UKG Ready Visit Website
Core features include HR Management, Payroll, Time & Attendance, Scheduling, Talent Management. Unique capabilities: Single unified platform for HR, payroll, and workforce management, Industry-specific workflows and compliance tools, Mobile-first employee self-service capabilities.
Description
UKG Ready is a unified workforce management solution designed for small and midsize businesses. It combines HR, talent, payroll, time, and scheduling capabilities into a single cloud-based platform to help organizations manage their entire workforce from pre-hire to retire.
Key Features
- HR Management
- Payroll
- Time & Attendance
- Scheduling
- Talent Management
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Reviews
Overall
As an Enterprise IT Manager, I've overseen the implementation and maintenance of UKG Ready across our mid-sized organization for nearly two years. The platform delivers on its promise of unifying workforce management functions into a cohesive ecosystem. The cloud-based architecture has proven reliable with minimal downtime, and the integration between modules (particularly payroll and time tracking) creates significant efficiency improvements compared to our previous siloed systems. The single database approach eliminates redundant data entry and the synchronization issues we previously faced. From an IT management perspective, UKG Ready offers a reasonable balance of configurability and standardization. The platform's administration tools are comprehensive, allowing our team to manage user permissions, workflows, and system settings without excessive vendor dependence. API capabilities have allowed us to connect UKG with other enterprise systems, though some integrations required more custom development than anticipated. While the interface is generally intuitive, the learning curve for administrators is steeper than end users, requiring dedicated training time. System updates are well-communicated and generally smooth, though occasionally new features require additional configuration adjustments. One notable challenge has been scalability at the upper limits of the 'mid-sized business' range. As our organization approached 800 employees, we began experiencing some performance degradation during peak processing periods (particularly during large payroll runs and fiscal year transitions). Support response has been adequate but inconsistent, with technical issues sometimes requiring escalation to resolve in a timely manner. The reporting engine, while powerful, requires significant expertise to extract complex cross-module analytics, often necessitating the creation of custom reports rather than using out-of-box solutions.
Overall
As a startup founder who implemented UKG Ready for our 30-person team, I found it to be a double-edged sword. The platform offers an impressive range of functionality that consolidates HR, payroll, time tracking, and talent management into a single system, which eliminated our previous patchwork of disconnected tools. The employee self-service portal has been particularly valuable, reducing administrative overhead by allowing team members to manage their own information, time-off requests, and benefits enrollment. However, the implementation process was more resource-intensive than anticipated for our lean team. The system required significant configuration and customization to match our specific workflows, and the learning curve for administrators was steeper than expected. While the custom pricing model allowed us to select only the modules we needed, the overall cost still represented a substantial investment for our startup. I found myself questioning whether we truly needed all the sophisticated features at our current stage. The reporting capabilities have proven valuable for making data-driven decisions about our workforce, but I often feel we're only utilizing about 60% of the platform's capabilities. For startups with aggressive growth plans or those in regulated industries requiring robust compliance features, UKG Ready could be a smart long-term investment. However, very early-stage ventures might find the system's complexity and cost difficult to justify until they reach a certain scale or complexity in their operations.
Features
As a small business owner who implemented UKG Ready six months ago, I've found it to be a significant upgrade from our previous disjointed HR systems. The platform genuinely delivers on its promise of unifying workforce management functions. The payroll processing is particularly impressive - it handles our complex commission structure and multiple state tax requirements without issues, and the automated tax filing has saved us countless hours each quarter. The time and attendance features have proven extremely valuable, especially the mobile clock-in capabilities that our field staff uses daily. The scheduling module, while initially overwhelming with its many options, now helps us optimize staffing across our retail locations. The HR management tools streamline employee onboarding and document management, though I wish the customization of workflows was more intuitive. The talent management suite offers solid performance review tools, but we haven't fully utilized the learning management components yet. One aspect that surprised me was how the unified nature of UKG Ready provides unexpected benefits in reporting. Having all workforce data in one system means we can run cross-functional reports that were impossible before, giving us insights into how scheduling affects labor costs or how training impacts productivity. Implementation required significant time investment and the learning curve was steeper than expected, but the ROI has been clear as we've reduced administrative overhead and gained better workforce visibility.
