Here’s the first question every Workday implementation team asks during kickoff:
“Should we use Position Management or Job Management?”
And here’s what usually happens next:
Someone from Finance says: “We need Position Management for headcount budgeting and control.”
Someone from HR says: “Position Management sounds complicated. Can we just use Job Management?”
Someone from IT says: “What’s the difference?”
The conversation stalls. The team defaults to Job Management because it seems simpler. Implementation moves forward.
Six months after go-live, Finance complains: “We can’t track approved headcount. We can’t freeze positions. We can’t budget by position.”
HR says: “We told you Job Management was easier.”
Finance says: “Easier doesn’t mean right.”
Now you’re stuck. Switching from Job Management to Position Management post-go-live requires a complete data migration, org redesign, and business process reconfiguration. It’s a multi-month project that could have been avoided with the right decision during implementation.
This guide explains the difference between Position Management and Job Management, when to use each, and how to make the right choice for your organization before you go live.
Let’s start with the fundamentals.
What Is Job Management?
Job Management is Workday’s default staffing model. It’s simpler, more flexible, and easier to implement. In Job Management, you hire workers directly into Job Profiles without creating predefined positions.
How Job Management Works
When you hire a worker using Job Management:
- You select a Job Profile (e.g., “Software Engineer,” “HR Business Partner,” “Sales Manager”)
- You assign the worker to a Supervisory Organization
- You assign a Location, Cost Center, and other job details
- The worker is hired, and their job data is tracked in Workday
There is no position object. The worker’s job is defined by their Job Profile, organization assignments, and manager relationship.
Example: Hiring with Job Management
Scenario: You need to hire a new Software Engineer for the Engineering – Product team.
Steps:
- Navigate to Hire Employee
- Enter worker details (name, email, hire date)
- In Job Details:
- Job Profile: Software Engineer
- Supervisory Organization: Engineering – Product
- Manager: Alex Garcia (Director, Engineering Product)
- Location: San Francisco Office
- Cost Center: Engineering Product Cost Center
- Submit and approve
The worker is now employed. Workday tracks their job data, but there is no “Position 12345” assigned to them. They simply hold the job “Software Engineer” in the “Engineering – Product” organization.
Key Characteristics of Job Management
Flexibility:
- You can hire as many people as you want into the same Job Profile
- No need to create positions in advance
- Easy to restructure organizations without worrying about position assignments
Simplicity:
- Fewer Workday objects to manage (no positions)
- Easier to implement and configure
- Less training required for HR and hiring managers
Limitations:
- No headcount control: You can’t limit the number of people in a Job Profile
- No position-level budgeting: You can’t budget for “Position 12345” with a specific salary
- No position freeze: You can’t freeze hiring for a specific position
- No position requisition tracking: You can’t track which positions are open vs. filled
Who Uses Job Management:
- Small to mid-sized companies (under 5,000 employees)
- Companies with flexible, rapidly changing org structures
- Startups and high-growth companies
- Organizations without strict headcount control requirements
- Companies that don’t need position-level budgeting
What Is Position Management?
Position Management is Workday’s advanced staffing model. It’s more structured, more controlled, and more complex. In Position Management, you create predefined Positions in advance, and workers are hired into those positions.
How Position Management Works
In Position Management, you follow this workflow:
- Create a Position in Workday (e.g., “Software Engineer – Position 12345”)
- Assign the position a Job Profile, Supervisory Organization, Location, and budgeted salary
- The position exists in Workday with status = Unfilled (no worker assigned yet)
- When you’re ready to hire, you create a Requisition linked to that position
- When you hire a worker, you assign them to the position
- The position status changes to Filled
The position object exists independently of the worker. If the worker terminates, the position remains and can be refilled.
Example: Hiring with Position Management
Scenario: You need to hire a new Software Engineer for the Engineering – Product team.
