Skip to main content
Contact Sales Support Login Help Careers
United States (English)
Americas
  • United States (English)
  • Canada (English)
  • Canada (Français)
  • Mexico (Español)
  • Brasil (Português)
Europe, Middle East & Africa
  • United Kingdom (English)
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland (Deutsch)
  • Nederland (Nederlands)
  • Other EMEA Locations
Asia/Pacific
  • India (English)
  • Australia (English)
  • Other ASEAN Locations
UKG logo UKG logo
Search Get started
Search
Get started
    • Solutions
      UKG Solutions
      Human Capital Management
      Workforce Management
      Global Payroll
      Workforce Management and Payroll
      See all
      Solutions by size
      Small Business
      Midsize Business
      Enterprise
      Industry Solutions
      Retail
      Hospitality and Food Service
      Manufacturing
      Healthcare
      Public Sector
      Logistics and Distribution
      Financial Services
      Field and Contract Services
      See all
      A brighter workplace is yours to create
      Experience UKG Bryte AI
      Reference Image
      Woman sitting at desk in front of a laptop smiling

      Discover AI powered by decades of people, work, and workplace culture data that’s designed to help every organization become a great place to work.

    • Customers
      Our Customers

      More than 80,000 organizations across all sizes, industries, and geographies trust UKG HR, payroll, and workforce management, and culture cloud solutions to drive great workplace experiences.

      UKG customer logos
      Customer Stories
      Belle Tire

      UKG Pro streamlines and automates administrative and HR tasks, so that field teams and managers can spend more time with customers, and coach, train, and listen to their people.

      Eventide Senior Living Communities

      Eventide Senior Living Communities uses UKG to drive employee engagement and streamline workforce management and HCM, including cutting PBJ reporting time by 99%.

      Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants

      Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, a nationally recognized restaurant group, is building a culture of belonging and engagement for its frontline workforce with the AI-powered UKG Pro suite.

      See all customer stories
      Customer Experience

      We think you’re pretty special when you’re a UKG Customer. That’s why we build products designed to inspire your people — and your organization — to grow and thrive.

      Partner for Life
      Implementation
      Support Experience
      Community and Collaboration
      Working Smarter Café
      Get support, collaborate, and learn more about your UKG solution!
      Visit UKG Community
    • Resources
      Research & Insights
      • By Business Need
        • Payroll
        • Human Resources
        • Time & Attendance
        • Workforce Management
      • By Type
        • Analyst Report
        • Webinar Replay
        • Product Info
      See all research & insights
      Events
      Tradeshows
      Conferences
      Webinars
      See all events
      Blog
      The People Purpose Blog

      Your source for the latest workplace trends and ideas from UKG experts and leaders. Stay informed and put people first in all you do.

      Labor Market Insights
      Workforce Activity Report

      Labor market insights and trends to help executive leaders understand the rapidly changing economy.

      Workplace Resources
      Great Place To Work
      Small Business Resource Center
      UKG Developer Hub
      UKG Recognized as a Leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Cloud HCM Suites for 1,000+ Employee Enterprises
      Download now
      Reference Image
      An excited woman wearing a white blazer points upwards with both hands.

      Gain in-depth insights into the human capital management (HCM) market to help identify the solution that aligns perfectly with your organization’s needs.

    • About Us
      About UKG

      Learn more about UKG and how our HR solutions inspire workforces and businesses around the world to drive people-focused results.

      About Us
      Why Choose UKG
      UKG Leadership
      Newsroom
      Awards & Recognition
      UKG Ambassadors
      Culture
      Belonging, Equity, and Impact
      Our ESG Program
      Partners
      UKG Marketplace
      Analyst Reports
      Careers

      Look to your future. If you're interested in working for a company that truly invests in their people to create a culture of belonging and innovation, we want you on our team.

      Careers at UKG
      Early Career & Internships
      Benefits
      Life at UKG
      Featured Locations
      Hiring FAQs
      Experience awesome at work.
      Search jobs at UKG
    Contact Sales Support Login Help Careers
    United States (English)
    Americas
    • United States (English)
    • Canada (English)
    • Canada (Français)
    • Mexico (Español)
    • Brasil (Português)
    Europe, Middle East & Africa
    • United Kingdom (English)
    • France (Français)
    • Deutschland (Deutsch)
    • Nederland (Nederlands)
    • Other EMEA Locations
    Asia/Pacific
    • India (English)
    • Australia (English)
    • Other ASEAN Locations
    Working Smarter Café

    Maximizing Productivity and Efficiency with Core Analytics Key Performance Metrics

    Core Analytics
    • Share
    November 17, 2020
    Stay up to date with the Working Smarter Café blog
    Subscribe via email

    Written By

    Kandi Morehead, MHA, MPA, DBA
    Kandi Morehead, MHA, MPA, DBA
    Customer Success Manager

    Kandi has over 20 years of leadership experience in health care from the VP of Finance and Operations to Sr. Management Consultant for Labor Productivity & Analytics she has done it all! Kandi has been with UKG for 6 years, all while juggling the busy schedule of an Adjunct University Professor-Healthcare Administration. When she Is not spending time with her family & pups, Kandi is providing our customers with superior support and assisting them on every step of their UKG Journey.

