UKG Pro™ Simplified

Managing employee data, talent, recruiting, performance, time, scheduling, benefits, payroll, and everything in between can be complicated and tedious.

But not when you work with Align HCM.

Align HCM is a certified UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) Implementation Partner. We are experts in human capital management consulting, offering solutions from implementation and optimization to software training and process consulting.

Our Solutions

Whether you’re just getting started or growing or slowing — our solutions solve problems from setting up new systems to optimizing existing systems to embracing new technologies.

Strategy & Implementation: Start off on the right foot. Design HCM systems and then program your software to match your business’s unique needs.

Optimization: Revisit your systems and software to make sure you’re getting the best results from your HCM solutions.

Training: Learn how to manage software and systems on your own. Get expert training on HCM processes and tools.

Work With Align HCM

Simplify and optimize your workforce management systems so everything works together — seamlessly. Schedule your free discovery session with Align HCM today.

  • Industry Verticals Served: Financial & Professional Services (Banking/Insurance), Consumer Industries (Agribusiness / Consumer Products / Fashion/ Life Sciences / Retail), Healthcare, Manufacturing, Services Industries (Airlines / Communications / Engineering / Sports / Sports / Entertainment / Travel), Technology

    96 Reviews for Align HCM

    Raven Certified

    3398 Reviews

    UKG WFM Project by Align HCM

    5/ 5

    ERP Area: Workforce Management (Time & Labor Management)
    Software:  UKG Pro Workforce Management
    Products Implemented:  Payroll
    Company Size:  1 – 5k Employees  /  Industry:  Non-Profit
    Regions in Scope:  North America
    Reviewer Role:  Project Leader

    Consultant Recognized:  Janet
    Project(s) in Scope:  Initial deployment (Phase 1),Optimization / Ongoing support services

    Systems Expertise  5 out of 5
    Implementation Process  5 out of 5
    Responsiveness  5 out of 5
    Quality of Consultants 5 out of 5
    Flexibility / Adaptability 5 out of 5

    SPEED & COST
    Speed vs. Expectations:  Right on schedule!
    Cost vs. Expectations: 1.5x cost budgeted

    SCOPING ACCURACY:
    How well did your implementation partner scope the work and understand your needs during the pre-sales process?
    Partner scoped and quoted the work precisely

    Was the implementation team who actually performed the work the same team that was proposed?
    No change

    What “Lessons Learned” would you provide to others implementing with this partner / software? What else would you tell us about your project experience?
    Carve out time from the beginning of the project to work on the “homework”, get the business structure planned out before the project start time.

    Raven Certified

    3398 Reviews

    UKG HR/HCM Project by Align HCM

    5/ 5

    ERP Area: HR/Human Capital Management
    Software:  UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group)
    Products Implemented:  HCM (HR Core), Benefits, Payroll
    Company Size:  1 – 5k Employees  /  Industry:  Other
    Regions in Scope:  North America
    Reviewer Role:  Project Team Member

    Consultant Recognized:  Heyda Gaona
    Project(s) in Scope:  Optimization / Ongoing support services

    Systems Expertise  5 out of 5
    Implementation Process  5 out of 5
    Responsiveness  5 out of 5
    Quality of Consultants 5 out of 5
    Flexibility / Adaptability 5 out of 5

    SPEED & COST
    Speed vs. Expectations:  Right on schedule!
    Cost vs. Expectations: Exactly what we budgeted

    SCOPING ACCURACY:
    How well did your implementation partner scope the work and understand your needs during the pre-sales process?
    Partner scoped and quoted the work precisely

    Was the implementation team who actually performed the work the same team that was proposed?
    Slight change in team

    What “Lessons Learned” would you provide to others implementing with this partner / software? What else would you tell us about your project experience?
    I worked with Heyda Gaona on improving our Benefits Administration processes & reporting. She was extremely knowledgable of the system, made quick work to fix issues present & resolved some longstanding needs to make the Benefits Department more efficient.