Step 1: Create the Position
- Navigate to Create Position
- Fill in position details:
- Position ID: POS-12345 (auto-generated or manually entered)
- Job Profile: Software Engineer
- Supervisory Organization: Engineering – Product
- Manager: Alex Garcia (Director, Engineering Product)
- Location: San Francisco Office
- Cost Center: Engineering Product Cost Center
- Budgeted Salary: $120,000 annually
- Effective Date: January 1, 2025
- Submit and approve
- Position is created with status = Unfilled
Step 2: Create a Requisition
- Navigate to Create Requisition
- Link the requisition to Position POS-12345
- Submit for approval
- Requisition is posted, recruiting begins
Step 3: Hire a Worker into the Position
- Navigate to Hire Employee
- Enter worker details (name, email, hire date)
- In Job Details:
- Position: POS-12345 (select the position)
- Workday auto-fills Job Profile, Supervisory Org, Location, Cost Center, and Budgeted Salary from the position
- Submit and approve
The worker is now employed in Position POS-12345. The position status changes from Unfilled to Filled.
Key Characteristics of Position Management
Control:
- Predefined positions with approved headcount
- Each position has a budgeted salary
- You can freeze positions to prevent hiring
- You can track open vs. filled positions in real time
Budgeting:
- Finance can budget by position (not just by Job Profile or org)
- Each position has a salary budget that can be tracked against actuals
- Position-level cost forecasting and workforce planning
Tracking:
- Requisitions are linked to positions
- You can see which positions are open, filled, or frozen
- Historical tracking: who held each position over time
Complexity:
- More Workday objects to manage (positions, requisitions, position hierarchies)
- Requires upfront planning (you must create positions before hiring)
- More training required for HR, hiring managers, and Finance
- Less flexibility (harder to restructure orgs when positions are involved)
Who Uses Position Management:
- Large enterprises (5,000+ employees)
- Government agencies and public sector organizations
- Highly regulated industries (healthcare, financial services)
- Organizations with strict headcount control and budget governance
- Companies that need position-level budgeting and forecasting
Key Differences: Job Management vs. Position Management
| Dimension | Job Management | Position Management |
|---|---|---|
| Staffing Model | Workers hired into Job Profiles | Workers hired into predefined Positions |
| Headcount Control | No control (hire as many as you want) | Strict control (only hire into approved positions) |
| Budgeting | Budget by Job Profile or Org | Budget by individual Position |
| Position Freeze | Not available | Can freeze positions to prevent hiring |
| Requisition Tracking | Requisitions not linked to positions | Requisitions linked to positions |
| Flexibility | High (easy to restructure orgs) | Lower (positions tied to orgs) |
| Complexity | Simple (fewer objects to manage) | Complex (positions, requisitions, hierarchies) |
| Implementation Time | Faster (less configuration) | Slower (requires position setup) |
| Best For | Small/mid-sized, flexible orgs | Large enterprises, regulated industries |
| Workday Default | Yes (default staffing model) | Optional (must be enabled and configured) |
When to Use Job Management
Choose Job Management if:
1. You’re a Small to Mid-Sized Organization (Under 5,000 Employees)
Small companies value flexibility over control. You need to hire quickly, restructure frequently, and avoid bureaucratic headcount approval processes.
Why Job Management Works:
- No need to create positions in advance (hire as needed)
- Easy to scale up or down rapidly
- Minimal overhead for HR and Finance teams
Example:
A 500-person startup needs to hire 50 engineers over the next quarter. Instead of creating 50 positions, approving budgets for each, and tracking requisitions, they simply hire engineers into the “Software Engineer” Job Profile as candidates are found.
2. Your Organization Restructures Frequently
If you reorganize teams quarterly, change reporting lines often, or operate in a fast-paced, agile environment, Position Management becomes a maintenance burden.
Why Job Management Works:
- Workers are tied to Job Profiles and Supervisory Orgs, not positions
- When you restructure, you just reassign workers to new orgs (no position reassignments)
- No risk of orphaned positions or position hierarchy mismatches
Example:
A tech company reorganizes product teams every quarter based on roadmap priorities. Workers move between teams frequently. Job Management keeps HR administration simple without worrying about position updates.
3. You Don’t Need Strict Headcount Control
If Finance doesn’t require position-level budgeting, and your leadership trusts managers to hire within budget guidelines, you don’t need the overhead of Position Management.
Why Job Management Works:
- Budget at the Supervisory Org or Cost Center level (not position level)
- Managers approve hires based on team need, not predefined positions
- Simpler approval workflows (no position requisition step)
Example:
A consulting firm hires based on client demand. Headcount fluctuates based on project pipeline. Finance budgets by Cost Center and trusts practice leaders to hire appropriately without position-level control.
4. You Want a Faster, Simpler Implementation
Position Management requires significant upfront configuration, position data setup, and business process customization. If you’re on a tight implementation timeline, Job Management is faster.
