Great place to grow technically, but corporate hurdles block career advancement - Software Development Engineer (SDE) Workday Employee Review

4.0
Apr 5, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- Strong engineering culture: Plenty of opportunities to learn, grow, and apply your technical skills. The tech stack is modern and there's a good level of engineering freedom. - Compensation is competitive: Includes RSUs, regular stock refreshers, and performance bonuses. - Flexible hybrid work model: You get a lot of freedom to manage your schedule, and there’s generally little to no micromanagement (with a few exceptions).

Cons

- Career advancement can be slow: The promotion process is heavily influenced by hierarchy and tenure, making it difficult to navigate. - Leadership avoids accountability: Decisions are often delayed or unclear, which can stall product momentum. Some past strategic missteps have had a larger negative impact than necessary, including during recent layoffs. - Overly corporate structure: Progress often requires multiple layers of approval, which can slow innovation and responsiveness.

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Workday Response
1y
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback about our work environment. We strive to create a positive workplace culture and take your input seriously. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with specific information or suggestions via email at our Employee Relations mailer (employee.relations@workday.com).

Explore other reviews about Workday

5.0
Jul 1, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Work life balance is good, coworkers are very nice

Cons

Constant changes in the company

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Workday Response
6d
Thank you for your review, we appreciate you taking the time to share your experience at Workday. We're committed to fostering an open, inclusive culture, and feedback like yours helps us continue to grow and improve for all our Workmates.
3.0
Jun 29, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Excellent engineering talent and knowledgeable coworkers. Strong engineering culture with high code quality standards. Modern technology stack and opportunities to work on large-scale enterprise software. Good work-life balance compared to many tech companies. Competitive compensation, benefits, and employee perks. Collaborative environment with supportive teammates. Opportunities to learn new technologies and grow technically. Stable development processes and mature SDLC practices. Strong emphasis on testing, code reviews, and software quality. Flexible work arrangements (depending on team).

Cons

Large organization means decision-making can be slow. Significant amount of process and bureaucracy before changes reach production. Cross-team dependencies can slow delivery. Career growth can depend on organizational priorities and manager support. Frequent reorganizations can shift priorities and disrupt long-term projects. Innovation may move slower than at smaller startups. Internal tools and processes can sometimes feel overly complex. Communication between teams can occasionally be inconsistent. Like much of the tech industry, the company has experienced layoffs, creating uncertainty for some employees. Promotions can take time and require navigating multiple approval levels.

1
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Workday Response
6d
Thank you for your thoughtful review. We're aware that there's always room to grow, but at Workday, we take pride in our dedication to our Workmates and the 'employee first' ethos we've embedded since day one. We value your feedback as well as the praise you have provided in your review.
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