UKG Advances Workforce Operations Leadership with Expansion of UKG Frontline Worker Network

Key Points

• UKG continues to define the future of workforce operations by helping organizations connect frontline employees with trusted services directly in the flow of their work and pay experience
• Cash App joins the UKG Frontline Worker Network, expanding UKG's curated ecosystem, to expand access to services that help frontline employees before, on, and after pay day
• More than 65 million workers and 80,000 organizations across 150+ countries rely on UKG to make work happen, giving UKG a unique view into the everyday moments that shape workforce operations

LOWELL, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UKG^®, the AI-first Workforce Operating Platform for HR, payroll, and workforce management, today announced the addition of Cash App to the UKG Frontline Worker Network, expanding the curated ecosystem of partners that connects frontline workers with benefits and support directly in the flow of their UKG work, pay, and collaboration experience.

UKG serves more than 65 million workers and more than 80,000 organizations across 150+ countries, including two-thirds of the Fortune™ 1000. That scale gives UKG a unique view into where work, financial, and everyday needs intersect, like the need for cheaper groceries, the ability to build better credit faster, and even getting tax refunds earlier. The Frontline Worker Network extends UKG's ability to support workers in those moments by connecting them with trusted services directly through UKG's Workforce Operating Platform.

"UKG is the center of gravity for frontline workforce operations, and that gives us an opportunity to support workers beyond the traditional boundaries of HR and benefits administration,” said Suresh Vittal, Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer at UKG. “Through the Frontline Worker Network, we are bringing trusted services directly to employees in the flow of work — before, during, or after pay day, and through mobile tools like UKG Talk that help frontline teams stay connected."

The UKG Frontline Worker Network is a value-add experience for all UKG customers, available to customer employees in a way that makes it easier for everyone to benefit from trusted services at scale.

Supporting Frontline Workers Before, On, and After Payday

Traditional benefits experiences often start with what an employer offers. The UKG Frontline Worker Network starts with the everyday realities of frontline workers — identifying where, when, and how support can make work and life easier — then making relevant support accessible through UKG. Since launching the network in 2025, UKG has focused its expansion on critical moments in the frontline worker journey, including:

• Between paydays: Just 46% of U.S. adults have enough money saved to cover three months of expenses, according to Bankrate. Through partners Payactiv and ZayZoon, UKG helps frontline employees access earned wages when bills or unexpected expenses arrive between paydays.
• On payday: Nearly one-in-five U.S. households are in underbanked or unbanked communities, according to the FDIC. UKG helps workers set up accounts and direct deposit with providers including OnePay and Cash App, facilitating faster and easier access to employees' pay, which allows them to manage their everyday money in one place.
• At tax time: The IRS says a federal tax refund is often one of the largest cash inflows an employee receives during the year. UKG helps frontline workers simplify filing through services such as Cash App Taxes, including the ability to use W-2 information available through UKG to file more quickly and accurately.

“In a world where recruitment and retention is in a totally different market than it's ever been, and it's tougher than it's ever been, earned wage access is something that we know employees want,” said Kayla Linn, Chief People Officer at Eventide | Tabitha. “It isn't something that's very commonly offered in our market. We wanted to be different and provide more to our employees than we ever have before, when financial situations arise.”

For employers, supporting financial stability isn't simply an employee benefit. 2026 research from PwC found financially stressed employees are 5x more likely to be distracted at work, with 57% of employees citing finances are their top life stressor. When workers have greater financial flexibility and fewer everyday barriers to showing up, organizations have an opportunity to improve retention, attendance, engagement, and workforce stability.

“Our research with thousands of frontline workers shows that many feel their needs are not met as fully as those of office-based employees," said Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory. "UKG’s Frontline Worker Network is designed to help close that gap by connecting workers with meaningful support — benefiting employees and helping employers attract, engage and retain the frontline talent their businesses depend on.”

By connecting trusted services directly to the UKG experiences employees already use, like UKG Talk, the Frontline Worker Network helps UKG customers extend their employee value proposition beyond traditional HR and benefits. Workers gain easier access to meaningful support, while employers gain another way to strengthen the frontline experience and the workforce outcomes that depend on it.

Supporting Resources

• See how the UKG Frontline Worker Network connects practical support with meaningful outcomes.
• Trusted support for frontline workers: read why UKG is a Leader in both the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud HCM Suites and the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Workforce Management.
• Learn more about UKG and our leading global AI platform for HR, pay, and workforce management.
• Follow UKG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the UKG Frontline Worker Network?

The UKG Frontline Worker Network is a curated ecosystem of partners that connects frontline workers with financial and everyday support services through the UKG Workforce Operating Platform. UKG launched the network in 2025. Workers reach these services directly in the flow of their work and pay experience.

Which partners joined the UKG Frontline Worker Network in the announcement on October 8, 2026?

Cash App joined the UKG Frontline Worker Network on October 8, 2026. Cash App for Direct Deposit facilitates faster and easier money management in one place, joining partners including Payactiv, ZayZoon, and OnePay.

How does UKG support frontline workers before, on, and after payday?

UKG connects frontline workers with services matched to three pay-cycle moments. Between paydays, Payactiv and ZayZoon provide access to earned wages. On payday, providers such as OnePay, and Cash App (available 2027) support account setup and direct deposit. At tax time, Cash App Taxes (available end of 2026) simplifies filing.

Does UKG offer earned wage access?

Yes, UKG offers earned wage access through the UKG Frontline Worker Network partners Payactiv and ZayZoon. Earned wage access lets employees draw on wages they have already earned when bills or unexpected expenses arrive between paydays. Employees reach the service through UKG.

Can frontline workers use UKG to file taxes faster?

Yes, frontline workers can use W-2 information available through UKG to file taxes more quickly and accurately. Partner services include Cash App Taxes. Filing matters because the IRS says a federal tax refund is often one of the largest cash inflows an employee receives in a year.

Why does employee financial stability matter to employers?

Financial stress reduces focus, attendance, and retention. PwC's 2026 research found financially stressed employees are 5x more likely to be distracted at work, and 57% of employees cite finances as their top life stressor. Giving workers financial flexibility helps employers improve retention, attendance, engagement, and workforce stability.

How is the UKG Frontline Worker Network different from traditional benefits?

Traditional benefits start with what an employer offers. The UKG Frontline Worker Network starts with the everyday realities of frontline workers, such as groceries, credit, and tax refunds, then makes relevant support accessible through UKG in the flow of work. This extends the employee value proposition beyond HR and benefits administration.

How many workers and organizations does UKG serve?

UKG serves more than 65 million workers and more than 80,000 organizations across 150+ countries, including two-thirds of the Fortune 1000. UKG is the AI-first Workforce Operating Platform for HR, payroll, and workforce management. That scale gives UKG visibility into the everyday moments that shape workforce operations.

About UKG

UKG is the Workforce Operating Platform with unified HR, payroll, and workforce management, built to solve the unique challenges of frontline work. Powered by people-first AI and decades of labor data, UKG turns workforce intelligence into real-time decisions around staffing, pay, compliance, and productivity, enabling every worker to confidently take action as work happens.

That’s why more than 80,000 organizations worldwide trust UKG to run their workforce — not just manage it. To learn more, visit ukg.com.

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