Why Job Management Works:
- Fewer Workday objects to configure
- No need to load historical position data
- Simpler business process workflows (Hire, Terminate, Change Job)
- Less training required for end users
Example:
A company switching from a legacy HRIS to Workday has 4 months to go live. They choose Job Management to avoid the complexity of creating and loading 3,000 positions during migration.
When to Use Position Management
Choose Position Management if:
1. You Need Strict Headcount Control and Budget Governance
Large organizations, government agencies, and highly regulated industries require tight control over headcount. Every hire must be approved, budgeted, and tracked at the position level.
Why Position Management Works:
- Finance approves each position with a budgeted salary before recruiting begins
- You can’t hire unless a position exists and is unfilled
- Position freeze prevents hiring into specific roles without additional approval
Example:
A state government agency has a fixed annual headcount budget approved by the legislature. Every position must be authorized, budgeted, and tracked. Position Management ensures compliance with public sector headcount rules.
2. You Budget and Forecast at the Position Level
If Finance builds budgets by position (not just by department or Job Profile), you need Position Management to align Workday with your budgeting process.
Why Position Management Works:
- Each position has a budgeted salary that flows into financial planning tools
- Finance can compare budgeted salary (position) vs. actual salary (worker)
- Workforce planning tools show open positions, filled positions, and budget variance
Example:
A Fortune 500 company builds annual budgets by position. Finance allocates $150,000 for “Senior Product Manager – Position 45678.” Workday tracks actual salary against this budgeted amount and reports variance monthly.
3. You Need to Track Open vs. Filled Positions in Real Time
If leadership wants real-time visibility into open headcount, requisition status, and time-to-fill metrics, Position Management provides this out of the box.
Why Position Management Works:
- Positions have status: Unfilled, Filled, Frozen
- Requisitions are linked to positions (easy to track open reqs)
- Reports show open position counts by department, location, Job Profile
Example:
A healthcare system with 10,000 employees needs to track critical open positions (nurses, physicians, therapists). Position Management gives HR and leadership a live dashboard of open positions, requisition status, and hiring pipeline.
4. You Operate in a Highly Regulated Industry
Government agencies, healthcare organizations, and financial services firms often have regulatory requirements for headcount tracking, position documentation, and audit trails.
Why Position Management Works:
- Full audit trail: who created the position, who approved it, who filled it, when
- Position history shows all workers who held a position over time
- Supports compliance reporting and external audits
Example:
A federal agency must document every position, justify every hire, and provide audit trails for inspector general reviews. Position Management provides the required documentation and compliance tracking.
5. You Want to Freeze Hiring for Specific Positions
If your organization needs the ability to temporarily freeze hiring for specific roles (due to budget cuts, hiring freezes, or organizational changes), Position Management supports this.
Why Position Management Works:
- You can freeze individual positions or groups of positions
- Frozen positions can’t be filled until unfrozen
- Provides granular control over hiring without blanket freezes
Example:
A company facing budget constraints freezes 50 mid-level manager positions while keeping engineering and sales positions open. Position Management allows this selective freeze without stopping all hiring.
Hybrid Model: Can You Use Both?
Yes. Workday allows you to use Position Management for some Job Profiles and Job Management for others.
How the Hybrid Model Works
You configure specific Job Profiles to require positions. Workers hired into those Job Profiles must be assigned to a position. Other Job Profiles remain position-optional.
Example Hybrid Configuration:
Positions Required:
- Executive roles (VP, SVP, C-Suite)
- Management roles (Director, Senior Manager)
- High-cost roles (Principal Engineer, Senior Architect)
Positions NOT Required:
- Individual contributor roles (Software Engineer, Sales Rep, Analyst)
- Contract workers and consultants
- Temporary or seasonal workers
When to Use Hybrid Model
The hybrid model works well when:
- You need headcount control for leadership and management roles but want flexibility for individual contributors
- Finance wants to budget senior positions individually but budget IC roles at the org level
- You want to phase Position Management in gradually (start with exec roles, expand over time)
Hybrid Model Challenges
Complexity:
- Two staffing models to manage and maintain
- Users need to understand which roles require positions and which don’t
- Reporting becomes more complex (some workers have positions, some don’t)
Recommendation:
Only use hybrid if you have a clear business reason. Most organizations should choose one model and stick with it for simplicity.