Features
As a department head responsible for overseeing both operational efficiency and team development, I've found UKG Ready to be a valuable unified solution. The platform effectively centralizes HR functions, time tracking, scheduling, and payroll processing—eliminating the need to juggle multiple systems. The talent management features have been particularly useful for our department's growth initiatives, allowing us to streamline performance reviews and identify skill gaps more systematically than our previous fragmented approach. The scheduling capabilities deserve special mention as they've significantly reduced the administrative burden on our management team. Being able to quickly visualize coverage, manage time-off requests, and adjust schedules in real-time has improved our department's responsiveness. The mobile accessibility means my team can clock in/out and request schedule changes without being at their desks, which has improved satisfaction among our field-based staff. However, implementation required more resources than initially anticipated, and the learning curve for some of our less tech-savvy team members was steeper than expected. While the system is powerful, certain customizations required support from IT rather than being self-service as promised. The payroll integration works well for standard compensation structures but required workarounds for some of our department-specific bonus calculations and incentive programs.
Pricing
As a small business owner who implemented UKG Ready for our 35-person operation, I've found the platform offers comprehensive workforce management capabilities but comes with significant pricing considerations. The custom pricing model makes it difficult to budget for this expense without going through their sales process, which is frustrating when comparing options. After implementation, I discovered several add-on costs for features I had assumed were included in the base package, such as advanced reporting and certain compliance tools. While UKG Ready delivers on its promise of unifying HR functions, the ROI calculation is complicated by the pricing structure. The base per-employee cost was higher than competitors like Gusto or Rippling, though the platform does offer more comprehensive features. However, small businesses should be prepared for implementation costs and potential consulting fees that can significantly increase the first-year investment. The multi-year contract requirement also creates a substantial commitment that may be challenging for businesses with fluctuating headcounts or uncertain growth trajectories.
Pricing
As a department head managing a team of 45 employees, I've been using UKG Ready for approximately 18 months. The platform offers comprehensive workforce management capabilities that have streamlined many of our HR processes. However, the custom pricing model has been a significant pain point that complicates budgeting and ROI calculations. The lack of transparent pricing made our initial procurement process unnecessarily complex. We spent weeks in negotiations, and the final cost ended up being considerably higher than our initial estimates. While the platform delivers on its core functionalities, the pricing structure includes numerous add-ons and tier upgrades that weren't clearly communicated upfront. We've experienced several instances where features we assumed were included actually required additional payment, leading to budget overruns and difficult conversations with finance. From a department head perspective, this pricing opacity creates ongoing challenges. Annual renewal negotiations are time-consuming, and it's difficult to forecast expenses accurately. When compared to competitors who offer more straightforward pricing models, UKG's approach feels outdated and unnecessarily complex. While the software itself performs well, the pricing model significantly impacts the overall value proposition and creates administrative overhead that could be avoided with a more transparent approach.
Support
As a startup founder who implemented UKG Ready to manage our growing team, I've had a mixed experience with their support services. The platform itself offers an impressive all-in-one solution that consolidates HR, payroll, and workforce management, which initially seemed perfect for our scaling needs. However, the support experience hasn't always matched the promise of the product. The onboarding support was thorough, with dedicated implementation specialists guiding us through the setup process. We received personalized training sessions that helped our small HR team get comfortable with the system. Where support falls short is in day-to-day troubleshooting. Response times can vary dramatically - sometimes we'd get help within hours, other times we'd wait days for resolution on critical payroll issues. For a startup where cash flow and timely payroll are essential, this inconsistency created unnecessary stress. The knowledge base and documentation are comprehensive but not always intuitive for non-HR professionals to navigate. The support team's familiarity with the unique challenges of startups also seems limited. Many support agents are well-versed in the technical aspects of the platform but less equipped to provide guidance on best practices for rapidly growing organizations with changing workforce needs. As we scaled from 15 to 50 employees, we often had to figure out optimization strategies ourselves rather than receiving proactive support from UKG.
