Welcome to Adoption!

Contributed by Angela Knobloch

We successfully launched Workday financials on July 5, 2022! Now the journey of change is a reality as we navigate learning, new experiences, and questions you didn’t know to ask until you were active in the system. This is the phase of ADOPTION.

This stage includes advancing through the initial chaos of the change, through cautious optimism as you are understanding certain aspects better, increasing confidence as you continue to learn, and finally, reaching the future state where now you are competent once again in utilizing the financial system. That’s the future state all of us our navigating toward together.

Adoption after a change is expected to take anywhere from 3-6 months to reach a competence state for individuals. This is common in all large-scale transformation initiatives. How quickly you advance through the change journey is in large part based on actions you can take. 

Consider the following tangible adoption activities:

• Review learning resources available at the UVAFinance training website
• Attend office hours to ask questions and view refresher demos from trainers on targeted topics
• Submit a question to askfinance@virginia.edu
• Reach out to Change Leader (search for Advisory Group member in your area toward the bottom of the page)
• Contact Expense Ambassador in your area for assistance with Expense Reports
• Find a co-worker who has successfully navigated a transaction that may assist you

Here are some thoughts that may help you in this transition phase:

• We’re all learning
• I’m capable of learning this
• Everyone’s doing the best they can
• This is chaotic right now – but it won’t stay this way
• The benefits we’ll reap in the future state will be worth it
• Others are not in the same place as me in the adoption phase
• Adoption is a transition process
• I’ve been through change before, and I can navigate this too
• I’m not alone and there is plenty of support 

Remember that we’re in this together and we will eventually reach a more comfortable state once again!

Change is Inevitable. Growth is Optional. – John Maxwell