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UKG Workforce Institute

Website:

ukg.com/workforce-institute
Type:

Think Tank
Formation:

2007

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The UKG Workforce Institute is a research and education think tank that focuses on workplace issues facing organizations worldwide. 1 The institute, established in 2007, is part of UKG, a private for-profit technology company that provides workforce management for companies. 1 2 3

The organization’s website published a 2024 article defending workplace policies on ESG (environmental, social, governance) advocacy and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programming. 4

Background

The UKG Workforce Institute was established in 2007 as an international think tank of human resources practitioners, researchers, and business leaders. The organization is focused on driving organizational growth and performance. 3

The institute is part of UKG (short for Ultimate Kronos Group), a private for-profit technology company that provides workforce management for companies. The company has more than 80,000 customers globally for handling payroll and workforce management. The company claims to have the world’s largest collection of people data, work data, and culture data combined. 3 5

The organization claims to balance the needs of diverse employee populations with the interests of organizations to manage absenteeism, fight burnout, develop equitable work schedules, and build strong leaders to drive inspired performance. 1

The UKG Workforce Institute’s key areas of focus are compliance, workplace culture, talent, technology, and wellbeing. 3The company and institute share dual headquarters in Lowell, Massachusetts and in Weston, Florida. 3

The institute shares its research and analysis with business leaders, journalists, academics, human resources professionals, and others by conducting detailed investigations into major industry issues. 2 The UKG Workforce Institute’s research and education includes books, podcasts, surveys, blogs, and its annual list of workplace predictions. 1

Human Resource and Workforce Surveys

A 2021 survey by the UKG Workforce Institute found 34 percent of employees would prefer to switch teams or quit their jobs than try to voice their concerns with their boss. 6

Further, the organization’s 2021 research found that about three-quarters of Gen Z employees said they are ignored by their manager. Another 16 percent felt they can express their opinions to leaders in their organization, and 42 percent fear negative consequences for expressing themselves. 7

In 2023, the institute surveyed 3,400 employees in 10 different countries (Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Germany, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States) to examine the role of managers in promoting employees’ mental health. 8  The survey found 69 percent reported their managers had a greater influence on their mental health than spouses, physicians, and therapists combined, while 62 percent believed that it affects their relationships, and 71 percent said it negatively affects their home life. 5 9

In March 2024, the UKG Workforce Institute released a survey that found that 73 percent of workers said their manager’s support, encouragement, and/or leadership motivates them to go above and beyond in the workplace. It also claimed 37 percent of employees said having a manager who is accessible but does not micro-manage makes them feel the most productive at work. The same survey found 87 percent of employees thought their manager trusts them, and that 79 percent of employees said their manager supported their career goals. A smaller figure, 59 percent, said their manager was approachable and easy to talk with. 3

In fall 2024, the Institute released a survey of 300 human resource leaders at U.S. manufacturing firms. According to the survey,  31 percent said production lines were understaffed, while about half said it takes longer to fill open positions than it did a year prior. The survey also found 61 percent of manufacturers struggled to fill major labor gaps—which is down from 87 percent in 2022 coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. 10 The survey also found 69 percent of manufacturers said labor shortages affect their ability to meet production demands. 11

A 2024 institute survey of 1,500 U.S. workers found just two percent of employees prefer video communications with colleagues, even though it accounted for 38 percent of daily usage. The survey also found 63 percent thought their time management skills improved since pre-pandemic times; 68 percent wanted to receive critical feedback from a manager in person; and 50 percent of employees wanted to resolve conflict in-person. 12 13

In 2024, the institute found that an estimated 16.1 million U.S. employees planned to miss work on the Monday after the Super Bowl. 14 For 2025, the number with the “Super Bowl Flu” increased to 22.6 million, the institute found, which broke the previous record of 18.1 million. 15

Industry Recommendations

In April 2024, the organization’s website published an article defending workplace policies on ESG (environmental, social, governance) advocacy and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programming, and discussed the rise and decline of such policies in recent years. The piece was written by veteran HR professional Sarah Morgan. 4

A 2024 report on the health care industry called for empowering nurses through policy and technology innovation, for challenging policymakers on minimum staffing requirements for healthcare centers, and for increasing the authority of nurse managers. The report claimed that more healthcare employers should promote flexible staffing and technology adoption. 16

In a 2024 report on the retail industry, the Institute suggested increased respect for store managers as the “physical embodiment of your brand’s mission and values.” Noting the high turnover rate in retail, the institute called for creating “a workplace culture that makes people want to stay,” which it said should include better pay.  17