    Raven Certified

    3398 Reviews

    UKG WFM Project by Align HCM

    5/ 5

    ERP Area: Workforce Management (Time & Labor Management)
    Software:  UKG Pro Workforce Management
    Products Implemented:  None
    Company Size:    /  Industry:
    Regions in Scope:  North America
    Reviewer Role:  Decision Maker

    Consultant Recognized:  Janet Paker, Terrence Burgess, Joseph Bucatora
    Project(s) in Scope:  Initial deployment (Phase 1),Add-on deployment (Phase 2, and not in the original SOW)

    Systems Expertise  5 out of 5
    Implementation Process  5 out of 5
    Responsiveness  5 out of 5
    Quality of Consultants 5 out of 5
    Flexibility / Adaptability 5 out of 5

    SPEED & COST
    Speed vs. Expectations:  Right on schedule!
    Cost vs. Expectations: Exactly what we budgeted

    SCOPING ACCURACY:
    How well did your implementation partner scope the work and understand your needs during the pre-sales process?
    Partner scoped and quoted the work precisely

    Was the implementation team who actually performed the work the same team that was proposed?
    No change

    What “Lessons Learned” would you provide to others implementing with this partner / software? What else would you tell us about your project experience?
    They are very helpful, but it helps to fully understand and articulate what is needed (e.g., configuration) beforehand – it just makes the project smoother

    Raven Certified

    3398 Reviews

    UKG Database Migration Project by Align HCM

    2/ 5

    ERP Area: Database Migration
    Software:  UKG Benefits Administration
    Products Implemented:  Benefits
    Company Size:  0 – 1,000 Employees  /  Industry:  Non-Profit
    Regions in Scope:  North America
    Reviewer Role:  Project Team Member

    Project(s) in Scope:  Add-on deployment (Phase 2, and not in the original SOW)

    Systems Expertise  3 out of 5
    Implementation Process  3 out of 5
    Responsiveness  3 out of 5
    Quality of Consultants 3 out of 5
    Flexibility / Adaptability 3 out of 5

    SPEED & COST
    Speed vs. Expectations:  2x time expected
    Cost vs. Expectations: 1.25x cost budgeted

    SCOPING ACCURACY:
    How well did your implementation partner scope the work and understand your needs during the pre-sales process?
    Partner did not identify issues that came up during implementation and we had some change orders

    Was the implementation team who actually performed the work the same team that was proposed?
    Slight change in team

    What “Lessons Learned” would you provide to others implementing with this partner / software? What else would you tell us about your project experience?
    Response time to communications were slow. After project implementation, it was a challenge to have corrections made as the system rules were not set up correctly.

    Raven Certified

    3398 Reviews

    UKG HR/HCM Project by Align HCM

    5/ 5

    ERP Area: HR/Human Capital Management
    Software:  UKG PRO-position automation
    Products Implemented:  HCM (HR Core),Talent Management (Learning, Performance, Succession Planning, Social Collaboration),Recruiting / Onboarding,Position Automation
    Company Size:  0 – 1,000 Employees  /  Industry:  Healthcare / Medical
    Regions in Scope:  North America
    Reviewer Role:  Project Leader

    Consultant Recognized:  Jasmine Edwards and Kristin Waters
    Project(s) in Scope:  Add-on deployment (Phase 2, and not in the original SOW)

    Systems Expertise  5 out of 5
    Implementation Process  5 out of 5
    Responsiveness  5 out of 5
    Quality of Consultants 5 out of 5
    Flexibility / Adaptability 5 out of 5

    SPEED & COST
    Speed vs. Expectations:  Right on schedule!
    Cost vs. Expectations: Exactly what we budgeted

    SCOPING ACCURACY:
    How well did your implementation partner scope the work and understand your needs during the pre-sales process?
    Partner scoped and quoted the work precisely

    Was the implementation team who actually performed the work the same team that was proposed?
    No change

    What “Lessons Learned” would you provide to others implementing with this partner / software? What else would you tell us about your project experience?
    No lessons learned, excellent support, able to understand our small hospital requirements

    Raven Certified

    3398 Reviews

    UKG HR/HCM Project by Align HCM

    5/ 5

    ERP Area: HR/Human Capital Management
    Software:  UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group)
    Products Implemented:  HCM (HR Core),Talent Management (Learning, Performance, Succession Planning, Social Collaboration), Recruiting / Onboarding, Benefits, Payroll
    Company Size:  20 – 50k Employees  /  Industry:  Entertainment / Recreation
    Regions in Scope:  North America
    Reviewer Role:  Project Leader

    Consultant Recognized:  Karla Smith
    Project(s) in Scope:  Optimization / Ongoing support services

    Systems Expertise  5 out of 5
    Implementation Process  4 out of 5
    Responsiveness  5 out of 5
    Quality of Consultants 5 out of 5
    Flexibility / Adaptability 4 out of 5

