Gov. Deval Patrick Barbeques with Kronos Employees

Gov. Deval Patrick on Tuesday told more than 1,300 local employees he's proud of their hard work and innovation at the Kronos employee appreciation picnic.

Patrick cited the company, which makes workforce management software, as one of many in the state helping lead the way out of the recession.

"(Information technology), clean technology and the lifesciences are continuing to grow in this recession and are leading us out," he said. "When I (worked as an executive) at Coca-Cola and Texaco, I noticed a lot of pressure in planning for the next corner, for short-term results. More people make policy and govern for the next election cycle, or even in the next news cycle."

Kronos CEO Aron Ain said the company is making huge strides in its field by creating a product that is easy and enjoyable to use.

"We're making mobile applications, because to manage your workforce, you have to communicate with them," he said. "People want cool, exciting, fun and functionality."

Ain, who has been at Kronos for 32 years, said the company is leading the way in the workforce management market.

"I ... look after the interest of the employees. We have great customers and great products," he said. "But if we lost all of that, I know our employees could rebuild this company."

Patrick said he's happy to see an innovative company hiring in tough economic times.

"We have a sweet spot for companies like this because of its concentration for brain power, venture capital, our tradition of invention that goes back a long, long time," he said. "I love the opportunity to call attention to companies that are making it in Massachusetts, helping to make us stronger and better."

Patrick said now the focus must turn to to sustaining the innovative work Kronos and similar companies do.

"It has to happen in all corners in commonwealth; we need to focus on moving opportunities so the talent we know is in every community has an opprtunity in that innovation economy," he said. "That is what infratrcuture investments are about. It's not glarmous work, but you can't work in the creative space, for example, if you don't have high speed internet, so expanding Broadband to western Mass and the Cape is essential."