Support
As a department head managing 40+ staff members, I've been using UKG Ready for about 18 months. The unified platform concept is excellent in theory - having HR, payroll, scheduling, and time tracking in one system streamlines many administrative processes. The self-service capabilities have reduced basic inquiries from staff, and the reporting tools provide decent visibility into workforce metrics that help with departmental planning. However, the support experience has been consistently disappointing. Response times for tickets often exceed 48 hours, which is problematic when dealing with time-sensitive payroll or scheduling issues. The support team seems compartmentalized, with HR specialists unable to help with payroll questions and vice versa, requiring multiple contacts for cross-functional problems. The knowledge base is adequate but outdated in places, and the training resources don't adequately prepare department heads for the system's complexity. When we've encountered bugs or system glitches, the resolution process has been frustratingly slow. The tiered support model means that as a department head, I often don't have direct access to higher-level support without going through our HR administrators first, creating bottlenecks. While the quarterly system updates bring useful improvements, they sometimes introduce new issues, and support during these transition periods is particularly strained. For the price point, I expected more responsive and knowledgeable support resources dedicated to ensuring department heads can effectively manage their teams through the platform.
Integration
As an Enterprise IT Manager, I've overseen the implementation of UKG Ready across our mid-sized organization, focusing particularly on its integration capabilities. The platform offers a commendable level of integration between its native modules (HR, payroll, time tracking, and scheduling), creating a cohesive ecosystem that reduces the data silos we previously struggled with. The single database architecture means employee information flows seamlessly between modules, eliminating much of the manual data entry that plagued our previous systems. However, when it comes to third-party integrations, UKG Ready presents a mixed experience. The platform offers pre-built connectors for popular business applications like Salesforce, Microsoft 365, and various accounting packages, which work reasonably well after proper configuration. The REST API capabilities allow for custom integrations, though I found the documentation somewhat lacking and the implementation requiring more developer resources than initially anticipated. For organizations with complex integration needs or numerous legacy systems, be prepared for significant IT involvement to achieve seamless connectivity. From an IT management perspective, the cloud-based deployment model reduces infrastructure overhead, but the integration tools could use more robust error handling and monitoring capabilities. When integrations fail, troubleshooting can be cumbersome with limited visibility into the exact failure points. Additionally, the platform's integration options, while adequate for SMBs, may feel constraining for organizations with more sophisticated enterprise architecture needs or those undergoing digital transformation requiring extensive system interoperability.
Integration
As a startup founder who implemented UKG Ready for our team of 35, I found it to be a comprehensive workforce management solution that consolidates multiple HR functions into one platform. The unified approach to handling payroll, HR, time tracking, and talent management is appealing for startups looking to scale without adding multiple software solutions. However, the integration capabilities left me with mixed feelings. On the integration front, UKG Ready offers API access, but I encountered significant challenges when attempting to connect it with our existing tech stack. While it integrates reasonably well with mainstream financial software like QuickBooks, connecting it with our custom CRM and project management tools required more development resources than anticipated. The documentation for custom integrations is adequate but not startup-friendly—you'll likely need dedicated technical expertise or budget for consultants. For startups with limited dev resources, this can become a bottleneck. The pre-built integrations work as advertised, but the ecosystem is more limited compared to nimbler HR startups that prioritize open architecture. I appreciated the comprehensive data export options, which provided a workable fallback when direct integrations weren't feasible. Ultimately, UKG Ready feels designed for established businesses rather than fast-moving startups that need flexibility to quickly connect with emerging tools. If your startup relies heavily on workflow automation across different platforms, be prepared for some integration hurdles.
Pricing Plans
Custom pricing
- ✓ Varies by organization size and needs