10+ Best Employee Management Software Solutions (2024)
Our experts reviewed and rated the best employee management tools on the market in 2024. Read on to learn about their capabilities, pros, cons, pricing, and more.
Top Employee Management Software
Employee management software solutions store and retrieve employee data, track time and attendance, manage leave requests, schedule shifts, monitor performance, and much more. When such tasks are automated, you can save money, boost productivity, and increase employee satisfaction whether you’re a small business or a large company.
Our expert researchers have compiled a curated list of the best employee management systems, including must-have features, key benefits, pricing info, and other considerations to help guide your selection process.
To choose the best employee management software, we conducted demos with vendors, sought the expertise of HR tech leaders, tested the products ourselves, and chatted with other end users. Factoring all that in, we think the features that make an employee management system stand out are easy onboarding and self-service, data management and security, and reporting and analytics.
- Easy onboarding and self-service: The best employee management systems offer seamless onboarding for new hires to complete paperwork, access important documents, and familiarize themselves with your company’s policies fairly quickly, shaping a positive employee experience early on. There’s often an employee self-service portal too, enabling employees to access and update their personal information, view pay stubs, submit time-off requests, and more.
- Data management and security: This is perhaps the most important function of an employee management system, and getting it right is vital. Your employee management software should act as a centralized repository for storing and organizing employee information. It should also protect that information with a host of security measures such as authentication, role-based permissions, encryption, and compliance with data protection regulations.
- Reporting and analytics: We’ve looked for employee management tools with robust reporting and analytics capabilities. Besides pre-built reports, the best tools in this space let you customize your own and give you insights on various HR metrics, including employee turnover, attendance patterns, and performance trends.
The above is just a summary of what our team does. If you want to learn more, we have a detailed guide explaining our editorial guidelines and review methodology.
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Connecteam
As an all-in-one platform for deskless employees, Connecteam covers communication, scheduling, task management, core HR, and more. Its aim is to connect unanchored workers at small and large companies alike with an easy-to-use mobile app.
PROS
- Connecteam offers a user-friendly, mobile-first platform that’s tailored for deskless employees.
- With a variety of features for team management, communication, training, and engagement, the platform provides a comprehensive solution.
- Connecteam offers transparent pricing for all modules, including free plans for small businesses.
- A 14-day free trial without requiring a credit card allows potential users to test the platform's capabilities.
- One of the only fully-mobile HR tech tools for deskless workers
- Very adequately-priced for all it entails, SMB-friendly
- Quite open to feedback, having implemented user suggestions as features in the past.
CONS
- There’s a bit of a learning curve simply because of the many features there are on the platform.
- While the platform's scalability is commendable, several important features are only accessible on higher pricing plans.
- We would have liked to see more integration options with third-party tools such as calendar sync. Payroll integrations are also limited at this time to just Paychex, Xero, Gusto, and Quickbooks.
- In the communication hub, the app offers no confirmation that messages were sent and/or seen.
- Certain features that some teams consider essential, such as GPS-tracking, are only available in the higher-tier pricing plans.
Connecteam offers comprehensive employee management software that stands out for its mobile-first approach - everything inside is built with non-desk workers in mind. We’ve had a tour of its HR & Skills hub and were particularly impressed by the training and onboarding features within. The software allows managers to create custom courses tailored to each position within the company, and these courses can be completed directly from employees’ mobile devices. The addition of quizzes ensures that trainees have a solid grasp of the material, while progress tracking provides managers with real-time insights into each employee's development.
Another notable feature is Connecteam's ability to digitize and centralize employee documentation. By gathering all paperwork in one secure location, the platform simplifies the onboarding process and ensures compliance with expiration date reminders for important documents and certifications. This not only saves time but also reduces the risk of regulatory issues.
Connecteam also excels in managing time off requests. Employees can easily submit absence requests through the app, while managers gain a clear overview of these requests and can effortlessly update balances. The software further simplifies the process by allowing the creation of policies for various types of absences and automating notifications to prevent compliance issues.
Recognizing and rewarding employees is yet another thing made easy with Connecteam's built-in features. Managers can publicly or privately acknowledge individual and team achievements, fostering a culture of appreciation. The platform also offers the ability to reward employees with their favorite gift cards, providing a tangible incentive for going above and beyond.
