UKG, a leading provider of HR, payroll, and workforce management solutions for all people,  announced the winners of the 2023 Innovation Awards announced at UKG Aspire, which recognize customers leveraging AI-powered UKG technology and the power of their UKG partnership to create a great place to work and drive exceptional business results.

“This award is recognition of our entire team’s hard work and dedication to creating a better workplace for all employees across all locations,” said Kelley Doss, payroll benefits, and HRIS director at Carlex Glass America. “For us, our people always come first, and UKG is partnering with us to ensure we’re always innovating and always moving forward with the best interests of our employees and our business in mind.”

This year, UKG honored a record 15 customers from around the world for using technology as a cornerstone of their culture and growth strategy:

• T-Mobile has increased employee satisfaction and created a better customer experience by migrating to the AI-powered UKG Pro Workforce Management (formerly UKG Dimensions) to manage its complex workforce needs. With UKG, T-Mobile has experienced exceptional success in forecasting and scheduling tens of thousands of workers across its 3,000 retail locations.
• Toyota Motor North America is working to expand use of Pro Workforce Management across its sites to support a flexible scheduling model. The automaker is working toward providing increased automation and flexible scheduling options such as an open-shift marketplace to allow increased flexibility for schedule changes through the UKG Pro mobile app.
• Unified Women’s Healthcare has seen employee morale and productivity surge since implementing UKG Pro. The health network has created a new business structure that eliminated 190 component companies, setting the stage for a total system transformation that will allow for seamless, exponential growth, and its new-hire onboarding process has been reduced from seven hours to 45 minutes, saving nearly 20,000 labor hours annually. HR data auditing has also gone from 18 hours to one hour per week — a 94% reduction in workload.
• Carlex Glass America recently consolidated multiple timekeeping systems into one with its Pro suite, eliminating hundreds of file feeds and integrations. Additionally, leveraging surveys powered by AI and natural language processing technology within Pro, the auto glass manufacturer can understand what’s important to frontline employees and take action based on survey feedback to create a great place to work for all people, in all roles.
• Cargill has been piloting options for providing more flexibility and non-traditional work schedules to better support employees’ work-life balance. Beginning next year, Cargill plans to test a new workforce management platform at select locations in North America to provide production employees with the ability to view their schedules, sign up for open shifts, and swap shifts.
• Bon Secours Mercy Health has successfully transitioned to a mobile-first environment that empowers associates to manage their schedules in Pro Workforce Management, improving retention rates and reducing disruptions to operations. The healthcare provider also launched skills-based scheduling that lets associates choose shifts aligned with their qualifications and expertise, leading to a better workplace experience and improved patient care.
• OneStream Software is using Pro and HR service delivery to deliver a superior and consistent employee experience for recruitment, onboarding, and performance management, while driving a unified culture worldwide. With people analytics, the organization provides alerts, internal APIs, reports, and dashboards to recruiters, managers, and HR business partners, to empower informed, real-time, and accurate decisions.
• Leslie’s, Inc., the largest and most trusted client-to-consumer brand in the U.S. pool and spa care industry, leverages People Assist within Pro to conduct performance reviews and develop talent across the company. With People Assist, Leslie’s successfully rolled out its new development model, which empowers leaders to evaluate performance, drive development, and support meaningful professional growth for their associates. People Assist was critical in creating a custom and simple experience that saves leaders time and allows them to focus on engaging with their associates.
• Aimbridge Hospitality is partnering with UKG to build a more flexible  and convenient workplace for employees through flex scheduling and shift-sharing initiatives. As the world’s largest hotel operator, with nearly 1,500 hotels and 55,000 employees around the world, Aimbridge recognized the need for associates to hold the power with their schedules and have a choice in when and where they work, allowing many of them to choose optimal shifts and pick up additional shifts at other properties in their local markets, giving them gig-style flexibility in a historically non-flexible industry. As one of the first — and, in many markets, only — hotel operators to offer this capability, Aimbridge differentiates itself in the industry and attracts top talent.
• Simpson Strong-Tie is tapping the power of Pro Workforce Management to transform its work culture, prioritize employee wellbeing, and advance diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. Flexible scheduling will give employees greater work-life balance and will prevent burnout and lower overall turnover, all in support of Simpson’s ongoing commitment to create a workplace culture that puts people first.
• Greater Anglia has experienced increased productivity and significant operational improvements with Pro Workforce Management, helping reduce crew delays and train cancellations caused by errors — as employees can access rosters easily on their mobile devices — as well as better roster forecasting, which has led to improved performance and customer experience and lower costs.
• Moses Lake Community Health Center is creating a culture where staff feel valued and heard. With Pro Workforce Management, staff can self-select shifts and, starting in January 2024, open shifts for the entire year will be pre-released to employees in UKG, dramatically reducing the time it takes to fill shifts while ensuring balanced coverage for patients and staff.
• Pennymac enhanced its HR functions by optimizing its workflows and compliance processes using UKG technologies. With HR service delivery in its Pro suite, Pennymac facilitated its tuition reimbursement and new-hire onboarding by automating paper-based forms. HR documents are now stored electronically, further strengthening Pennymac’s compliance and risk management capabilities, including a robust audit trail.
• Rowleys Wholesale is leveraging UKG Ready to support its people and growth plans. Ready onboarding has created a consistent experience across all warehouses, with retention rates among new hires rising to 95% in the first year. Moreover, 97% of employees are using the Ready mobile app to access paystubs, benefit information, and time-off requests. Automated compliance tracking ensures CDL drivers, equipment techs, and associates are meeting federal and state guidelines.
• Mike Morse Law Firm has experienced significant success in attracting a more diverse workforce through automated recruiting and hiring practices in Ready. Since going live on Ready in early 2023, the firm has increased its diversity rate to an all-time high of 30% and reduced its turnover rate from 33% to 7%, distinguishing itself as a transformative leader in its field.

“This year’s Innovation Award winners represent the best of what is possible when you invest in your people,” said Bob Hughes, chief customer and strategy officer at UKG. “Organizations like those we celebrate today, who prioritize building a great place to work for all with AI-powered technology, reap the benefits of a more engaged and productive workforce. As the authority on workplace culture, we are proud to partner with these organizations and so many others worldwide to inspire greatness throughout their journeys.”

Explore HRtech News for the latest Tech Trends in Human Resources Technology.