UKG Ready vs Criterion HCM
Last Updated:Our analysts compared UKG Ready vs Criterion HCM based on data from our 400+ point analysis of HR Management Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.
Product Basics
UKG Ready delivers essential HR capabilities like payroll, talent acquisition and management, benefits, scheduling and attendance management via a core suite. It also offers an ACA module, accruals, attestation and mobile functionality. Companies can leverage it to address needs across the employee lifecycle.
Employing automated data collection, it simplifies the task of aggregating workforce information from multiple sources including mobile, timeclock and web interface. Analytics features give users insights into the workforce to make decisions based on data. Payroll services are also available.
Criterion is a talent management and HCM solution that provides administration for medium-size businesses. It helps the entire executive team, managers and employees alike manage the entire employee lifecycle. With a digital infrastructure that includes HTML 5 and a REST API, it’s scalable and offers multiple automation options. It manages recruiting, acquisition, online learning, performance reviews, time and attendance, payroll and other HR matters across the company.
$21/Employee, Monthly
Free Trial is unavailable →
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
Small
Medium
Large
Small
Medium
Large
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
ALE Solutions
Goodwill
Servicon
Sprint Mart
YMCA
we're gathering data
Product Assistance
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Product Insights
- Less Admin Work: Eliminate physical paperwork, maintain all HR operations digitally and integrate core activities.
- Better Engagement With Employees: Saving time allows managers to provide regular feedback and interact consistently.
- Strategic Focus: Reduced workloads and greater task efficiency allow HR to focus on leadership development, culture building and other strategic initiatives.
- Reduced Complexity: Remove manual processes surrounding ACA compliance, automating a large part of the process to save time.
- Mobile Access: Provide greater convenience with access to information on any mobile device. Managers can complete tasks like approvals and check reports, while employees can turn in timesheets, request leaves, check schedules and clock in and out.
- Improved Planning: Build data-based strategies and boost performance by spotting trends across the workforce using predictive tools and AI.
- Centralized HR: Simplify work, minimize errors and streamline the user experience with data, features and connected modules available in one unified platform.
- Less Compliance Risk: Reduce the potential for fines and legal issues by leveraging proactive compliance for FLSA and ACA.
- Reduces Errors: Increases the security, accuracy and speed of employee and staff data. These increased precisions make it easier to make smart decisions based on actionable insights.
- Saves Time and Money: Automates and streamlines HCM and talent management processes such as compensation, benefits, tracking applicants and performance management. This increased efficiency saves administrators time and sanity. By eliminating manual data entry, it improves the workflow, making it easier for employees to use the platform. Through the system, it’s possible to have more control over the cost of benefits. The platform is also scalable so users can accommodate sudden company growth.
- More Informed Management: Provides reporting, data manageable and other tools that allow leadership to make more informed decisions. From there, it’s easier to communicate with staff to ensure everyone is on the same page.
- Better Talent Lifecycle: Helps with the entire process including acquisitions, screening, setting up interviews, onboarding, performance management and succession management and more.
- Payroll: Supports unlimited payroll runs, ensures information is always up to date, manages a variety of components like tax considerations and garnishment processing, and provides self-service access for employees. Surfaces relevant data via standard and ad-hoc reporting, equipped with filters, grouping and customization.
- HR Management: Access a unified database for tracking and managing employee information. Configuration settings and the ability to build processes help workflows match internal requirements. Also offers:
- Onboarding: Streamlines processes with checklists, task assignments, automated reminders, forms with e-signature and more.
- Benefits: Includes employee self-service tools for selecting plans and updating information, configurable reports, and support for multiple plan types. Also shows data on costs, enrollment statuses and more.
- Training: Enables building courses, scheduling internal classes, reporting on learning outcomes, assigning training to employees, tracking completion and more.
- Workforce Analytics: Improves decisions and strategies by collecting and visualizing real-time workforce data. Uses AI to assess trends and identify risks to make predictive recommendations.
- Talent Acquisition: Simplifies the application process with custom application options, including populating from a LinkedIn profile. Also helps:
- Create a career site and integrate with more than 8,000 free and premium job boards.
- Set up workflow approvals for job requisitions.
- Manage recruitment processes in one place and sort candidates using criteria-based filters.
- Configure email templates and pre-screening questions.
- Employee Development: System administrators can define training courses, schedule classes and assign employees to take the classes. Managers are able to monitor open seats and gain visibility into employee participation and performance within the courses.
- Time Keeping: Automates many time and attendance processes, including alerts when employees cross leave limits and breach company policies related to attendance. Real-time data updates support accurate payroll and compliance.
- Performance Management: Delivers performance data that aids employee development efforts. Also includes:
- Goals tied to organizational objectives.
- Unlimited profile types for the company, department or job level, offering weighted or numerical ratings and customizable criteria.
- Automated review cycles, which include alerts, real-time status tracking and configuration options to set review dates and frequency.
- Custom reports showing employee skills and required training, which aid succession planning.
- Scheduling: Provides auto-generated schedules based on company needs, along with automatic employee sorting using preset conditions such as skills and availability. Other features include call lists for filling unexpected openings, employee self-scheduling, automated workflows and forecasts to anticipate demand.
- Compensation (Add-On): Simplifies compensation tasks by removing the need for manual tools and processes. Offers configurable cycles, automatic approval workflows, a budgeting interface, security settings and mass finalization of proposals.
