What a week! We welcomed more than 750 on-site attendees at ARIA Las Vegas and more than 1,000 virtual attendees for UKG Works, November 14-17. From the opening general session (OGS) with UKG leaders to in-person and virtual breakout sessions, expo experiences, and photo booths, attendees were all smiles. No poker faces here!
And you’ve hit the jackpot, my friends. Anyone registered for UKG Works (either on site in Vegas or virtually) can access on-demand sessions now until December 31, 2021. Log in to the event platform and see which sessions are posted for on-demand access.
If you couldn’t join us, not to worry. I’ve recapped some of the highlights from the OGS and other conference happenings below. You can also save the date for next year’s UKG Customer Conference: November 6-9, 2022, at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas. Trust me when I say you won’t want to miss it. It’s going to be bigger and better than ever. Just wait and see!
UKG Works 2021 Highlights
Creating a culture where people thrive — Be U
The overall conference theme was not only a fun one but had a meaningful message — Be U. The Be U theme encouraged inclusivity, work with meaning, and valuing everyone’s unique contributions. Throughout the conference, attendees gained information centered on supporting their life-work journey and building a culture where all people are equally valued and empowered. Where they feel they belong.
In fact, belonging is one of the major influencing factors for people deciding to stay in or leave a job. The leadership team shared during OGS just how UKG is committed to helping you shape your organizations into even greater places to work. Places where employees feel they are seen, recognized, accepted, and supported. How? Well, one way is through your workforce management and human capital management solutions. Here are a couple of examples:
- Life-work Technology: Cecile Leroux, GVP of Research and Innovation, spoke about Life-work Technology™, the new, inherently life-aware approach to designing and building UKG software solutions. It’s important to note that this is not a specific product; it’s a technology philosophy that elevates people’s relationships with life and work. To understand more, check out this news release of the official Life-work Technology unveiling earlier this year and tune into a podcast Cecile recorded with HCM Technology Report.
- UKG Wallet: Life-work Technology might not be a specific product, but attendees did see the unveiling of UKG Wallet! With UKG Wallet, employees can get their pay when and where they need it AND leverage budgeting tools, educational resources, and financial counseling. Sounds cool, right? Goodbye financial stress, hello better way to get paid! Here’s how you can learn more about UKG Wallet.
- Blog post: Help your employees reach financial wellness: 3 practical tips for HR teams
- Product website: UKG Wallet on UKG.com
- Press release: UKG Ushers in New Generation of Financial Wellness with UKG Wallet
UKG Insider of the Year
The UKG Insider of the Year award is presented to an Insider who stands out and goes above and beyond. Congratulations to Marky Payne, manager of HR systems and reporting at Vancity. Not only does Marky dedicate time to sharing her experiences with other UKG customers, but she’s also provided open, honest, and insightful feedback to UKG as a company. And beyond her willingness to provide input, Marky is an active member of the UKG Kronos Community, helping her peers continue to learn and grow. We appreciate you, Marky! Thank you!
Sneak peek: Look for more from Marky here on Working Smarter Café next month.
UKG Innovation Awards
Innovation Awards recognize customers that leverage UKG technology to solve business challenges, add value to their organization, and improve the employee experience. Shout out to the nine recipients to receive the honor this year:
- Marriott International
- Intermountain Healthcare
- Children’s Hospital Colorado
- City of Oklahoma City
- City and County of Denver
- BJ’s Wholesale
- Colorvision International
- Baptist Community Services
- Clif Bar
$20,000 donated to World Central Kitchen!
UKG will donate $20,000 to help support the fight against hunger! Attendees posted photos of themselves enjoying their conference experience and tagged #UKGWorks to help raise money for World Central Kitchen. Our purpose is people, and we appreciate everyone who helped us support this wonderful organization. Check out #UKGWorks on social to see the pictures!
Customer appreciation event
Speaking of appreciation, attendees enjoyed a private event on Tuesday evening after two days of breakout sessions, networking, and expo discussions. This year’s entertainment for on-site attendees was four-time Grammy Award-winning artist Keith Urban. Not only did he play many of his great hits, but I also heard through the grapevine that one lucky customer even received a special happy-birthday song! Jealous!
And that’s a wrap. But I’d like to close out by saying how thankful we are for you. Thank you for being a customer. Thank you if you are a UKG Insider and if you are an active UKG Kronos Community member. We appreciate you and every way you choose to engage with us.
And don’t forget! Save the date for the next UKG Customer Conference, November 6-9, 2022, at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas.