UKG started from the merger of Ultimate Software and Kronos Incorporated in April 2020.
The company is based in both Weston, Florida, and Lowell, Massachusetts. Aron Ain, the former Kronos CEO, led UKG until July 2022.
Then Christopher Todd took over as CEO.
In July 2024, former SAP co-CEO Jennifer Morgan stepped in as the new CEO. UKG helps organizations manage their workforce more effectively by combining HR, payroll, and workforce management into cloud-based software solutions.
In this UKG review, I’m going to share some key facts about it.
It supports over 80,000 organizations in 165 countries.
UKG puts a strong focus on diversity, equity, and workplace culture initiatives.
In 2021, UKG purchased Great Place to Work, which added workplace culture analytics to its offerings. The company employs around 13,500 people.
For fiscal year 2021, UKG reported $3.3 billion in revenue.
Despite this growth, it cut about 14% of its workforce in July 2024, around 2,250 jobs.
Even with this challenge, UKG remains one of the biggest names in enterprise HR and workforce management software.
| UKG – Quick Overview | |
|---|---|
| What It Does | Helps you manage your workforce effectively by combining HR, payroll, and workforce management in one cloud-based platform. |
| Best For | • Medium to large enterprises (100+ employees) • Organizations with complex, multi-location or shift-based workforces • Industries like healthcare, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, public sector, and professional services • Companies needing end-to-end HR, payroll, time, and scheduling management with compliance and labor analytics |
| Key Products | UKG Pro • UKG Dimensions • UKG Ready • UKG HR Service Delivery • Great Place to Work • UKG Wallet |
| Pricing | Pricing is customized based on business size and needs: • UKG Pro: Around $24–$35 per employee/month • UKG Dimensions: Estimated $5–$20 per employee/month • UKG Ready: Starting at $6–$15 per user/month No free trial, but free demos available Enterprise pricing varies with contract length and customization |
| Standout Features | • Unified HR, payroll, and workforce management • Advanced scheduling, time tracking, and labor analytics • Talent acquisition and performance management tools • Mobile apps for employee and manager access • Robust analytics and compliance controls |
| Integrations | SAP, Oracle, popular ERP systems, learning management, recruiting, finance software, plus numerous third-party apps via open APIs and pre-built connectors |
| Get Started | Start Free Trial → |
UKG Solutions
UKG offers a solid suite of cloud-based tools for HR, payroll, talent, and workforce management.
Here’s a quick look at their main products and what they do for you.
1. UKG Pro
UKG Pro is their flagship Human Capital Management platform.
It covers everything from HR and payroll to talent acquisition, onboarding, benefits administration, and workforce analytics.
If you work in a mid-sized or large company, this platform gives you a unified place to manage the entire employee lifecycle efficiently.
2. UKG Dimensions
This one focuses on workforce management.
It helps with time and attendance tracking, scheduling, labor analytics, leave and absence management, plus compliance.
UKG Dimensions is perfect if your organization handles complex workforce needs, especially in healthcare, retail, or manufacturing sectors.
3. UKG Ready
Here’s a tool made for small to mid-sized businesses.
It combines HR, talent, payroll, and time management into one integrated solution.
This gives you a scalable way to manage your people operations without juggling multiple systems.
4. UKG HR Service Delivery
This set of tools supports your HR team with case management, document generation, employee file management, and process automation.
It helps deliver faster, more efficient HR services across your workforce.
5. Great Place to Work
This solution provides insights and analytics about workplace culture based on decades of research.
It’s designed to help your organization improve employee retention, engagement, and overall performance.
6. UKG Wallet
If your workforce includes hourly or frontline employees, UKG Wallet could be a big help.
It offers on-demand access to earned wages, supporting your employees’ financial wellness.
Integrations
UKG products plug into hundreds of third-party applications.
This includes popular ERP systems like SAP and Oracle, as well as learning management, recruiting, and finance platforms.
Open APIs and pre-built connectors keep your workforce management flowing smoothly across your tech stack, cutting down on manual tasks and eliminating duplicate work.
UKG Features
1. Unified HR and Payroll Management
You can manage the entire employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding to payroll, performance, and offboarding.
Having HR, payroll, and workforce management in one platform means less data duplication and more accurate reporting.
2. Advanced Workforce Management
UKG’s roots in Kronos really show here. The platform offers powerful tools for scheduling, time tracking, leave management, and labor analytics.
Automated scheduling and compliance monitoring reduce errors and support fair workforce practices.
3. Talent Acquisition and Talent Management
You get tools for sourcing, evaluating, and onboarding candidates integrated right within the platform.
Performance management features enable continuous feedback, goal tracking, and personalized development plans. These help you retain and grow top talent.
4. Mobile Accessibility
UKG’s mobile apps let your employees and managers handle tasks like clocking in/out, viewing schedules, approving timecards, accessing pay info, and submitting requests from their smartphones.