    SPEED & COST
    Speed vs. Expectations:  1.5x the time we expected
    Cost vs. Expectations: 1.5x cost budgeted

    SCOPING ACCURACY:
    How well did your implementation partner scope the work and understand your needs during the pre-sales process?
    Partner scoped and quoted the work well, but our needs changed during implementation

    Was the implementation team who actually performed the work the same team that was proposed?
    No change

    What “Lessons Learned” would you provide to others implementing with this partner / software? What else would you tell us about your project experience?
    Consider needed testing methodologies at the beginning. Testing was difficult for this project due to temporary nature of the data. But Karla came up with a way to be able to test / retest prior data which made it much easier to troubleshoot and identify what we needed to address.
    Both Troon and Align showed flexibility around project timelines which without interrupting who was doing the work. This continuity was important.

    Raven Certified

    3398 Reviews

    UKG WFM Project by Align HCM

    4/ 5

    ERP Area: Workforce Management (Time & Labor Management)
    Software:  UKG Pro Workforce Management
    Products Implemented:  HCM (HR Core),Recruiting / Onboarding, Benefits, Payroll
    Company Size:  0 – 1,000 Employees  /  Industry:  Healthcare / Medical
    Regions in Scope:  North America
    Reviewer Role:  Project Leader

    Consultant Recognized:  Michael Bumanglag
    Project(s) in Scope:  Initial deployment (Phase 1),Add-on deployment (Phase 2, and not in the original SOW)

    Systems Expertise  4 out of 5
    Implementation Process  4 out of 5
    Responsiveness  5 out of 5
    Quality of Consultants 4 out of 5
    Flexibility / Adaptability 5 out of 5

    SPEED & COST
    Speed vs. Expectations:  Right on schedule!
    Cost vs. Expectations: Exactly what we budgeted

    SCOPING ACCURACY:
    How well did your implementation partner scope the work and understand your needs during the pre-sales process?
    Partner scoped and quoted the work well, but our needs changed during implementation

    Was the implementation team who actually performed the work the same team that was proposed?
    No change

    What “Lessons Learned” would you provide to others implementing with this partner / software? What else would you tell us about your project experience?
    The process was somewhat confusing when building the system, but once we had access it was easier.

    Raven Certified

    3398 Reviews

    UKG WFM Project by Align HCM

    5/ 5

    ERP Area: Workforce Management (Time & Labor Management)
    Software:  UKG Pro Workforce Management
    Company Size:  1 – 5k Employees
    Regions in Scope:  North America
    Reviewer Role:  Decision Maker

    Consultant Recognized:  Aaron Krueger
    Project(s) in Scope:  Initial deployment (Phase 1),Optimization / Ongoing support services,Training

    Systems Expertise  5 out of 5
    Implementation Process  5 out of 5
    Responsiveness  5 out of 5
    Quality of Consultants 5 out of 5
    Flexibility / Adaptability 5 out of 5

    SPEED & COST
    Speed vs. Expectations:  Right on schedule!
    Cost vs. Expectations: Exactly what we budgeted

    SCOPING ACCURACY:
    How well did your implementation partner scope the work and understand your needs during the pre-sales process?
    Partner scoped and quoted the work precisely

    Was the implementation team who actually performed the work the same team that was proposed?
    No change

    What “Lessons Learned” would you provide to others implementing with this partner / software? What else would you tell us about your project experience?
    If you have a current software that has “must have” items – be sure to make those known before implementation. There were a few times we realized that we wouldn’t be getting exactly the same information. Reporting, for example, is not very robust in WFM and that is something we have to work through.
    The consultant team that we worked with was EXCELLENT. They were extremely responsive, knowledgeable, and fun to work with. Highly recommend!

    Raven Certified

    3398 Reviews

    UKG WFM Project by Align HCM

    5/ 5

    ERP Area: Workforce Management (Time & Labor Management)
    Software:  UKG Pro Workforce Management
    Products Implemented:  UKG Kronos
    Company Size:  1 – 5k Employees  /  Industry:  Manufacturing
    Regions in Scope:  North America
    Reviewer Role:  Project Leader

    Consultant Recognized:  Goran Matic, Michael Morgan
    Project(s) in Scope:  Add-on deployment (Phase 2, and not in the original SOW),Training

    Systems Expertise  5 out of 5
    Implementation Process  5 out of 5
    Responsiveness  5 out of 5
    Quality of Consultants 5 out of 5
    Flexibility / Adaptability 5 out of 5

    SPEED & COST
    Speed vs. Expectations:  Right on schedule!
    Cost vs. Expectations: Exactly what we budgeted

    SCOPING ACCURACY:
    How well did your implementation partner scope the work and understand your needs during the pre-sales process?
    Partner scoped and quoted the work well, but our needs changed during implementation

    Was the implementation team who actually performed the work the same team that was proposed?
    No change

    What “Lessons Learned” would you provide to others implementing with this partner / software? What else would you tell us about your project experience?
    1. Badge compatibility assessment should have been conducted during the scoping and planning phase
    2. Support hours for Configuration and Testing should have been better planned with buffer.