References

  1. “The Workforce Institute.” Zoom Info. Accessed April 19, 2025. https://www.zoominfo.com/c/the-workforce-institute/346283319
  2. “The Workforce Institute.” UKG. Accessed April 19, 2025. https://www.ukg.com/workforce-institute
  3. “Great Managers = Great Workplaces: Three in Four Employees Globally Say Their Manager.” UKG Workforce Institute. March 12, 2024. Accessed April 19, 2025.https://www.ukg.com/about-us/newsroom/great-managers-great-workplaces-three-four-employees-globally-say-their-manager
  4.  Morgan, Sarah. “Is the ROI of ESG Worth the Backlash?” UKG Workforce Institute. April 18, 2024. Accessed April 19, 2025. https://www.ukg.com/blog/ukg-workforce-institute/roi-esg-worth-backlash
  5. HR Tech News Desk. “UKG Workforce Institute Survey Indicates that Managers Have the Similar Effect on Our Mental Health as Spouses.” HR Tech Series. March 8, 2023. Accessed April 19, 2025. https://techrseries.com/employee-wellness/ukg-workforce-institute-survey-indicates-that-managers-have-the-similar-effect-on-our-mental-health-as-spouses/
  6. Mullen, Christopher. “A ‘Turnover Tsunami’ Won’t Hit Every Company.” Forbes. August 2, 2021. Accessed April 19, 2025. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2021/08/02/a-turnover-tsunami-wont-hit-every-company/
  7. Place, Alyssa. “Gen Z employees are struggling to feel seen at work.” Benefits News. July 12, 2021. Accesses April 19, 2025. https://www.benefitnews.com/news/gen-z-feels-ignored-by-their-managers
  8. Robinson, Bryan. “Why Managers May Have A Bigger Mental-Health Impact Than Your Therapist.” Forbes. April 15, 2024. Accessed April 19, 2025. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2024/04/15/number-1-reason-managers-have-a-bigger-mental-health-impact-than-your-therapist/
  9. Royle, Oreianna Rosa. “Managers impact employees’ mental health more than therapists and as much as a spouse or partner. Here’s how bosses can spark change in conversations.” Fortune. February 6, 2023. Accessed April 19, 2025. https://fortune.com/2023/02/06/managers-impact-worker-mental-health-more-than-therapists-research-shows-bosses-change-conversation/
  10. Magill, Kate. “Nearly 1 in 3 manufacturers say production lines are still understaffed: UKG report.” Manufacturing Dive. October 8, 2024. Accessed April 19, 2025. https://www.manufacturingdive.com/news/ukg-workforce-report-2024-labor-shortage-talent-recruitment/729238/
  11. “Report: More Manufacturers See Higher Productivity Despite Workforce Shortages.” New Jersey Business and Industry Association. October 8, 2024. Accessed April 19, 2025. https://njbia.org/report-more-manufacturers-see-higher-productivity-despite-workforce-shortages/
  12. “Adapting to the New Normal: Communication and Employee Preferences in Post-Pandemic Workplaces.” UKG Workforce Institute. Accessed April 19, 2025. https://www.ukg.com/resources/white-paper/adapting-new-normal-communication-and-employee-preferences-post-pandemic
  13. Levit, Alexandria. “UKG Workforce Institute Study Reveals How Employees Have Navigated Post-Pandemic Workplace Communication.” UKG Workforce Institute. May 15, 2024. Accessed April 19, 2025. https://www.ukg.com/blog/ukg-workforce-institute/ukg-workforce-institute-study-reveals-how-employees-have-navigated
  14. “Employers Should Expect Productivity Lapses Post Super Bowl.” Work Care. February 9, 2024. Accessed April 19, 2025. https://workcare.com/resources/blog/employers-should-expect-productivity-lapses-post-super-bowl/
  15. Bailey, Analis. “22.6 million employees will likely catch the ‘Super Bowl Flu.’” Axios. February 10, 2025. Accessed April 19, 2025. https://www.axios.com/2025/02/10/226-million-employees-likely-to-catch-super-bowl-flu
  16. “The UKG Workforce Institute 2024 Industry Insights Report.” UKG Workforce Institute. Accessed April 19, 2025. https://www.ukg.com/resources/industry-brief/ukg-workforce-institute-2024-industry-insights-report-healthcare-edition
  17. “The UKG Workforce Institute 2024 Industry Insights Report | Retail Edition.” UKG Workforce Institute. Accessed April 19, 2025. https://www.ukg.com/resources/industry-brief/ukg-workforce-institute-2024-industry-insights-report-retail-edition
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