10+ Best Employee Management Software in 2025

The interface is extremely intuitive and easy to use. Everything for our employee pay and benefits is all in one place, so when a new employee joins, they can enroll in everything at once. Our employees have access to Gusto also, so if they need to make any updates to their information, it's easy for them to self-serve.

We've been using Gusto since 2021. We purchased Gusto because as a small start-up, we needed to have a full-service payroll provider that was intuitive to use and could also provide us with other services, such as 401K administration, worker's comp, and more. It was helpful for us to also have a service where they could alert us on any state-by-state requirements with regard to payroll and insurance, as we do have employees across many different states. I also really appreciate that Gusto helps to file all taxes related to payroll.

Some of the benefits via Gusto are administered via third parties (eg, worker's compensation, 401k), which means that for any detailed changes that we need to make, we have to work through a different point of contact. I wish that Gusto could help handle all of that for us. Also, Gusto doesn't have a customer service phone number that you can easily call, so if you need help, it is more cumbersome.

The user interface is significantly more user-friendly than other payroll providers like ADP.

You should consider if your payroll provider can help do payroll for other states or countries. You should also consider whether you want your payroll provider to help assist with other benefits. Also, consider how important high quality and speedy customer service is for you.

I've noticed that Gusto now offers assistance in registering with states, which is helpful for remote or distributed teams.

It's great for start-ups who may not have an HR team to figure out benefits administration.

The client appreciated the simple and intuitive interface, making it easy for both employees and managers to navigate. The platform’s design minimizes the learning curve, making it quick to adopt for teams of all sizes, which is a plus for a growing company.

The ability to integrate goal-setting (OKRs), continuous feedback, and performance reviews was highly valued. Another advantage was the ability to create custom review cycles, run 360-degree feedback, and effectively track performance.

Leapsome was purchased to streamline performance management, OKR tracking, and employee engagement. It allowed my client to align team and individual goals with the organization’s objectives through goal-setting frameworks like OKRs (Objectives and Key Results). It increased visibility and tracking to ensure that everyone was working toward measurable outcomes.

Leapsome provided customizable performance review cycles, including 360-degree feedback, continuous reviews, and self-assessments, which helped tailor reviews to organizational needs and culture. The ability to engage employees through surveys and gather real-time feedback was also a key selling point. The learning and development tools were valuable, although the client was using an existing tool at the time and had not yet begun leveraging this aspect of the platform.

There are limitations in customization for features like performance review templates and feedback processes, which could benefit from more flexibility. Companies with unique organizational structures or processes may find it challenging to tailor every aspect to their needs.

The learning curve for advanced features, such as custom analytics or deep performance tracking, can be difficult to fully grasp and utilize. The per-user pricing model and modular nature of the platform can become cost-prohibitive as the organization scales, which is interesting since scalability is also a pro, but the cost structure could be more considerate of hyper-growth companies.

Leapsome offers a modular approach, allowing companies to choose and pay only for the features they need, offering flexibility that many competitors lack. While some competitors provide all-in-one solutions that can be less customizable, Leapsome allows companies to avoid paying for unnecessary features.

Unlike many performance management platforms that emphasize periodic reviews, Leapsome strongly encourages a culture of continuous feedback and recognition, making it ideal for companies that prioritize ongoing development.

Competitors like Lattice and 15Five offer feedback options, but Leapsome’s seamless integration of real-time feedback and performance tracking helps embed feedback as a constant part of the employee experience.

Companies should clearly define the must-have versus nice-to-have features and consider how their future growth could impact their needs. Customization options for performance cycles, feedback, and surveys are essential.

Organizations should evaluate their data requirements, such as the need for deep data analysis versus standard performance, goal, and engagement tracking. Ease of use for both users and administrators, including integration with existing tools and the level of skill required for customization, should also be key considerations.

Leapsome initially focused on performance management and employee engagement. Over time, it expanded to include a full suite of tools covering goal setting (OKRs), continuous feedback, learning and development, and detailed reporting and analytics.

Recognizing that different companies have unique processes, Leapsome introduced greater customization options. Users can now tailor performance review cycles, feedback forms, and learning paths to meet their specific organizational needs.

Leapsome is ideal for tech companies and startups that are scaling, especially those with a feedback-rich culture. It’s also well-suited for medium-sized companies looking for scalability, as well as companies focused on learning and development and personal learning tracks for employees.

