Auto Group creates culture of trust and belonging with UKG

UKG, a leading provider of HR, payroll, workforce management, and culture solutions for all people, announced that Heartland Motor Company, the family-owned parent company for a group of auto dealerships and car washes, is transforming its workplace culture to create a great place to work by building a foundation of trust and belonging with the help of the AI-powered UKG Pro suite.

With a mission to create remarkable experiences for its people and the communities it serves, Heartland Motor Company partnered with UKG to empower frontline staff through innovative technology that gives employees a voice to communicate and collaborate with each other and leadership.

“I’ve never experienced an HCM solution with as much engagement power as UKG,” said Tina Barte, vice president of HR for Heartland Motor Company. “UKG has generated amazing outcomes for our people with technology that allows us to meet them where they are by soliciting feedback — and then taking action on that feedback — to elevate our culture and build trust as well as a deepened sense of belonging.”

Since going live on Pro, Heartland has received positive feedback from employees through regular surveys powered by modern AI and natural language processing (NLP) technology that help the auto dealer understand what is working and where there are opportunities to create an even better experience, no matter where employees are located.

“We consistently receive glowing feedback on our onboarding process, driven by our UKG suite, and how the automation of previously manual tasks shows respect for our employees’ time,” said Barte. “We can also automatically schedule performance reviews in UKG and deliver meaningful manager feedback, which has been a big driver of employee engagement. Additionally, we’ve used the responses from exit surveys to raise our wage scales and change our vacation policy and benefits so we’re better supporting our people.”

To further engage employees, in line with its great place to work mission, Heartland recently upgraded to UKG AI-powered workforce management, which gives employees access to mobile-first technology that provides greater flexibility and work-life balance.

“Our employees love the ability to clock in and out of shifts with their phones, which is something we didn’t have with our prior solution,” said Barte. “For our HR team, UKG makes leave tracking easy for FMLA and other types of leave.”

Barte noted that Pro makes work easier for all by empowering employees in every role to focus on meaningful work for themselves and the business, which has led to an overall increase in retention and engagement.

“With UKG HR service delivery, we know we are processing every employee inquiry, and with document management, we have created a centralized electronic system that administrators and employees both find easy to use,” said Barte. “UKG has done a phenomenal job launching products that make life easier for everyone and allow us to communicate clearly with employees in support of our great workplace culture.”

“Great workplaces like Heartland Motor Company prove that innovative HR technology increases productivity, lowers turnover, and grows the bottom line,” said Hugo Sarrazin, chief product and technology officer at UKG. “Most importantly, the power of AI, coupled with a deep focus on creating a workplace where all people feel heard, valued, and a sense of belonging, leads to incredible people and business outcomes.”