    Raven Certified

    3398 Reviews

    UKG WFM Project by Align HCM

    5/ 5

    ERP Area: Workforce Management (Time & Labor Management)
    Software:  UKG Pro Workforce Management
    Products Implemented:  HCM (HR Core),Talent Management (Learning, Performance, Succession Planning, Social Collaboration),Recruiting / Onboarding,Payroll,Employee Surveys / Sentiment
    Company Size:  0 – 1,000 Employees  /  Industry:  Education
    Regions in Scope:  North America
    Reviewer Role:  Project Leader

    Consultant Recognized:  Melanie King and Loveneesh Bansal
    Project(s) in Scope:  Initial deployment (Phase 1)

    Systems Expertise  5 out of 5
    Implementation Process  5 out of 5
    Responsiveness  5 out of 5
    Quality of Consultants 5 out of 5
    Flexibility / Adaptability 5 out of 5

    SPEED & COST
    Speed vs. Expectations:  Right on schedule!
    Cost vs. Expectations: Exactly what we budgeted

    SCOPING ACCURACY:
    How well did your implementation partner scope the work and understand your needs during the pre-sales process?
    Partner scoped and quoted the work precisely

    Was the implementation team who actually performed the work the same team that was proposed?
    No change

    What “Lessons Learned” would you provide to others implementing with this partner / software? What else would you tell us about your project experience?
    Align was wonderful to work with. Both consultants were very responsive but we worked most closely with Melanie. She was very helpful, helped us understand the system and how to make choices in setup that would benefit us going forward. I can’t say enough about how much we enjoyed working with her.

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    What do motorcycles have in common with cutting edge HR software? For Driscoll’s, both were ingredients in their previous timesheet collection workflows. Today, after a successful, 5-star implementation of UKG by Align HCM, Driscoll’s is able to better focus on growing and delivering mouth-watering berries around the world—no heart-racing data-collection techniques (or motorcycles!) required.

    About Driscoll’s

    If you’re a fan of berries, you may already know Driscoll’s name from a clamshell container in your refrigerator. Driscoll’s grows and distributes organic and fresh strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, proudly creating some of the biggest, sweetest, and most appealing berries on the market.

    And with operations extending from fields to nurseries to docks to offices, Driscoll’s HR team had (perhaps not surprisingly) found itself using siloed technologies for time and attendance, with 3 competing products in US offices, plus spreadsheets and manual processes—including literally sending people out into fields by motorcycle to collect timesheets at some Mexico locations.

    By 2017, Driscoll’s had recognized the need to transform their time and attendance operations in order to capture significant cost savings and enable continued growth. They selected UKG as their new, centralized platform and immediately asked for recommendations on who could help successfully transform their HR operations.

    UKG’s recommendation? Align HCM. Driscoll’s Payroll Manager, Pete Meza Lopez, began working with Mark Smiley, VP of HCM Value-Add Services, and his team at Align HCM on their digital transformation.

    This is the story behind Driscoll’s 5-star review of Align HCM (and be sure to check out the full video interview with Pete and Mark at the end.)

    Start Strong: Early Wins Build Trust

    Align HCM started built trust early by focusing on those US-based operations already familiar with HCM software, where the scope of the change process would be less daunting.

    The first leg of Driscoll’s digital transformation was to introduce UKG Pro to their US-based team in 2017. These facilities were already using a digital solution to track time, so the implementation team’s main focus was helping their workforce understand the new system, which they were able to do successfully and met their June 2018 deadline. This approach gave Align HCM a chance to start from a place of strength and learn Driscoll’s business at the same time.