Workday is powerful, you can create almost any report and any feature that you can imagine (although, you need to know how to do it). Workday is scalable, you can do a lot in bulk. Workday is integration friendly, having an internal HRIS be able to integrate with other software is key to running smooth internal business operations.

Previously, we were using Gusto and BambooHR for our Payroll and HRIS sources of record. Gusto and BambooHR would not integrate with one another, and we were continually faced with "big company problems" using a "small company tool" like Gusto. Workday promised an all-in-one, scalable, and powerful tool we could use in order to meet our many Payroll and HR needs. We've been using it since January 1st, 2023, and I can say that it's definitely allowed the company to scale some work streams.

Workday is incredibly unintuitive, I wish it was more user-friendly. Workday doesn't have a support team and the Workday Resource Center is not super useful, I wish it had a support team we could call. Workday is very expensive since they hold a large chunk of the market and since it's difficult to move HRIS systems, they're able to get away with charging a lot of money -- I wish it was less expensive.

A lot more powerful, and a lot more scalable, but way less intuitive to use.

Don't purchase Workday if your company is small (0-500-ish employees). Don't purchase Workday if you're not struggling with scale.

Workday has allowed us to spend less time processing workflows that affect the end user, allowing for more automation, which means less risk, which means fewer errors.

Mid-size to Large companies.

It's user-friendly. It's capabilities to manage different HR processes. The fillable documents tool.

BambooHR was bought in order to store employees' information in one place. The objective was to better organize information and create automated workflows. I started at the company about 14 months ago and it was already in use but I estimate that it has been used for the past 5 years or more. One of the main benefits it provides is that job information as well documents and time off can be in one place. This allows the HR team to easily pull reports and access the data. Another benefit is that it is very user friendly, for employers and employees.

It takes a long time to add additional features (sometimes suggested by customers). It has different restrictions when it comes to reporting, in terms of editing some reports to add/delete fields. The performance management tab is very basic and it doesn't allow customers to tailor it to our needs.

I guess the main difference is the simplicity when it comes to managing different processes. Other systems are more complex and have too many additional steps or fields which make it harder to navigate the platforms. I really prefer it because it does not require a lot of training for anyone to learn how to use it and it has a lower price compared to other systems.

The first one would be the number of employees. If you are a large company, BambooHR may not fit your needs as it has some limitations. Secondly, what they are really trying to get out of the system. If it's only being used for what we use it (storing information, submitting time off requests, pulling basic reports) then it would work great. If they are trying to have all the information in one place, such as benefits and performance management, the fact that it has limitations, mostly related to updates and customized fields, then it would probably not be the best option.

They have evolved quite a bit. Their customer service has improved. Some fields have become customizable over time or they have been added by the BambooHR team. Reporting has also improved with the addition of a few different reports which provide further information and can be combined with others, such as turnover rate with reason for termination, etc.

Mid size companies that have payroll and performance management already in use. It is also good for organizations that do not want to spend a lot of money on an HRIS or that have a limited budget.

1. It's simple and easy to use, especially for employees who need to access information.
2. It's relatively easy to set up and has additional features you can purchase for lightweight compensation data and performance reviews.
3. It's inexpensive compared to other tools.

We shifted to Zenefits as our company grew and we realized we needed something more robust than Gusto. Zenefits gave us more control over admin access, payroll, and the deductions process, accommodating our business needs and perks. Initially, we believed the customer support would be better too. The organization has used Zenefits for five years now.

1. Smaller companies tend to need support, and Zenefits support is still lacking and slow.
2. They don't incorporate state registration, so you have to manage that yourself if you hire in multiple states.
3. Their contractor management system is really simple and could use an update.

Zenefits is similar to Gusto—cheap and easy to use. The interface and reporting are generally adequate for most companies' needs.

Consider where you're hiring and whether the individuals are exempt or non-exempt. The more complex your employee population's needs are, such as having unlimited PTO for exempt but not for non-exempt employees, the more functionality you will require. Prioritize the functionality you need and want to spend less time managing before researching tools. When evaluating tools, ask for examples and have the team show you exactly how things work.

Zenefits has been slow to update the system, with the most significant changes being the addition of new functions and its acquisition by Trinet.

Zenefits can be a perfect fit for small to medium-sized businesses.

It integrates with many systems. It is clear and nice layout. It is end user friendly.

My organization used UKG for time keeping. They wanted time clocks around the entire 7 Arce property. There were a lot of hourly staff and they wanted time to be easily captured. The goal was to have a time clock that integrated with the payroll system. The payroll system was supposed to pay incumbents accurately based on live time clock punches.

