- Founded
- 2020-01-01 in Weston, Florida and Lowell, Massachusetts
- Headquarters
- Lowell, Massachusetts, USA & Weston, Florida, USA
UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) is a privately held American multinational technology company formed in 2020 through the merger of Ultimate Software and Kronos Incorporated, two legacy leaders in human capital management (HCM) and workforce management. Headquartered in Lowell, Massachusetts, and Weston, Florida, the company serves over 80,000 organizations worldwide across industries such as healthcare, retail, manufacturing, hospitality, and financial services. UKG employs approximately 12,000 people and is majority-owned by private equity firms Hellman & Friedman and Blackstone. The company’s flagship products include UKG Pro (enterprise HCM), UKG Ready (mid-market HCM), UKG Dimensions (cloud workforce management), and UKG TeleStaff (public safety scheduling). UKG is known for its culture-first approach and people-centric AI, and it holds a strong position in analyst reports such as the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud HCM Suites. In 2024, Jennifer Morgan, former Co-CEO of SAP, became CEO, succeeding Chris Todd. The company continues to invest in AI, partner ecosystems, and frontline worker solutions, most recently launching the UKG Frontline Worker Network in November 2025.
Detailed Review
Company History & Founding
UKG was created on April 1, 2020, when Kronos Incorporated (founded 1977 by Mark S. Ain in Lowell, Massachusetts) and Ultimate Software (founded 1990 by Scott Scherr in Weston, Florida) merged under common ownership by Hellman & Friedman and Blackstone. The merger combined Kronos’s deep expertise in workforce management (time and attendance, scheduling) with Ultimate Software’s strength in cloud-based HCM and payroll. The combined entity initially operated under the name Ultimate Kronos Group before rebranding as UKG in 2021. The brand name “UKG” was chosen to represent the union of the two companies while signaling a new chapter in workforce technology.
Business Model & Revenue
UKG generates revenue primarily through subscription-based SaaS licenses for its cloud HCM and workforce management platforms, as well as professional services, implementation fees, and support contracts. The company also offers on-premise solutions (UKG Workforce Central) for legacy customers. UKG is privately held, with major investors including Hellman & Friedman, Blackstone, GIC, and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Financial details are not publicly disclosed.
Core Products & Platforms
UKG offers a broad suite of modular solutions delivered primarily via cloud. UKG Pro (formerly UltiPro) is an enterprise HCM platform covering HR, payroll, benefits, talent management, and analytics. UKG Ready (formerly Kronos Workforce Ready) targets small to mid-sized businesses with all-in-one HCM and workforce management. UKG Dimensions is a cloud-native workforce management solution for large enterprises, using machine learning for labor forecasting and scheduling. UKG Workforce Central is the legacy on-premise suite. UKG TeleStaff serves public safety organizations. The newer UKG Frontline Worker Network, announced in November 2025, connects frontline employees to financial wellness, health, and everyday essentials. All products are unified under the UKG Workforce Operating Platform.
Market Position & Competitors
UKG competes directly with Workday, Oracle HCM Cloud, SAP SuccessFactors, ADP, Paycor, Paylocity, and Ceridian Dayforce. The company differentiates through its “culture-first” philosophy, deep workforce management heritage (particularly for hourly and shift-based workers), and a large partner ecosystem. UKG consistently ranks in the top tier of Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud HCM Suites and Forrester Wave for HCM solutions. The company serves over 80,000 organizations globally.
Recent Developments (2024–2026)
In July 2024, Jennifer Morgan was appointed CEO, succeeding Chris Todd. In early 2025, UKG laid off approximately 950 employees as part of a restructuring to focus on frontline worker innovation. The company launched the UKG Frontline Worker Network in November 2025. In February 2026, UKG became the official HR, payroll, and workforce management technology partner of the Philadelphia Phillies. UKG also received top recognition in Forrester’s Q4 2025 Wave for HCM solutions.
Key Products
UKG Pro
A cloud-based Human Capital Management (HCM) platform for mid-sized to large enterprises, covering HR, payroll, benefits, talent acquisition, performance management, and analytics.
UKG Ready
All-in-one HCM and workforce management solution for small to mid-sized businesses, including HR, payroll, time tracking, scheduling, and compliance tools.
UKG Dimensions
Cloud-native workforce management solution for large enterprises, focusing on time tracking, labor forecasting, scheduling, absence management, and analytics using machine learning.
UKG Workforce Central
On-premise workforce management suite offering time and attendance, scheduling, activity tracking, and labor analytics for organizations with on-premises deployment requirements.
UKG TeleStaff
Specialized scheduling solution for public safety organizations (police, fire, EMS) managing complex shift trading, overtime, and emergency call-outs.
UKG Frontline Worker Network
A platform connecting frontline employees to financial wellness, health, and everyday essentials, announced in November 2025.
Offices & Headcount
12000 employees (approx.)
Key Persons
- Jennifer Morgan
Chief Executive Officer
Arlen ShenkmanPresident & Chief Financial Officer