Portillo’s Restaurant Chain Uses UKG Pro to Advance Retention Strategy

Portillo's is a fast-casual restaurant chain famous for its unrivaled Chicago street food.

Challenges

A UKG customer since 2007, Portillo's has relied on Pro recently to adapt to changing conditions in the industry, especially related to attracting and retaining talent.

Solutions

"The current business environment in the hospitality space means that culture is more important than ever. Portillo's is a values-based organization, so in addition to paying competitive wages, we must maximize the engagement of our team members, and embrace team members as part of the Portillo's family," said Jeanene Isaac, vice president of total rewards and HR operations at Portillo's. "UKG Pro People Analytics makes it easy for me to quickly pull reports related to pay, demographics, turnover, and current headcount, so the company can make informed business decisions that help to staff our restaurants and retain our team members."

“Our account team is always available to us, and we get quick responses. They have been fabulous to work with, and the feedback from Portillo's across departments has been exceptional - HR, payroll, and IT. UKG customer service is an extension of our team.”

Jeanene Isaac

Vice president of total rewards and HR operations

Results

Isaac reported that Pro's functionality and usability help the company use technology to create memorable experiences for guests and to be an employer of choice, which is especially important as businesses try to meet customer demand while also navigating the ongoing Great Resignation.

"For our multigenerational workforce, our high-quality workplace technology is a competitive advantage," said Isaac. "My team has been promoting the UKG Pro mobile app to give employees the power right in their hands to check pay statements or participate in benefits enrollment. Our team members don't need to wait for a desktop computer to become available at the restaurant and can interact with their HR information at a time and place convenient for them."

Isaac noted that Pro's comprehensive solution is a key feature of its HR software that focuses on employee needs. Employees have the same user experience at Portillo's across the human capital management (HCM) product lifecycle, including recruiting, onboarding, benefits administration, and UKG Pro Learning. Equally important, Isaac knows she can count on UKG customer support for concerns with any aspect of the solution.

"Our account team is always available to us, and we get quick responses," said Isaac. "They have been fabulous to work with, and the feedback from Portillo's across departments has been exceptional — HR, payroll, and IT. UKG customer service is an extension of our team."