- Software giant Workday tapped into the potential of the cloud and rose to the 2025 Fortune 500 list, raking in $8.4 billion in revenue during the fiscal year. The company’s chief revenue officer, Patrick Blair, shares the five business takeaways that got them there—from fostering a “disruptive” spirit, to focusing on honing skills.
A couple decades ago, software leaders David Duffield and Aneel Bhusri hatched a billion-dollar idea: creating a company that could be “born in the cloud,” as opposed to clunky on-premises applications. This revolutionary concept started in 2005 birthed the $8.4 billion technology giant Workday.
The financial and HR software business has since joined the ranks of America’s largest companies, joining the industry elite on the Fortune 500 list last year. Operating in the cloud is now shared by other technology giants—from Amazon and Microsoft, to Google and Oracle—further solidifying Workday’s vision as an industry standard. The Pleasanton, California-based company’s clientele includes many industry heavyweights; Workday provides services to more than 60% of the Fortune 500, with over 70 million users across 11,000 organizations. Notable customers include AT&T, Bank of America, Comcast, Accenture, and Salesforce, to name a few.
When it debuted on the Fortune 500 in 2024, Workday enjoyed breakout success; the business pulled $7.3 billion in revenue, amassing nearly $1.4 billion in profits. And this year things have been heating up even more; total revenue for the 2025 fiscal year hit $8.4 billion, up 16.4% year-over-year. Workday’s growth was driven by seismic changes—both globally and within the company. Since 2023, the software company has ushered in a new CFO, CMO, and CIO. And when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, shuttering offices globally, Workday had swooped in to provide services. Clients had to refresh their infrastructure and design a new employee experience under remote and hybrid settings, and Workday provided tools to parse workforce productivity and sentiment. The pandemic led to a boom in business.
But Workday wouldn’t be where it is today without remaining true to the six “core values” its co-founders Duffield and Bhusri espoused nearly two decades ago: employees, customers, innovation, integrity, fun, and profitability. CEO Carl Eschenbach said the company has stayed true to those principles, serving as a sounding board through times of transition.
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“A lot has changed. We’ve grown, we’ve scaled,” Eschenbach told Fortune. “But the values of the company have never changed, and nor will they change going forward.”
Workday is still nowhere near its final destination—doubling-down on its advanced technology transformation is the business’ next frontier. As of mid-2024 the company had rolled out around 50 AI features, including generative AI tools for customers to build employee growth plans and job descriptions. The company has released more than 25 other AI features so far in 2025, with eight role-based AI agents set to become available this year.
Aspiring technology companies could learn a thing or two from Workday’s business philosophy and strategy. The company’s chief revenue officer, Patrick Blair, tells Fortune there are five key takeaways for businesses: stay committed to your core value, maintain trust, lean into a disruptive spirit, champion customer success, and focus on skills—not pedigree.
“The companies that aren’t afraid to take big swings and be disruptive will always win,” Blair says.
Workday’s 5 business takeaways from its $8.4 billion success
Blair shares his top five business learning lessons for other companies hoping to emulate the success of Workday:
Stay relentlessly committed to your core value
“From day one, our business has been guided by a few non-negotiable values: employees, customer satisfaction, innovation, integrity, fun, and profitability. These aren’t just words on a wall; they’re the compass that directs our decisions, from product development to how we treat our people. Not only has this commitment to values helped us build an enduring culture–it directly fuels our revenue engine. Happy employees create better products and services, leading to happier customers who renew and expand their business with us.”
Trust is paramount
“In the enterprise software space, you’re dealing with mission-critical systems and sensitive data. Our customers entrust us with the very heart of their operations – their people and money. We’ve worked tirelessly to earn and maintain that trust through transparency and reliability, and a commitment to always operating with integrity. That means being upfront about challenges, delivering on our promises, and always putting our customer needs first.”
Foster a disruptive spirit
“When Workday was founded, the enterprise software landscape was dominated by on-premise solutions. Our co-founders Dave Duffield and Aneel Bhusri saw the potential of the cloud early on and made a bold bet to establish Workday as a cloud-based company. This wasn’t just about technology; it was about fundamentally reshaping the future of enterprise applications. They envisioned a new paradigm, one where businesses could not only keep pace but also stay three steps ahead. We have always been driven by the desire to help our customers see around corners, anticipating the next tectonic shifts – especially now, as we lead the charge into the era of agentic AI. The companies that aren’t afraid to take big swings and be disruptive will always win.”
Champion customer success
“Championing customer success is core to our values and strategy. When our customers succeed, they expand their usage and become advocates for Workday. We see customer success as the key to long-term value and growth. It’s a partnership and we’re on the journey together.”
Focus on skills, not pedigree
“The traditional model of work is rapidly evolving, and organizations are realizing that skills, not just background or the job titles you’ve had, are the currency of the future. This approach not only helps organizations address talent shortages but also fosters a culture of continuous learning and growth. By focusing on skills, we’re helping organizations future-proof their workforce and unlock the full potential of their people, ensuring they remain competitive in the years to come. As we enter this new era of AI, understanding the skills of your workforce becomes even more critical. It’s all about building a workforce that can not only adapt to change, but drive it.”