding or momentum.
People don’t connect to platforms. They connect to purpose.
A Different Approach to Workday Video Storytelling
I recently had the opportunity to create a Workday Student project video for an institution in implementation. This wasn’t part of my usual scope of work, which typically sits at the intersection of systems thinking, change management, and operational strategy. But storytelling is a powerful change tool, and there was a clear need to help people understand what this project really meant for their campus.
So I took a risk.
The video wasn’t centered on Workday itself.
Workday Student was mentioned only twice, and the logo appeared on screen for less than two seconds. The remainder of the video focused entirely on the institution: its identity, its strengths, and the possibilities ahead when the right systems are in place to support the work already happening on campus.
Why This Resonated
The response to the video was overwhelmingly positive, and not because it explained how the system works. It resonated because people recognized themselves and their institution in the story being told.
When change is framed only as a technology implementation, it can feel abstract, imposed, and disconnected from daily work. When it is framed as part of an institution’s broader mission and future direction, it becomes meaningful and shared.
That is when change begins to take hold.
What This Means for Workday Student Projects
Large system implementations like Workday Student are complex and often disruptive, with long timelines and competing demands on campus teams. If the primary narrative centers only on configuration, tasks, and go-live dates, engagement naturally fades over time.
When institutions lead with stories about who they are, what they value, and where they are going, technology takes its rightful place as an enabler rather than the hero. This shift helps people understand why the change matters and how their work fits into the larger picture.
Lead With People, Not Platforms
If your campus is heading toward Workday Student or another major technology change, it’s worth stepping back and considering the story you are telling.
Lead with your people, your mission, and your future. Let the technology support that story rather than define it.
About Legato Strategic Consulting
Legato Strategic Consulting partners with higher education institutions to navigate complex system change by centering people, process, and purpose alongside technology.
If you’d like support shaping communications or change strategies that resonate with your campus community, schedule a discovery call.
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The right story can make all the difference.
