For over three decades, Tobii Dynavox has led assistive communication technology. Headquartered in Stockholm and present in 65+ countries, the company helps millions of people with ALS, autism, and cerebral palsy communicate and live independently.
Tobii Dynavox’s rapid growth has included mergers and acquisitions, which required integrating companies across multiple countries, each with its own platforms and systems. At one point, it managed around 10 separate HR and payroll systems across 4 continents, with no integration. Routine tasks like compiling a headcount report could take days or weeks, and new hires had to be entered manually into multiple systems, including HR, expense, and payroll. To support this growth, Tobii Dynavox saw the need for a flexible, unified HR and payroll solution.
Building the foundation with a strategic partner.
Historically, Tobii Dynavox operated two HR systems - one in Europe and one in North America. As the company scaled, this fragmented setup became increasingly inefficient and unsustainable.
Looking ahead, Tobii Dynavox aims to grow 20% annually over the next five years through both organic expansion and strategic acquisitions. Technology is central to this plan, helping automate processes, reduce manual work, and minimize duplication so the company can scale effectively and operate more efficiently long term.
Tobii Dynavox partnered with Strada to deploy a comprehensive suite of Workday solutions, including HCM, Compensation, Absence, Recruiting, Time Tracking, Expenses, U.S. Payroll, and U.S. Benefits as the first phase, followed only a few months later by Advanced Compensation, Learning, and Talent. The project scope was ambitious: a rapid, multi-country rollout designed to keep pace with the company’s fast-evolving global business.
Using the Workday Launch methodology to accelerate time to value, Strada successfully led Tobii Dynavox through two rapid deployment projects, culminating in an impressive go-live in just eight months. “Our collaboration with Strada has been instrumental – providing valuable insights and steadfast support that helped us navigate the complexities of this transformation. Together, we’re shaping a stronger, more agile organization equipped to meet the evolving needs of millions around the world,” shared Mikael Bäckström, Chief People & Sustainability Officer at Tobii Dynavox.
From vision to execution with leadership support.
To support the accelerated deployment timeline and drive effective decision-making, Tobii Dynavox harnessed Workday Education for targeted training courses, enabling internal teams to quickly gain proficiency with the platform. In parallel, the company used Workday Community, an interactive forum where users connect, collaborate, and learn from peers in similar industries. Workday Community resources proved instrumental in driving adoption and sustaining momentum, particularly during the later phases of the deployment.
Post go-live, Strada provided hands-on support during Tobii Dynavox’s initial payroll cycles, ensuring a smooth transition and accurate, timely employee payments.
The transformation was championed by both the Chief People & Sustainability Officer and the Head of People Systems & Insights, Anna Ahlenius. Executive sponsorship was a critical success factor, with full backing from the executive management team, including the CEO.
I’m incredibly proud of what the team has achieved. The collaboration, commitment and expertise have been key to our successful transition to a unified HR experience through the Workday platform. This milestone not only enhances our HR and payroll operations but also sets the stage for greater efficiency and future growth.
Chief People & Sustainability Officer
Achieving transformation and measurable success.
Tobii Dynavox is now benefiting from the several positive outcomes of their digital transformation. The most significant improvements were in considerable efficiency gains. Processes that previously took several days across disconnected systems can now be completed within 1 hour using Workday’s integrated platform.
This streamlined approach created a seamless experience for new joiners, with data automatically flowing into downstream systems for onboarding and payroll.
“Deploying Workday delivered a clear business impact. Within the first 6 months post‑implementation, we reduced duplicate HR data entry by 90%, dramatically improving data quality,” noted Ahlenius. And the results didn’t stop there.
“Within the first year, the company automated 75% of previously manual HR and payroll tasks, freeing HR teams to focus on more strategic work. Over the same period, the average time required to generate standard HR reports fell by 80%, giving leaders near real‑time access to workforce insights and enabling faster, better‑informed decisions,” Ahlenius added.
Implementing Workday has brought transformative improvements to our organization. By replacing multiple fragmented HR and payroll systems with a unified platform, we’ve not only streamlined our operations but also significantly improved data accuracy, consistency, and accessibility.
Head of People Systems & Insights
Built for the next phase of growth.
The transformation continues with a strategic focus on refining core business processes. Onboarding is a prime example, where efforts are underway to reduce complexity and equip hiring managers with tools that increase efficiency and autonomy. The HR team is also developing an M&A playbook that defines critical processes and integration dependencies, ensuring consistency and agility.
Looking ahead, Tobii Dynavox is committed to measuring success and ROI year over year. This data-driven approach enables continuous improvement and helps identify scalable practices that align with the company's strategic growth goals.
As we continue to build on this foundation, we’re excited to further leverage Workday tools and partnerships to drive scalability and operational excellence in support of Tobii Dynavox’s continued growth.
Head of People Systems & Insights