How UKG Helps Education Teams Manage Their Workforce
Efficient workforce management isn’t optional anymore; it’s the backbone of daily operations. UKG has become a go-to partner for HR, payroll, time, and culture solutions, and the Associated Students of California State University, Chico—a student-led auxiliary organization—shows why. With 550 employees across professional, union, and student roles, they needed one system that could handle real-world complexity without slowing people down.
Simplifying HR with UKG Ready
One System for Complex Staffing
UKG Ready gives the Associated Students a single platform to manage HR, timekeeping, payroll, and compliance reporting. Thang Ho, director of IT for the Associated Students, summed up the shift this way: "The biggest win for us is having an easy-to-use, single source for all HR and workforce data, which greatly increases our efficiency and productivity," he expressed. One place to enter data. One place to find it again. Less chasing, more doing.
Built to Flex as Needs Change
Their workforce changes with the academic calendar, and UKG Ready adjusts with it. Different roles, variable hours, and unique student schedules used to complicate payroll—especially for student employees. Katrina Robertson, associate financial director, explained how the team now keeps pace: "We can quickly make mass edits to adjust tax statuses and deductions, ensuring our student employees receive accurate paychecks regardless of their variable work hours," she elaborated. That means fewer manual fixes and faster, cleaner pay runs.
Making Compliance and Reporting Easier
Turning Compliance Into a Manageable Routine
Educational organizations juggle labor laws, university policies, and annual audits. UKG Ready centralizes the work so it’s easier to maintain and track. Robertson noted that the team now keeps accurate, organized records for mandatory reporting, which lightens the load during audits and helps them prove compliance without a scramble at year-end.
Using Real-Time Data to Guide Pay Decisions
Leah Mercer, HR director, emphasized how reporting now informs everyday decisions, not just after-the-fact reviews. "With data at our fingertips, we can ensure our job offers are competitive, fostering both internal pay equity and a culture of transparency," she remarked. With clearer compensation insights, the team can focus on people—celebrating milestones and building trust—while keeping pay practices fair and visible.
Focusing on People First
A Workplace That Works for Employees
UKG’s people-centered approach aligns with the Associated Students’ mission to support their campus community. Mercer also highlighted how moving away from paper has changed daily work. Automated workflows now replace slow, manual steps, which saves time, reduces waste, and makes it easier for employees to get what they need without extra back-and-forth.
Technology That Fits Higher Education
According to Chris Kiklas, vice president of SMB product management at UKG, tailoring tools to the reality of college and university operations matters. "UKG’s solutions are purpose-built to tackle the unique challenges colleges face, enabling institutions to put people at the center of their focus and enhance engagement across campus," he stated. When the tools understand the setting, adoption follows—and so does impact.
Wrapping Up
The Associated Students of California State University, Chico, show what happens when one platform ties HR, time, payroll, and compliance together. UKG’s ongoing focus on usable, flexible technology helps organizations manage large, mixed workforces and the rules that come with them. The result is smoother operations and a better day-to-day experience for employees—small improvements that add up over time and help institutions thrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is UKG Ready?
UKG Ready is an integrated HR platform that brings HR, timekeeping, payroll, and compliance reporting into one system. For teams like the Associated Students at CSU, Chico, it serves as a single source of truth, reducing manual work and keeping data consistent.
How does UKG help with payroll complexities?
It supports multiple roles and variable hours, and it lets administrators make mass updates—such as adjusting tax statuses and deductions—so employees, including students with changing schedules, receive accurate paychecks without redoing work each pay period.
Can UKG improve compliance management?
Yes. By centralizing records and workflows, UKG Ready helps organizations maintain accurate documentation for required reporting and makes annual audits more straightforward.
How does UKG support a positive workplace culture?
Real-time reporting helps maintain pay equity and transparency, while automated, paper-light workflows remove friction from everyday tasks. Employees spend less time on process and more time on meaningful work and recognition.
What does the future look like for UKG in higher education?
UKG continues to focus on solutions designed for the unique challenges colleges face, helping institutions keep people at the center of their operations while strengthening engagement across campus.
