April 2, 2026

As the fiscal year ends and a new one begins, we celebrate the successful conclusion of the Optimization Initiative. This multi-stream effort focused on enhancing our core digital systems – UKG, M365, AlayaCare, and Unison – and providing resources to empower employees to use these systems more effectively.

While the formal initiative has wrapped up, the progress made has built a strong foundation for the future. Below is a highlight of the specific achievements for UKG.

What did we optimize and why?

Scheduling is the heartbeat of our service delivery, and UKG is the engine that drives it. We launched this optimization workstream to move beyond basic time-tracking and address the functional “friction” our schedulers faced daily. Our goal was to simplify the interface, improve data accuracy, and ensure that our scheduling and operations teams have the visibility they need to support our staff and the people we serve effectively.

Key achievements include:

  • Visual Enhancements: Introduced new color codes in the scheduling view to make shift types and roles identifiable at a glance.
  • LMS Manual Comprehensive Update: The “UKG Functions for All Employees” and the “UKG Supervisor” manual were fully reorganized and updated on the LMS. This included streamlining 8 learning modules into one manual for supervisors, filling information gaps and incorporating all previous “UKG Tips” into a centralized resource for easier navigation.
  • Mobile Notification Guidelines: Streamlined the guidelines for mobile notifications, ensuring staff receive relevant alerts without being overwhelmed by “digital noise.”
  • Enhanced Schedule Visibility (Fewer Clicks): Optimized the user interface to reduce the number of clicks required to view a full schedule, making the system faster and more intuitive for daily use.
  • “Quick Post” Consistency Standards: Updated the guidelines for the “Quick Post” feature to ensure records remain consistent across different teams and districts.
  • Rounding Rule Clarity: A new feature called “rounded punches” was enabled in UKG to support supervisors and employees in understanding how punch time translates to pay.

What’s Next?

The work doesn’t stop here. All technical maintenance and remaining backlog items will be continued in the HRIS team for long-term support. We are also moving from a project-based approach to a sustainable community model in the form of a Scheduler Group by launching an ongoing “Community of Practice” where schedulers and operations teams can share best practices and troubleshoot in real-time.

Thank You

This success is a direct result of the collaboration between our HR Systems team, our Community Schedulers, and Operations Leaders and Staff. A special thank you to the UKG delivery team for their tireless work in translating feedback into functional improvements.

Jeff Ham, Director of Digital, Technology and Innovation
James Palmer, Executive Director, North District