Top three takeaways from UKG Connect 25: ‘The pace of change has never been faster than what it is at the moment’

UKG Connect 25 welcomed more than 200 workplace leaders to London’s iconic BATFA building to explore new technology, network with peers, and celebrate their accomplishments.

UNLEASH attended the exclusive event to connect and learn from industry leaders and innovators. 

If you were unable to attend, here’s our round-up of the top three sessions of the day.

Jennifer Morgan, CEO, UKG

Taking to the stage to open the event, UKG’s CEO – who was appointed last year – captivated the audience by discussing the biggest business and people challenges customers are facing today.

We could not be more excited about the direction that we’re headed. We are committed to innovation. We’re committed to providing you the world-class experience you deserve, you deserve nothing but the best, and we want to deliver that for you. 

“So, we’re looking forward to the day and the years ahead.”

Morgan then turns her attention to the EMEA region, sharing that UKG has roughly 1,000 employees and 5,000 customers in the region, with plans to expand.

She continues to highlight some of UKG’s customers that the business is particularly proud of, such as NatWest, which struggled with visibility across systems and its payrolls didn’t have a lot of integration. To rectify this, NatWest implemented one view, meaning they’ve now got an integrated solution and unified processing model. 

Rahaf Harfoush, Author

Opening her keynote, Harfoush discusses how AI companions are at the intersection of technology and culture, by sharing an example of how platforms are providing users with AI partners – which, in some cases, can be romantic.

Although many people’s first reaction may be surprising that humans are ‘falling in love’ with AI companions, she bats the question to the audience: “How many of you have robotic vacuums at home? Now how many of you have a name for your vacuum cleaner? Talk to them? Move things around the house to make life easier for them?”

Slowly, hands were raised as Harfoush made the connection between emerging technologies and the hidden connections these tools are having on our world.

She continued to highlight the ethical implications of these technologies while drawing on the importance of understanding the deeper cultural impacts they can have. 

Panel Discussion: Driving Growth by Future-proofing Employee Experience

UKG’s Go-To-Market President Rachel Barger and EVP Chief Customer Experience Officer, Bob DelPonte, were joined on stage by Accenture’s Tim Goode, Sainsbury’s Simon Bunyan, Greggs’ Neil Parrish, and Schneider Electric’s Claire Howells, to discuss the impact AI and digital transformation is having on workforce management.

To kick things off, Bunyan reflects on Harfoush’s session by highlighting the importance of really understanding what AI is being used for. He says: “We need to understand what and why we’re leveraging it – otherwise it can become an addiction.”

In a similar vein, Goode supports the idea that boundaries need to be placed upon AI, not only to maintain a healthy work-life balance but to lead by example for others in the organization, too.

For Parrish, the way in which AI can change how we think about and manage our time is a key takeaway. He highlights that a great sense of urgency has developed since COVID, but what’s important is that we actually create time for ourselves and our teams to complete work.

The pace of change has never been faster than it is at the moment,” he explains, “and the expectations of generations are different.

He therefore asks: “How do we embrace that for the good of our businesses and our colleagues that work we’re responsible for?”

Finally, Howells shares how AI and technology have become a fundamental part of daily life – whether that’s making sure the kids are safe, or telling them through Alexa that dinner’s ready.

She notes: “I think as an organization, we need to move with the times. We need to explore and look at how it can help, but there needs to be a balance, for sure.

“We need to move with the times because it’s coming, it’s here, and we need to embrace it.”