- Attestation: Sends prompts to employees reminding them to confirm they’ve taken mandatory breaks for purposes of legal and internal compliance. Also offers:
- Several course options: build-your-own courses, over 400 premade courses from the library and third-party content thanks to SCORM compatibility.
- Configuration of prompts to capture relevant information.
- Automatic notifications alerting employees if they’ve missed attestation.
- Reports that help validate compliance and aid attestation tracking.
- Ability to attest time from the mobile or web time tracking app.
- Accruals: Reduces errors through automated accrual tracking. A variety of criteria are available to configure accruals. Reports show thorough summaries of each employee’s accrual data for every type of PTO.
- ACA Management: Dashboards show real-time and historical data, with the ability to view individual employees for full visibility. Alerts help managers track schedules and employment changes, as well as let employees know about benefits eligibility.
- Payroll Service: Seamlessly integrates with the payroll module to ensure compliance, process garnishments, remove the need to manage tax paperwork and provide accurate information for tax filing.
- Talent Management: Manages talent acquisition, onboarding, employee record creation and sends messages through one central database. It targets different points in the employee life cycle to aid in tracking applications, onboarding, performance management, learning management, communication, increasing engagement and more.
- Recruiting: Helps identify candidates, sort applications, screen potential hires, track interview processes and manage references, facilitate job postings and background checks. It also provides an online career portal to increase the number and variety of candidates. Through this, recruiters cut down on time and effort.
- Learning Management: Provides courses for employees and sends notifications for pass or fail status. It also manages certifications allowing managers to track progress and ensure compliance.
- Performance Management: Users can create scales to rate performance, set time periods for review, assign competencies and use standard or customized templates that allow for feedback from various different employees.
- HR: Manages attendance, benefits, compliance, communications, enrollments, payroll, and other HR tasks with one complete database. It facilitates strategic planning, streamlining workflows and other important administrative tasks. All data and important information is centralized, organized and more easily accessible.
- Data Management: Administrators have data for contacting employees, compensation, complying with the Equal Employment Opportunity, employment status, performance reviews and more. It automatically sends essential documents and reports through fax, email or online.
- Open Enrollment: Allows all staff to select and sign up for benefits. Provides email benefit letters, tracking and automatically transmits deduction to payroll systems to reduce errors.
- Self-Service for Staff: Lets employees track time, manage their PTO, get information on their payroll and more. Managers can approve PTO, write up employees and do reviews for performance. All staff can post and share information to increase collaboration and engagement.
- Mobile Capabilities: Enables workers to enter and track their time on the go. With a secure login, it tracks worker details, enters start and finish times, manages vacation and can register employee location.
- Reporting: Pulls information on emergency contacts, worker birthdays, training costs, overages, compensation planning and EEO details. The report is printable and can be customized for other needs.
- Time and Attendance: Provides scheduling, labor tracking and other attendance features for on-site or remote staff. It has one-click integration with payroll systems and provides verification for staffing with badge, biometric and PIN options.
- Payroll: Processes payment and deals with filing taxes, calculates payroll and integrates with time clocks. Administrators can print checks, download ACH files, file taxes electronically, track expense and entry information en masse into the system. In terms of taxes, it calculates local, state and federal taxes and aids in returns.
Product Ranking
#73
among all
HR Management Software
#624
among all
HR Management Software
User Sentiment Summary
2859 reviews
14 reviews
UKG Ready has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 81% when considering 2859 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.
Criterion HCM has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 89% when considering 14 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.
4.0 (846)
n/a
4.1 (778)
4.29 (7)
4.1 (790)
4.8 (5)
4.3 (129)
n/a
3.9 (316)
4.3 (2)
Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews
we're gathering data
we're gathering data
User reviews from the past year indicate UKG Ready is a comprehensive human resources management software solution best suited for small and mid-sized businesses, but may not be the best fit for every organization. Users praise UKG Ready for its user-friendly interface, robust reporting and analytics, and seamless integration with other business software, such as accounting and CRM software. For example, one user noted the software's intuitive design made it easy to navigate and complete tasks efficiently. Another user highlighted the value of the detailed reports, which provided actionable insights into key HR metrics, enabling data-driven decision-making. However, some users have reported that the software can be expensive and may require a significant upfront investment. Additionally, some users have found the initial setup and implementation process to be somewhat complex and time-consuming. UKG Ready differentiates itself from competitors by offering a mobile app that allows employees to access their information and manage tasks on the go. This feature is particularly beneficial for businesses with remote or mobile workforces. Users also appreciate the strong customer support provided by UKG, noting the team's responsiveness and helpfulness in resolving issues. Overall, UKG Ready is a solid choice for businesses seeking a comprehensive HR solution with a user-friendly interface, robust features, and reliable customer support. However, businesses with limited budgets or those seeking a simple solution with minimal setup may want to consider alternative options.
we're gathering data
Screenshots
Top Alternatives in HR Management Software
ADP Workforce Now
BambooHR
Cornerstone OnDemand
Dayforce
Infor HCM
Justworks
Oracle HCM Cloud
Paycom
Paycor
PDS Vista
Rippling
SuccessFactors
Talentsoft
TriNet
UKG Dimensions
UKG Pro
Workable
Workday HCM
Related Categories
WE DISTILL IT INTO REAL REQUIREMENTS, COMPARISON REPORTS, PRICE GUIDES and more...
