Rapidly growing apparel brand slashes payroll processing time from hours to minutes while dramatically improving workforce efficiency with UKG technology

Fort Lauderdale, Florida – As rapid growth reshapes businesses across the retail sector, many companies are discovering that scaling operations can quickly expose cracks in outdated systems. For Mississippi-based hunting apparel company Drake Waterfowl, that pressure became impossible to ignore.

The premium outdoor apparel and gear brand, known for its hunting products and expanding national footprint, had more than doubled in size during the past two years. With employees spread across 17 states and a workforce made up of full-time, part-time, and seasonal staff, the company faced a growing challenge behind the scenes: its people operations were becoming increasingly difficult to manage.

Now, the company says a major technology overhaul with UKG has dramatically streamlined everything from payroll processing to employee engagement, while also helping slash turnover rates that had once climbed into triple digits.

UKG, which provides AI-powered workforce management and HR technology, announced that Drake Waterfowl adopted the UKG Ready suite as part of a broader effort to unify the company’s recruiting, scheduling, payroll, and employee management systems under a single platform.

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Before the transition, Drake Waterfowl’s operations were fragmented across multiple disconnected tools, creating inefficiencies that slowed decision-making and complicated growth planning.

“Before UKG, we had seven systems that didn’t talk to each other and no consistent view of our people,” said John Walbrecht. “With UKG bringing everything together, we finally have accurate, consistent workforce data we can trust. If you’re trying to grow and don’t know if you have the right people in the right roles, you can’t plan, you can’t scale, and you can’t win. HR touches every decision, and having clarity with UKG has fundamentally changed how we operate.”

For growing retailers, payroll often becomes one of the most time-consuming and error-prone responsibilities, especially when managing seasonal workers across multiple locations. Drake Waterfowl says that process once consumed nearly half a workday every payroll cycle.

According to company leaders, the new system reduced that workload from roughly five hours of manual processing to just a few minutes.

“What used to take almost an entire half-day of processing per payroll cycle is now a 7-minute sprint. We’ve seen no errors, no issues, no hiccups. It’s just easy and seamless,” said Casey Barnett. “UKG is the most intuitive HR system I’ve used. It’s incredibly user-friendly, and it’s changed how we operate, saving time, reducing stress, and letting us focus on our people.”

The changes extended beyond payroll. Drake Waterfowl also implemented UKG Bryte, an AI-driven tool designed to automate routine tasks and simplify daily workflows.

As artificial intelligence continues moving into mainstream business operations, companies are increasingly looking for ways to use automation without overwhelming employees or adding complexity. Drake leaders say the platform helped bridge that gap by embedding AI directly into everyday HR tasks.

“UKG Bryte was one of the best decisions we made, and it was a no-brainer,” said Barnett. “The world is moving to AI, and if you’re not, you’re going to get left behind. UKG Bryte helps with everything from job postings and descriptions to analyzing employee feedback and answering questions in real time. That means our team saves time, employees aren’t waiting on HR, and we can make faster, more informed decisions across the business.”

One of the most striking outcomes involved employee retention.

The company said it used embedded Great Place To Work tools within the UKG platform to better understand employee sentiment and workplace culture. By combining staff feedback with AI-powered analysis, Drake Waterfowl says it identified areas needing improvement and responded with targeted changes.

The result was a dramatic drop in turnover rates — from 347 percent down to double digits.

For many retailers and apparel companies, turnover remains one of the industry’s biggest operational headaches. Seasonal hiring cycles, frontline burnout, and inconsistent communication often make retention difficult. Drake executives say having access to clearer workforce data gave leadership a stronger understanding of what employees needed and where workplace frustrations were emerging.

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“With UKG, we’ve been able to listen to our employees, understand where we needed to improve, and back our actions with real data,” said Barnett. “When we earned Great Place To Work Certification, I was proud to show our C-suite and board that what we were doing was working.”

Executives at Drake Waterfowl say the company’s transformation has reinforced a broader belief that culture and business performance are closely tied together.

“We have a simple belief: people plus culture equals results,” said Walbrecht. “With UKG, we now have the consistent, accurate information to truly put that into practice. When employees have access to the same information, feel empowered, and trust the organization, they perform differently — and that’s what separates a good company from a great brand.”

The shift reflects a larger trend taking place across retail and workforce management industries, where businesses are increasingly relying on integrated AI tools to improve efficiency while also strengthening employee experience.

Chris Kiklas said simplifying work processes can have a direct impact on morale, productivity, and long-term retention — especially for frontline workers operating in fast-paced environments.

“For growing organizations, simplifying the experience for frontline employees is essential to keeping people engaged and supported, especially in fast-paced environments like retail,” said Kiklas. “When work is easier and more intuitive, employees are more productive, managers are more effective, and retention improves. Drake Waterfowl demonstrates how bringing HR, payroll, employee feedback, and AI together in a single platform helps organizations scale while strengthening culture.”