Building a foundation for hyper-growth.
When Databricks first began its journey, the people function was essentially a blank slate. As a small company with massive potential, the leadership team knew they needed to implement a system that wouldn't just work for the present, but would scale alongside their vision. For Amy Reichanadter, Chief People Officer at Databricks, choosing Workday was one of her first and most critical strategic moves.
Scaling from hundreds to thousands.
Growth at Databricks has been nothing short of meteoric. In just six years, the organization has expanded from 500 employees to nearly 10,000. This rapid scaling required a "force function"—a way to think through strategic processes at scale rather than reacting to growth as it happened. By starting with core HRIS and moving into Workday Payroll, Databricks created a flexible environment that supported their evolving needs.
Navigating global expansion and M&A.
The complexity of Databricks' growth was amplified by significant M&A activity. Within a two-year window, the company’s global footprint doubled, expanding from 20 countries to 40 almost overnight. Workday was instrumental in ensuring this expansion was both fast and compliant. Whether integrating new acquisitions or entering new geographies, the platform provided the necessary agility to maintain operational consistency across the globe.
Workday was instrumental, ensuring that we could scale at the pace that we needed to, both in a fast and compliant way.
Chief People Officer
Prioritizing the employee experience.
In the competitive landscape of data and AI, hiring the "absolute best and brightest" is a core priority. Databricks understands that elite talent expects an extraordinary employee experience. By leveraging Workday, the company ensures that its internal systems reflect the same high standards of innovation and efficiency that they provide to their own customers, keeping the focus on quality of hire over simple speed.