Lastly, Connecteam's employee lifecycle tracking is also worth highlighting. The timeline view provides a comprehensive picture of each employee's journey, from onboarding to performance reviews and salary raises. This information, along with the ability to attach related files to each event, empowers managers to make informed decisions based on a holistic understanding of their team members.
Over 35k businesses use Connecteam’s solutions, including Chick-fil-A, Ihop, and The UPS Store.
Connecteam’s pricing ranges from free-for-life to up to $99 per month for up to 30 users. The final amount will depend on how many users and modules you choose. Visit Connecteam’s pricing page for the full breakdown of each plan.
Best For
Companies of all sizes looking for a mobile-first employee management platform.
Gusto
SMBs can use Gusto to manage employees in all states, 1099 workers, and contractors worldwide. The platform offers full-service payroll, plus HR and benefits administration, at budget-friendly pricing.
PROS
- Premium plans give you access to workflows, performance reviews, and development resources.
- The UI is modern-looking and easy to use.
- Payroll deductions are automated.
- You can process payroll for U.S. W2 employees as well as domestic/international contractors.
- The customer support team is responsive both via phone and email.
- All plan users can reach out to Gusto’s team of licensed benefits advisors for help.
- Employees can access a self-service portal to check information and perform tasks on their own.
- The dashboard feature keeps tabs on compliance tasks
- The hiring and onboarding sequence is nicely streamlined between HR and the new hire
- Post-offer, pre-start tasks are made easy with integrations like CorpNet (state tax set up) Checkr (background checks)
- Easy payroll for U.S.-based W-2 folks, domestic, and international contractors
- Person-to-person phone support, email, and other customer service resources
- The business model is responsive to customer needs
CONS
- No international employee payroll, only contractors.
- No native accounting for financial tracking.
- The analytics dashboard is rather basic, compared to similar platforms.
- No native time tracking for the Simple plan.
- Compliance alerts and insurance integration can only be accessed by Premium plan users.
- No free plan or trial.
- Gusto can support payments for international contractors, but not employees
- No native accounting feature to keep earning and spending under the same roof
- Analytics dashboard is simplistic
We have tested Gusto's employee management software and found it a comprehensive solution for SMBs. With the ability to manage employees across all states, 1099 workers, and contractors worldwide, Gusto offers full-service payroll, HR, and benefits administration at affordable prices.
The Premium plan (the highest tier) provides additional value with access to performance features like automated workflows, self-evaluations, manager reviews, and career development resources for better employee engagement and professional growth.
In addition to its functional capabilities, Gusto boasts an eye-catching interface that is visually appealing and user-friendly. Navigating through the platform is intuitive, making it easier for users to manage employee-related tasks efficiently.
We also found automatic payroll deductions and payroll services available for U.S.-based W-2 employees and domestic and international contractors. Gusto's employee self-service portal is also available, reducing administrative burdens and allowing employees to handle tasks independently.
However, we couldn’t help but notice Gusto doesn’t support payments for international employees. Native accounting for comprehensive financial tracking is missing. We also found that the Simple plan lacks several features, such as time tracking, compliance alerts, and broker integration. And regrettably, Gusto does not offer a free trial option.
American Canning, Matchless Builds, Citizen Pilates, Pain Clinic, Distant Moon.
Here are the pricing options offered by Gusto:
- Simple Plan: Starting at $40 monthly, with an additional $6 per person.
- Plus Plan: Currently on a limited-time sale at $60 per month, with an additional $9 per person.
- Premium Plan: Customized plan options available upon contacting sales.
- Contractor Only Plan: Designed for businesses with no W-2 employees, priced at $6 per person per month.
Best For
Gusto's basic plan is budget-friendly, making it accessible even for cash-strapped startups. The premium plan is highly recommended for companies that have the funds to invest in human capital, especially those with just one HR employee. The premium features are worthwhile for such companies.
Day-to-day I used Gusto to manage payroll, benefits, and tax forms.
Gusto's automated payroll is solid and I never had an issue with the main payroll functions, although we had a few issues due to confusing UI with the custom earnings and dismissal payroll workflows.