    Topics

    UKG Workforce Central
    Subscribe via RSS

    While most organizations continue to strategically reposition themselves to face challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, labor costs continue to be one of the most expensive drivers of variable costs in organizations across each sector. However, even with this ongoing dilemma, leaders realize that there is an opportunity to control costs without sacrificing quality and efficiency. The secret is using Workforce Analytics tools to remove organizational obstacles that hinder workforce productivity.   

    Some would say this is easier said than done; however, this is not an impossible feat to achieve and sustain through one shared goal related to Workforce Analytics — and that is the need to facilitate opportunities for proactive rather than reactive management.  

    So, how can you consistently champion and encourage proactive management? The simple answer to that question will always be based on these factors:

    • Governance and leadership
    • Target setting
    • Buy-in
    • Structure
    • Ongoing training
    • Linkage to performance 

    By building these into your organization’s success plan, you can drive a culture of accountability — one that embraces control of labor costs and the ability to enhance service delivery. The approach is not one that is meant to be cookie-cutter, as every organization across every industry is different. Through the use of productivity measurement and analytical data within Workforce Analytics (specifically, core ad hoc reports), you can provide immeasurable insight into opportunities in specific areas that help paint a unique picture of what labor productivity success looks like to your organization.  

     

    Core Analytics

     

    For most organizations across all business sectors, the primary productivity objectives revolve around five key areas:

    • Staffing efficiency — Reducing labor costs through effective staffing. Improving staffing while ensuring that you are “hired in” appropriately as well as eliminating inefficiency in labor usage across all departments. Are we over/understaffing in comparison to workload (i.e., volume, census, sales)?
    • Premium labor — Balancing the usage and costs associated with premium labor, such as overtime, supplemental, contract, and/or agency labor costs, and allocating employees where they are needed. What is driving higher overtime levels in some departments? Does our excessive usage of premium labor indicate the need to hire an additional full-time equivalent (FTE) or part-time employee? 
    • Increase transparency — Make meaningful productivity data more accessible across all departments at varying levels of leadership, from managers to senior executives, that can be used to improve operations through strategic planning and decision making. How do these departments’ FTE counts compare to budgeted targets? Where do our variances lie, and why?
    • Mitigate the risk of being out of compliance — Eliminate potential or ongoing compliance issues and risks related to inappropriate timecard adjustments, canceled meal breaks, or excessive overtime, particularly in healthcare settings. 
    • Enhance the bottom line — Measurable and enhanced productivity equals increased profitability. Tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) on an organization wide basis is essential and establishes your overall benchmarks. Maximize value from a high-performing workforce and the use of industry benchmarks.
       

    Four Key Performance Metrics to Improve Productivity

    Although there are numerous ways to measure productivity across all industries, there are several metrics that are both essential and universal — and can be extracted from your Workforce Analytics solution. Let’s look at four key performance metrics that you can use to improve productivity and increase efficiency with Core Analytics: 

    1. Overtime hours

    The metric explained: Capacity and staffing misalignment can drive a significant uptick in the use of premium labor while also impacting hiring decisions — for example, sudden scale-ups to bring on new hires to fill the gaps. This is a typical concern for most organizations and something that can be addressed through the strategic use of various reports and data provided in Workforce Analytics. It is also important to note that overtime isn’t always bad. In fact, this was a significant talking point during my recent conversation with Dr. Christina Carter, a UKG senior management consultant for Workforce Analytics – Healthcare. Carter stated, “Overtime is not only important but also useful, as most organizations tend to focus on overtime reduction too much, when in fact, overtime may be the better option,” she said. 

    Reporting to the rescue: This is an important point to consider when determining the best strategic approach for the appropriate use of overtime based on operations, workload, and finances. Evaluating overtime using Workforce Analytics core ad hoc reports (like Approaching Overtime) can facilitate quicker insight into overtime, and the opportunity for proactive management may lead to any adjustments needed. This type of core report also allows you to dive deeper into the root cause of the overtime events through drill-downs over a particular period of time. Some overtime occurrences that may not be warranted include incidental overtime or even scheduling issues. The most important aspect is ensuring that the excessive use of overtime is not signaling an overworked team, which has been linked to a decrease in efficiency as well as an increase in absenteeism.

    2. Absenteeism

    The metric explained: From healthcare to retail to public sectors, absenteeism has a significant impact on productivity and carries hidden costs for every organization — be it through the decrease in employee morale or poor performance. This metric should be monitored consistently to determine the root cause and to develop a plan of action. The plan should prevent the inevitable increase in stress levels that will arise among employees and should provide coverage to fill the gaps created through excessive absenteeism. This is particularly true when the use of overtime is often selected as the quickest resolution to absenteeism by some frontline managers. 