It is not easy to fix errors for end users. Tickets can take a long time to remedy. Interfaces can be buggy.

UKG is developed and large. It is used in integration with a lot of other systems. It stacks up well to similar tools.

The two criteria that people should think about when buying this type of tool is the size of the organization and the amount of user they would need to function their operation. The reason I say this is because UKG sells their product based on licenses needed for operation.

yes, their interface is more end-user friendly

I believe it is best for organizations with a lot of hourly time punch employees

1. Ease of use and implementation (lots of CX support with onboarding).
2. It is science and research-backed so you know the tool and approach are effective for your employees.
3. Affordable and customizable to your team size and needs.

We originally purchased a subscription to 15Five in order to simplify and streamline the Annual Performance Review (APR) process. Employees, managers, and HR were facing tremendous time and administrative burdens when it came to the APR process and we wanted a place to facilitate a more comprehensive, timely, and meaningful experience. We also were looking for something to easily store and document all performance-related information and feedback. We've used the tool for just over one year.

Very few cons about this tool. It really is effective and affordable.

I prefer this tool to others for how easy and straightforward it is. Performance reviews don't need to be complicated, and 15Five has found a way to make it easy and fun.

What are the main needs of your team? How do you want reviews to be structured? What are your employees craving in terms of feedback, engagement, and training?

We have customized weekly check-in questions to fit each team specifically. We have run off-cycle reviews as needed. We have added managers who have high potential to the manager training.

Highly engaged teams. Small-medium sized businesses. Companies with high Gen Z and Millenial populations.

1. Namely offers excellent benefits brokerage and administration, making it easy to manage employee benefits.
2. The customer service provided by Namely is outstanding, with quick and helpful responses to our needs.
3. The onboarding process for new employees is streamlined and efficient, reducing the time and effort required to bring new hires on board.

My organization plans to expand in the next two years, and we were looking for an HRIS software that is manageable for both supervisors and employees. We needed a system that could effectively track new employees throughout their tenure with the organization, and management agreed that we required software capable of scaling as we grow. After going through a thorough selection process with various HRIS companies, we found it challenging to choose the best fit for our organization. However, we were impressed that the team at Namely answered all of our questions and provided excellent guidance during the implementation process. We have been using Namely for about one year, and we are very satisfied with it so far.

1. Uploading form templates into Namely can be challenging, requiring additional time and effort.
2. The ability to add e-signatures to documents is limited, which could be improved for better functionality.
3. Making edits within the platform can sometimes be difficult, causing frustration when changes are needed.

I like that Namely is good for small and mid-size companies just starting their HR Department. They don't oversell products like some other HRIS software - they give you what is needed.

When purchasing Namely, it's important to consider its functionality and whether it meets the specific needs of your organization. It is also essential to evaluate whether the pricing fits within your budget, especially if you are a new or smaller company. Namely’s capacity to grow with a company is a key advantage, making it a good option if your organization is planning on expanding in the near future.

Namely has evolved to be very user-friendly for both employees and administrators, making it easier to navigate and use on a daily basis.

Namely is particularly well-suited for small to mid-sized companies looking for a comprehensive HRIS solution that can grow with their needs.

• I like the integration among the Zoho applications which makes life way easier.
• It also provides me with a wide range of features apart from attendance, leave, etc. so I keep trying new things.
• It was easy to set up; I didn't need to wait for an expert to set it up.

I just started my organization and wanted to keep records of their attendance, leaves, employee records, etc. I was using Zoho Books and was happy with that so I thought of trying Zoho People for HRMS. It has been nearly 3 years since I'm using Zoho People.

• There should be a few more integration options with other external software.
• The UI can be improved so interaction over the platform becomes easier.
• Sometimes changing the policies is difficult as quite a lot of things are interconnected.

I have used GreytHR and I found Zoho is quite advanced with a lot more features.

I think it all depends on someone's requirement but I think for startups and small-medium companies, keeping operations simple is key, we should not be wasting our time in dealing with bulky software. In this regard, Zoho People comes handy with the level of integration available within Zoho applications that can fulfill most of your organization's needs.

I have not seen Zoho People change a lot in the last 3 years since I started. There were some minor changes to the UI and some of the features which I found useful.

I think it is good for startups and organizations with remote teams etc. Also, if someone is using some of the other Zoho applications then I think it completely makes sense to use Zoho People.