Gusto's quarterly tax filings and reminders about compliance checks/updates were incredibly useful to us. The Docs section and reporting features turned out to be a helpful resource for all kinds of administrative tasks. Around 2021 I started receiving notices that some of our state tax forms weren't being filed on time. Although Gusto did resolve them eventually without penalty, it was concerning that they didn't keep us in the loop.
Gusto's benefits department is its weakest link. I never participated in the initial setup, but I managed 4 or 5 open enrollments through Gusto, and each was an unmitigated disaster. During two separate years, I sent 4+ requests to discuss new providers and never received a response. Not a peep. I have also had to clean up multiple enrollments and COBRA errors.
I speak to Gusto's support team a few times a month. Their support used to be outstanding, but recently they seem to have shifted to a script model, and the agents' competence is hit or miss. There is often an unrealistically long response time when issues are escalated to a specialist, and it is frustrating to wait days or weeks for an answer only to receive an unhelpful form response. Since Gusto handles so many regulated processes, agents are quick to default to a "we cannot advise" answer, and they often provided bad information that caused more problems than they solved. To be fair, I have also worked with agents that helped me pull off miracles, but I wish the quality were as consistent as it used to be a few years ago.
The UI is clean, intuitive, and (mostly) easy to use. I very seldom had issues with automated processes. They make onboarding new employees incredibly simple. I also really like the friendly tone of the brand's "voice." The marching pig on the loading screen that changes with the seasons never gets old; it still sparks joy each time, even after all these years!
I have used Gusto since 2018 in 3 different early-stage tech startups. Gusto has a reputation as the go-to in Silicon Valley incubators and accelerators, although I've seen Rippling gradually gaining market share in the past few years. In all 3 cases, we selected Gusto because of their breadth of services. Gusto makes it easy to set up everything our organization needed to begin hiring and paying employees. What's nice about Gusto is that it makes processes that are intimidating to many founders into a "set it and forget it" task. Automating payroll, benefits, filing government forms, and quarterly taxes helped free up time for our founding team to focus on a growing set of other responsibilities.
Gusto's benefits department is unresponsive and it's nearly impossible to get answers from support about even simple benefits questions.
I have seen quite a few concerning errors across the platform (mostly with benefits), including employees not being enrolled in benefits programs, dismissed employees not being removed from benefits programs, incomplete COBRA enrollment, and late tax filings.
The information from Support is unreliable and often inaccurate.
The dismissal payroll workflow is misleading and we've had a few serious problems as a result.
When a Gusto admin is dismissed, their admin privileges are not removed automatically, which is a serious privacy concern.
I wish Gusto made it easier to set up a business entity in new states. They partner with a company called CorpNet, but I found the level of service wasn't worth the price and went back to handling state registration myself.
I love Gusto's friendly casual-but-professional tone compared to other providers in the space.
Gusto is best for small teams, the smaller the better. It is a great option for founders and single-person People teams who have less time to dedicate to payroll, benefits, and compliance. It makes many benefits available and affordable for small groups that would not have the numbers to access plans through traditional providers.
Gusto becomes less useful as a team grows and compensation & benefits become more complex. I would definitely recommend Gusto to founders, but I recommend moving off of their benefits platform as soon as you have a full-time person to manage benefits administration. Its payroll functionality is solid, but payroll administrators should be aware that they will get limited guidance from the Gusto support team.
Gusto's functionality has grown over the time I've used the platform as they've added additional features and integrations. However, the accuracy and quality of support have suffered over time. I used to be a Gusto evangelist, but these days I recommend that growing companies move off of Gusto as soon as is practical. New features have become less useful over time, and I wish they would focus on maintaining the quality of their core product rather than trying to expand into new services.
Company founders or admins inexperienced in payroll and benefits. Very small teams with a single person managing payroll and benefits administration among many other HR responsibilities.
Larger organizations with 50+ employees. HR teams with specialists in each area. Companies with complex and highly-regulated compensation structures.
Leapsome
With easy onboarding, customizable performance reviews, employee training, recognition, and engagement features as well as OKRs setting and tracking, Leapsome has everything you need for you to manage your employees, listen to their feedback and keep them happy and productive.
PROS
- Leapsome offers a comprehensive range of features, including modules for employee onboarding, learning management, engagement, performance management, and goals tracking, among others.