This keeps your workforce connected, especially if you have remote, distributed, or field teams.
5. Powerful Analytics and Reporting
Real-time dashboards and strong reporting tools give you actionable insights on HR and workforce metrics.
You can visualize trends in turnover, engagement, labor costs, and compliance to help make informed decisions.
6. Security & Compliance
UKG solutions come with strong data privacy and security controls, including role-based access, audit trails, and compliance tools for GDPR, HIPAA, and FLSA.
This is critical if you work in highly regulated industries.
7. API & Integration Ecosystem
Open APIs and a broad marketplace let you connect UKG with many other business tools like accounting, applicant tracking, learning management, and timekeeping hardware.
This lets you fit UKG right into whatever systems you already use.
Unique to UKG is the combination of deep workforce management functionality with comprehensive HCM. Many competitors focus on just one area, but UKG’s suite serves organizations that need both.
Their focus on employee experience shows too, with initiatives like acquiring Great Place to Work and working on salary equity. These UKG features really set them apart.
UKG Pricing Plans
UKG pricing depends a lot on what your business needs. They don’t show public pricing for most products because it’s tailored to your company size, the modules you want, and contract length.
From what I gathered on review sites and user forums, pricing usually starts in certain ranges depending on the product. Add-ons and extra features can increase your monthly costs.
If you want a closer look, you can request a demo or personalized walkthrough since UKG doesn’t offer a free plan, though some smaller modules might have limited trials.
| Plan | Price & Features |
|---|---|
| UKG Pro | Around $24–$35 per employee per month • Core HR and payroll modules • Add-ons like recruiting or analytics available • Minimum contract sizes for 100+ employees |
| UKG Dimensions | $5–$20 per employee per month • Workforce management tools • Volume discounts available • Pricing varies by company size |
| UKG Ready | $6–$15 per user per month • Core HR, payroll, and time features • Affordable for smaller businesses • Flexible user plans |
| UKG Wallet and HR Service Delivery | Custom pricing – sold as add-ons • Add-ons to main platform subscriptions • Costs vary by company size • Module-based pricing |
| Enterprise/Custom Pricing | Custom pricing – contact sales • Tailored for large or complex organizations • Multi-year contracts often required • Global deployment options |
Pricing might shift a bit depending on your contract terms, especially if your business has specific or complex requirements.
If you want to check out UKG pricing further or get a personalized quote, click here to learn more about UKG pricing →
UKG Alternatives
UKG competes with some big names in the HCM and workforce management space.
I’ve seen how it stacks up against five leading competitors, and there are clear differences.
Some focus on payroll, others aim for big enterprises.
Here’s how UKG compares with each:
| Competitor | Their Strengths | UKG Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| ADP Workforce Now | Strong payroll for small firms; less robust scheduling | Offers deeper workforce management than ADP at similar costs |
| Workday | Enterprise HCM with finance and planning tools | Better time and scheduling tools while matching Workday’s pricing |
| Ceridian Dayforce | Competitive time and payroll but smaller product ecosystem | Broader integrations and stronger analytics than Dayforce |
| Paycom | Simpler, SMB-focused payroll and HR | Advanced scheduling capabilities beyond Paycom’s offerings |
| SAP SuccessFactors | Designed for large orgs, complex deployments | Stronger workforce analytics with a focus on employee experience |
UKG brings together strong scheduling, time tracking, and payroll with tools that boost employee experience.
You might find it costs more than payroll-only options, but it’s priced fairly against Workday or SAP.
Its wide integrations and focus on culture really make UKG stand out among UKG alternatives.
Who Should Use UKG
1. Medium to Large Enterprises
UKG works best if your organization has 100 or more employees.
It handles complex workforces, multiple locations, and a mix of hourly and salaried staff well.
Key industries that fit include healthcare, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, public sector, and professional services.
2. Organizations Needing End-to-End HR Management
If you want full management of HR, payroll, time, and scheduling, UKG can be very helpful.
It’s especially good when compliance, labor analytics, and employee experience matter in your day-to-day operations.
Also, if you want to unify global HR efforts or need advanced scheduling for shift-based teams, UKG is a strong fit.
3. Small Businesses or Startups
If you run a small business or startup and only need basic payroll and HR, UKG might be more than you need.
Simpler and cheaper platforms like Gusto or Paychex could make more sense for you.
If your focus is only on performance management or recruiting, then a point solution may work just fine.
Bottom Line
UKG offers a strong all-in-one platform for HR, payroll, and workforce management.
Its top features include solid scheduling, detailed analytics, and lots of integrations.
The platform focuses more and more on improving the employee experience.
Pricing and complexity might be too much for smaller businesses.
There were recent layoffs, which could mean some internal issues, but the product stays reliable and scalable.
If you manage a medium-to-large team and need a solution covering payroll to performance, UKG should be on your list.
It works well for companies that care about efficiency, compliance, and employee engagement.
I hope this UKG review has helped you understand if it fits your needs.