    Reporting to the rescue: The Overtime vs. Unplanned Absenteeism core ad hoc report is another great tool to assist in monitoring these events and quantifying the impact. Identifying and addressing patterns of absenteeism can ensure that managers are enforcing their attendance policies, particularly when the use of reports can also highlight trends in absenteeism — for example, on Mondays and/or Fridays or after major events, such as Super Bowl Sunday! By consistently monitoring this metric, organizations can reduce the direct negative effect that absenteeism can have not only on the workforce but also on service delivery and patient or customer satisfaction. 

    3. Scheduling effectiveness 

    The metric explained: The evaluation of deviations from planned work schedules is another KPI that should be analyzed to determine areas of improvement and cost savings. The management of hourly employees coupled with an effective schedule is critical to any organization. This is particularly true in regard to key differences in scheduling by demand or scheduling based on need, which in some instances can lead to unfavorable outcomes in terms of productivity. The best approach is to analyze and compare both actual and scheduled hours over a period of time. 

    Reporting to the rescue: The core ad hoc report Actual vs. Worked Scheduled Hours offers this analysis and the ability to drill into detail regarding the work hours scheduled versus the hours that were actually worked by the employee and/or department. Using reports like this will allow the manager to identify root causes, such as inconsistent usage of schedules across the organization, and trends that may signal consistencies in actual hours exceeding scheduled hours for a department or employee as well as drive the need for efficient scheduling. 

    4. Exceptions

    The metric explained: Punch exceptions is one of the long-running topics that are often at the forefront of most customer conversations when they are seeking ways to reduce incidental labor costs and increase efficiency. This is evident when it comes to missed punches, early ins, late outs, and missed meal breaks. As we concluded our recent conversation, Carter reflected on her customers’ shared experiences regarding punch exceptions, particularly the negative impact these occurrences can have.  

    Reporting to the rescue: The use of core analytics to monitor exceptions is one of the most effective approaches for our Workforce Analytics customers. In fact, when asked which of the core ad hoc reports has been the most beneficial in her experience, Carter emphasized the value of the Punch Exceptions report as the best way to effectively monitor exceptions across departments and by the employee: “This report not only identifies the employees and departments that have the highest number of punch exceptions but also the type of exceptions, such as early ins and outs or even meal deduction cancellations. This is particularly helpful when coupled with managerial comments regarding the reason for the exception, [which] can be appended by the timecard editor for the event. This type of reporting offers yet another effective method of tracking or auditing for leaders in any organization to determine the appropriate course of action.” The use of these reports, coupled with relative policy changes for punching and ongoing monitoring, has proven to be effective in reducing the negative impact on both labor costs and productivity. Timeliness is essential to reducing the likelihood of continued inaccuracies and potential organizational exposure to compliance violations. 

    Core Analytics for the Win!

    For all industries, labor costs will continue to be the largest cost driver, and they warrant ongoing analysis from both operational and financial perspectives. The ability to address critical organizational decisions in close to real time can make all the difference in driving labor costs down while increasing productivity. While we know that productivity is all about doing more with the same resources, efficiency must not be lost in the process. The best way to improve labor productivity is to find ways to identify and reduce barriers to productivity and strategically allocate staff in a way that meets demand while enhancing the quality of service delivery. Using root cause analysis, coupled with timely decision making and action, you can paint an accurate picture of what success looks like to your organization as you continue to gain immeasurable value from analytics insight and further drive favorable outcomes.

    • Working Smarter Cafe
    • Maximizing Productivity and Efficiency with Core Analytics Key Performance Metrics
    UKG logo

    Footer menu

    • Suites
      • HCM Software for Enterprises
      • HCM Software for Midsize and Small Businesses
      • Workforce Management Software
    • Solutions by need
      • Time & Attendance
      • Human Resources
      • Payroll
      • AI in the Workplace
      • Scheduling
      • Talent Management
      • Employee Experience
      • Multi-Country Payroll
    • Customers
      • Implementation
      • Support Experience
      • UKG Community
      • Customer Experience
    • About Us
      • Why UKG
      • Culture
      • Our ESG Program
      • Leadership
      • Newsroom
      • Careers
      • Privacy and Security
      • Legal
      • Sitemap
    • Resources
      • Events
      • Analyst Reports
      • Workforce Activity Report
      • HCM and AI
      • The People Purpose Blog
      • Small Business Center
      • Enterprise HCM Demo Center
      • HR Software Demo Center

    Sub Footer

    • Accessibility
    • Cookie Choices
    • Cookie Notice
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Notice
    • Mobile Terms
    © 2025 UKG Inc. All rights reserved.

    Kronos SaaShr, Inc., a UKG Company (NMLS ID#1698726) provides money transmission services on behalf of UKG Inc. customers and in connection with certain UKG products. For more information, visit Compliance & Licenses.