Implementation Considerations
Switching from Job Management to Position Management
The Bad News:
Switching from Job Management to Position Management post-go-live is painful. You need to:
- Create positions for every current worker
- Assign workers to positions (mass update via Change Job)
- Reconfigure business processes to require positions
- Retrain HR, hiring managers, and recruiters
- Migrate requisition workflows
This is a multi-month project with significant change management effort.
The Good News:
If you choose the right model during implementation, you won’t need to switch.
Switching from Position Management to Job Management
Even Harder.
Workday strongly discourages switching from Position Management to Job Management because:
- You lose all position-level budget data
- Historical position tracking is lost
- Requisitions become unlinked from positions
- Finance loses position-based forecasting
Recommendation:
If you think you might need Position Management in the future, implement it from day one. It’s easier to start with Position Management and simplify later than to retrofit it after go-live.
Decision Framework: Job Management vs. Position Management
Use this decision tree to choose the right model:
Question 1: Do you need strict headcount control?
- Yes: Position Management
- No: Continue to Question 2
Question 2: Does Finance budget at the position level?
- Yes: Position Management
- No: Continue to Question 3
Question 3: Do you need to track open vs. filled positions in real time?
- Yes: Position Management
- No: Continue to Question 4
Question 4: Are you in a highly regulated industry (government, healthcare, financial services)?
- Yes: Position Management
- No: Continue to Question 5
Question 5: Do you have more than 5,000 employees?
- Yes: Consider Position Management (depends on control requirements)
- No: Job Management is likely sufficient
Question 6: Do you restructure frequently or operate in a fast-paced environment?
- Yes: Job Management
- No: Position Management may work
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Choosing Job Management Because “It’s Easier”
The Problem:
Teams default to Job Management during implementation because it’s simpler and faster. They ignore long-term requirements for headcount control and budgeting.
What Happens:
Finance complains post-go-live. You’re forced to retrofit Position Management 12 months later at massive cost and effort.
The Fix:
Involve Finance early. Understand budgeting and headcount control requirements before choosing a staffing model.
Mistake 2: Choosing Position Management When You Don’t Need It
The Problem:
Teams assume “bigger companies use Position Management, so we should too.” They implement Position Management without clear business requirements.
What Happens:
HR drowns in position administration. Creating and maintaining positions becomes a bottleneck. Hiring slows down. Users complain about complexity.
The Fix:
Only implement Position Management if you have a clear business need for position-level control and budgeting.
Mistake 3: Not Planning for Future Growth
The Problem:
A 1,000-person company chooses Job Management because “we don’t need position control today.” They plan to grow to 10,000 employees over 5 years.
What Happens:
At 5,000 employees, Finance demands position-level budgeting. Now you need to retrofit Position Management across a live tenant.
The Fix:
Design your staffing model for future state, not current state. If you plan to grow significantly, choose Position Management from the start.
Workday Tasks for Position Management
Create and Manage Positions:
- Create Position (define new positions)
- Edit Position (update position details)
- Fill Position (assign worker to position)
- End Position (inactivate position)
- Freeze Position (prevent hiring into position)
Position Requisitions:
- Create Requisition (linked to position)
- Edit Requisition (update req details)
- Close Requisition (when position is filled)
Position Reporting:
- View Position (see position details and history)
- Position Summary (track open vs. filled positions)
- Position Budget vs. Actuals (Finance reporting)
Position Hierarchies:
- Create Position Hierarchy (group positions for reporting)
- View Position Hierarchy (see position org structure)
Final Thoughts
Choosing between Job Management and Position Management is one of the most important decisions you’ll make during Workday implementation.
Choose Job Management if:
- You’re small to mid-sized (under 5,000 employees)
- You value flexibility and speed over control
- You don’t need position-level budgeting
- You restructure frequently
- You want a simpler, faster implementation
Choose Position Management if:
- You need strict headcount control and governance
- Finance budgets at the position level
- You need to track open vs. filled positions in real time
- You’re in a highly regulated industry
- You’re a large enterprise with complex workforce planning needs
The Right Time to Decide:
During implementation, not after go-live.
Involve Finance, HR, and leadership. Understand your current requirements AND your future state. Choose the model that supports your business for the long term.
Because switching later is expensive, disruptive, and avoidable.