- Users find Leapsome's user interface (UI) to be friendly and easy to navigate.
- The platform provides numerous third-party integration options, such as Slack, which users appreciate for enhanced connectivity.
- Leapsome's pricing is flexible, allowing users to pay only for the modules they require.
- Besides English, Leapsome is available in 12 additional languages, catering to a diverse user base.
- Leapsome is quite feature-rich; the platform packs modules for employee onboarding, learning management, engagement, performance management, goals tracking and much more.
- The majority of users find Leapsome’s UI to be friendly and easy to navigate.
- There are lots of third party integrations options to choose from, including Slack, which many users appreciate.
- The platform has transparent pricing, and you only pay for the modules you need.
CONS
- There currently isn’t a way to post or upload images or files within your feedback.
- Due to the platform's extensive capabilities, users may need some time to adapt to its various functionalities, and the implementation process can also be time-consuming.
- Leapsome currently lacks a dedicated mobile app, limiting on-the-go access for users.
- While a free 14-day trial is available, users need to schedule a demo with the sales team to sign up, as self-registration is not possible.
- There is currently no way to post or upload an image or file into your feedback.
- Since Leapsome can do so many things, you may need some time to get used to it. The implementation process can also take some time.
- There currently isn’t a mobile app that users can download and access Leapsome quickly on-the-go.
- Free 14-day trials are available but you need to book a demo with the sales team first to sign up for one; you can’t do so on your own.
Besides hosting your employee data, Leapsome gives you several tools to manage your employees, from performance tracking to sentiment analysis and skills development.
Managers can provide performance feedback to their team members either publicly or privately. The platform also enables peer-to-peer reviews and for employees to provide feedback back to their managers on what can be done to improve leadership styles and collaboration.
The employee engagement and training tools help you pay even more attention to the experience of your employees. You can routinely do surveys and pulse checks to gauge employee sentiment and take necessary actions to improve the workplace environment, while the training module helps you create and deliver learning content, unique to what skills your employees want to be better at.
Leapsome is used by many well-known companies, including Spotify, +Babbel, Unity, PayFit, Learnerbly, Modus Create, Spryker, DCMN, and more.
The pricing of Leapsome starts from $8 per user per month, which varies depending on the specific modules chosen. They also provide multi-module and volume discounts. For an exact estimate, we recommend that you contact Leapsome's Sales team directly.
Best For
Companies of all sizes can use Leapsome, though medium and large-sized companies are more likely to get the most value out of it.
WorkDay
Workday is robust and quite comprehensive. It can cover all of your HR and payroll needs without needing to combine it with other tech solutions.
PROS
- Workday has an intuitive, easy-to-use interface that makes it simple for employees to navigate and find what they need.
- You can integrate Workday with an impressive number of HR systems and tools.
- Users appreciated that Workday consolidates HR information into a single system, eliminating the need to access multiple platforms.
- Customers can get the support they need from Workday’s community of users, or the support team via live chat and telephone.
- Accessible customer support from the community, live chat, and telephone.
- Compatible with 300 HR systems such as ERP/GL, CRM, HR, and PSA.
- Configurable dashboard with AI and ML-driven insights.
- Ability to maintain real-time alignment of budgets and workforce plans.
- SOC 2 Type 2 compliance.
CONS
- It can take a long time to initially set up and implement Workday (avg 4.5 months).
- The reporting functionality has room for improvement, particularly with regard to customization and search.
- Workday’s pricing is on the expensive side, making it less feasible for smaller companies.
- No free plan or free trial.
- Undisclosed pricing.
- No free trial for its talent management software.
- Time-consuming implementation period (average 4.5 months).
- Challenge navigating for first-time users may require training.
- Issues with logging in were reported by users.
Despite mixed reviews on the user-friendliness of Workday from teams that have implemented it, it is still a robust provider of a wide range of Finance, HR, and Planning solutions, made specifically with enterprises in mind. So if you’re looking for an all-in-one solution that can easily scale, checks the necessary data compliance measures, and can be implemented across large global companies, Workday is worth checking out.
- Target
- Patagonia
- Bank of America
The pricing of Workday’s solutions isn’t disclosed on their website. Contact their sales team to get a custom quote.
Best For
Large-sized companies and enterprises.