    Of course, Align HCM didn’t take anything for granted: from the start, they staffed the project with three senior HCM consultants who each had more than a decade of experience, as well as requisite product certifications. This was a team that could hit the ground running! Furthermore, Align HCM made sure the team included a member who spoke Spanish—language barriers can be challenging under any circumstances, but add in the HR jargon and technical lingo common with HCM implementations, and things can get tricky fast: Align HCM made sure their team not only knew what to anticipate, but could effectively communicate their observations, questions, and concerns.

    Having proven they could work together successfully in the US, Driscoll’s and Align HCM than tackled the second leg of their digital transformation: introducing UKG’s products to Driscoll’s Mexico-based facilitates, many of which were moving to digital systems for the very first time.

    This would quickly prove to be the more challenging and more rewarding part of their transformation.

    Total Partnership

    Driscoll’s Mexico-based locations had never used a digital solution for their time & attendance tracking, in some places still relying on pen-and-paper calculations—meaning a steep learning curve to move to a digital solution, and even more importantly, meaning significant risk to the business: Driscoll’s payroll swelled during harvesting and planting seasons by 2,000 people or more—people who got berries for a hungry world off their vines by hand; no workers, no berries, no business. In short, no margin for error.

    And this was in addition to the expected challenges of standardizing localized workflows (and even before that, defining them!), addressing language barriers, and scheduling work across time zones. Both sides knew timing would be an issue because of the intense seasonality of Driscoll’s business, a concern that manifested spectacularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, but no one anticipated how the pandemic would also limit travel and curtail opportunities for Align HCM to provide in-person support.

    Mark Smiley Quote

    No Assumptions!

    Given the complexity of the transformation, Mark instituted an early rule for the Align HCM team: no assumptions. Despite their experience and know-how, he understood that his team would have to work hard to accommodate Driscoll’s unique operating demands, so they made sure to ask every question they had. On Driscoll’s side, Pete made sure to do his part, too, treating Align as a true partner—part of the family, so to speak.

    “When you truly partner and you have trust, and you feel like you’re a family… it makes a difference, and that’s really the key driver of success,” said Mark. Working together meant pausing and pivoting at times, but ultimately ensured a common understanding, along with “consistency, commitment, trust, and continuity.”

    Building trust required a focus on communication, including a frequent meeting cadence coordinated across time zones, transparent feedback from Driscoll’s internal project manager, and openness from both sides about their understanding of problems to be addressed. Before the pandemic and throughout, both sides prioritized successful outcomes over the clock, calling frequent time outs to raise concerns, shore up learning curves, and deal with the inevitable issues that popped up in real-time. This took a level of vulnerability by both sides, but also kept integrity and trust at the center of their relationship.

    “We wanted to roll UKG Pro to our Mexico operations in 2019, but we had to adjust our timeline due to internal issues and the pandemic. Align was really flexible and able to serve as a resource to us during these changes,” said Pete Meza Lopez, Driscoll’s Payroll Manager.

    Align HCM “pivoted our training plans to combat our travel restrictions,” said Mark. “We adopted a ‘train the trainer’ model and co-developed custom training processes that helped these ranches become more self-sufficient. This was a big win from a preparation standpoint.”

    Driscoll’s Outcomes

    In 2020, Driscoll’s and Align HCM achieved a successful implementation rollout for Driscoll’s Mexico-based locations, where they can now hire thousands of seasonal workers without pen and paper, and account for hours without having to collect timecards manually from the fields on dirt bikes.

    As for benefits, “now that the UKG products are implemented, we have the ability to scale and hire much more efficiently. We’re able to add headcount or open new regions and have a hiring game plan,” said Pete. That’s no small claim for a company that can more than double in size several times a year, during planting and harvesting seasons!

    Best of all, Driscoll’s can look forward to additional ROI from their system upgrade, knowing that they have a partner they can trust to deliver—which gives them the confidence they need to know that whatever benefits UKG promises, with Align HCM’s help, they’ll be able to capture.

    Lessons Learned

    The number one piece of knowledge that both Pete and Mark said they took away from this project is to never make assumptions, and don’t take anything for granted. 

    “You need to clarify, ask questions, and make an effort to understand what is being said, instead of just assuming you know what the end goal is,” Mark said when asked what the key things he learned were. “We also really had to learn about the internal culture at Driscoll’s in order to understand the best way to implement change management or digital transformation.”

    “Assumptions are killer, especially in a new region or new country that has its own rules or policies,” Pete added. “What works in some countries won’t be the right method for others. We found lots of little holes that caused our project to pause or we needed a buffer zone to figure out our internal differences. With Align, our challenges were their challenges and their challenges were our challenges.”

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