When your company invests in a new Human Capital Management (HCM) or Workforce Management (WFM) platform, the success of that investment hinges on the quality of your implementation. Choosing the right partner can mean the difference between hitting your go-live date with confidence — or struggling through delays, miscommunications, and missed expectations.
At Ascend, we’ve built our reputation as a premier UKG-only partner by delivering fast, flexible, and high-touch implementations that align to your goals and realities. Our clients don’t come to us for a cookie-cutter experience. They come to us because they want a partner who shows up, rolls up their sleeves, and gets it right the first time. We specialize in consulting, support and optimization services, so you can be sure you’re getting deep, focused expertise for UKG Pro, UKG WFM and UKG Ready.
Here are seven key reasons why more organizations are choosing Ascend to lead their UKG projects:
1. Real-Time Collaboration and Faster Results
Your time matters, and so does momentum. That’s why our UKG consulting teams are based across the U.S. and Canada, working in sync with your internal teams, on your schedule. You won’t be waiting a business day for a response, and you won’t be chasing down a consultant in a different time zone. We’re responsive, aligned, and in lockstep with your team from the start.
A recent client learned this the hard way. This healthcare UKG implementation was stuck in neutral, and their HR team felt the constant drag of a consultant who was operating on a distant schedule. We were able to step in, align with the HR team quickly, and get the project back on track with real-time collaboration.
Whether it’s a strategic planning session, a configuration change, or a last-minute go-live task, we’re accessible, engaged, and ready when you need us.
2. Deep Understanding of Workforce Regulations, Best Practices
Implementing an HCM or WFM solution isn’t just about turning on a system. It’s about configuring it to reflect the unique needs of your workforce. That requires a nuanced understanding of labor laws, payroll requirements, ACA compliance, union contracts, overtime policies, and more. Our consultants bring decades of functional expertise in navigating these complexities across North America.
We don’t just understand the system — we understand the business rules that power it. That means fewer gaps, better alignment, and stronger long-term outcomes.
3. A Consistent, Named Team from Start to Finish
Continuity is critical to project success. At Ascend, you work with a named team that stays with your project from kickoff to go-live — and often beyond. This ensures deep familiarity with your business, strong team chemistry, and a more efficient implementation overall.
We don’t rotate resources or surprise you with unfamiliar faces midstream. Our consultants are fully accountable for your success and take ownership of every phase of delivery.
4. Strategic Guidance with White-Glove Execution
Our clients often tell us they didn’t just get a consultant — they gained a thought partner. That’s because we approach every project with a strategic mindset and a commitment to excellence. We take the time to understand your goals, design around your unique workflows, and identify opportunities for long-term optimization.
This reputation for strategic guidance is why a UKG sales rep reached out directly to Ascend when their client required specialized support for a complex implementation combined with limited internal change management expertise.
Whether we’re leading the full implementation or augmenting your internal team, our goal is the same: to deliver a solution that works flawlessly for your people, your processes, and your performance goals.
5. Practical, Hands-On Training for Real-World Readiness
Training is one of the most critical — and often overlooked — phases of a successful rollout. That’s why we focus on preparing your teams using your actual system configuration, not a generic environment. Our consultants deliver practical, scenario-based training that builds confidence and ensures your people are ready to hit the ground running on day one.
When a large manufacturer needed to roll out UKG Pro to 5,000 employees across multiple plants, we developed a series of short, role-specific video tutorials (e.g., ‘How to Approve Timecards on the Mobile App’ for supervisors and ‘How to Request Time Off’ for employees). This allowed us to train a large, dispersed workforce efficiently and ensured everyone was confident in their specific day-to-day tasks from the start.
We offer both virtual and in-person options depending on your needs, but in every case, we focus on maximizing knowledge transfer and long-term self-sufficiency.
6. We’re Ready for Your Post- Live Evolution
The real work often begins after your system is live. That’s why we offer a range of post-go-live services, including ongoing managed payroll and optimization. From resolving configuration issues to tackling new integrations, we’re committed to a long-term partnership that maximizes your ROI.
Recently, a technology client came to us a few months after their go-live, struggling with complex payroll rules. This led to multiple errors and manual workarounds. Ascend’s post-live support team provided a comprehensive system audit and configured a long-term solution that eliminated their struggles, freeing their team to focus on strategic work.
We recognize this level of post-live support is critical for your employee satisfaction and long-term investment.
7. We Don’t Just Implement UKG Ready — We Run Our Business on It
As a certified UKG Ready implementation partner, we don’t just guide clients through the platform — we rely on it ourselves to manage our own rapidly growing, distributed team. From onboarding and time tracking to performance management and compliance, we use UKG Ready every day, giving us firsthand insight into how to configure the system for real-world success.
This daily experience means we don’t just know the platform, we live it. We apply that unique perspective to every client we serve.
Built for Results. Backed by Experience. Chosen by UKG Clients.
Many of our clients come to us through referrals — often after realizing they need a more experienced or responsive partner to meet their timelines and expectations. As a trusted UKG-only partner, we work in close alignment with UKG’s internal teams to deliver best-in-class outcomes, especially when urgency, complexity, or scale is involved. Whether you’re preparing for a net new implementation, optimizing an existing UKG environment, or exploring how to do more with less, Ascend delivers fast, focused, and frictionless UKG project implementations.
Ready to move forward on your UKG implementation with confidence? Contact us today for a free 30-minute project consult.