I used it for recruiting, internal mobility, onboarding, and reporting. It was an excellent tool for internal mobility because it gave visibility into information like compensation, leveling, and performance reviews. This helped ensure that candidates had eligibility to apply to roles internally. The onboarding workflow was also very straightforward and configuring the to-do tasks was easy. Reporting took a little bit of time to learn and I would recommend taking the Learn Workday course if you have no experience with it because you will learn Workday's logic.
The ATS portion of Workday is a struggle. It is difficult to schedule candidates and build structured interviews.
Pros:
- The information you can get access to is extremely helpful
- The UI/UX is very clean
- All-in-one type solution
Workday was selected because it offered a comprehensive people solution. Instead of having different portals for compensation, performance management, recruiting, and people analytics, Workday allowed everything to live in one system of record. This reduced costs and ramp time in some ways because it allowed everyone to be in one place.
I've used it for a combined 2-2.5 years in my career in all facets from selection to design and then every day use for reporting and recruiting.
Cons:
- The Recruiting module for recruiters and recruiting coordinators is not intuitive and user friendly
- The Recruiting module for candidates is lengthy and miserable. It does a terrible job of parsing resumes
- Job management versus position management makes data funky in some instances (for example, if you were hired into a position, it can look like you hired your whole team unless you put in specific calculated fields)
- If you don't have the right access controls, it is borderline impossible to do your job effectively.
The Workday Recruiting Module (their ATS) is one of the most reviled in the Recruiting space. It doesn't compare well to other ATS like Greenhouse, Lever, or Ashby because the latter offers better functionality, controls, and ease of use.
- Ease of use. Workday has the ability to be so much but you have to know exactly what to look for and how to configure it.
- Implementation time. Workday requires a focused implementation and testing period. Without it, you will run into a number of problems. If you need to roll out something quickly, Workday isn't the tool for you.
It is difficult to tell because they release big updates every 6 months so requests for solutions might be forgotten by that point.
HR Business Partners, HR Operations, Finance, Compensation, and C-Suite
Recruiting, Analytics, Interviewers, Candidates
BambooHR
With over 20,000 active clients and 1.8 million employee users, BambooHR is a top provider in the HR tech space. Their Employee Management features include time & attendance, leave requests, and employee wellbeing tools.
PROS
- Customizable packaging and flexible pricing options, allowing you to select one or two packages and add modules based on your specific requirements.
- Known for its simplicity and user-friendliness.
- Straightforward tool, easy to navigate and use.
- Flexible packaging and custom pricing is the way they roll. You can pick out one or two packages and pick other modules as add-ons based on your needs.
- Very simple and straightforward tool, easy to use.
CONS
- You can only run payroll for U.S.-based employees.
- Customer support is limited to U.S. workdays and business hours.
- Several modules such as time tracking, surveys, and performance management are available exclusively as add-ons, meaning you do need to pay more to use them.
- Payroll is only available for US-based employees
- Customer support is only offered during US business hours.
- Some modules like time tracking, performance management, and surveys are only available as add-ons.
Here’s a company that is a must-consider when it comes to various types of HR tech, including, of course, employee management systems. BambooHR is a well-known vendor in this space, with a host of HR tools to help companies manage employees throughout their lifecycle, from hiring and onboarding, to payroll and day-to-day management.Of course, employee management tools like time tracking and a performance module are available, but only offered as add-ons within one of the HRIS plans.
BambooHR has over 20,000 customers, including major companies such as the University of Maryland, Quora, Reddit, Universal Group, Asana, and Wistia.
BambooHR’s pricing is not disclosed upfront, but they do offer a free trial of their all-in-one software. The best way forward is to book a demo with their team, request trial access, and discuss pricing for the modules you need.
Best For
BambooHR is great for companies wanting a customizable HR product with pricing tailored to their needs. It's especially popular with partial or fully remote teams.
BambooHR is an essential part of our workflow at the office. We use BambooHR on a daily basis for reducing manual paperwork and quickly tracking employee information. BambooHR helps to ensure that our manager and team members are up-to-date on records such as shift changes, vacation requests, and job roles. This helps make hiring and onboarding new employees easy, fast, and efficient. BambooHR also allows us to easily track employee performance reviews and keep tabs on employee attendance. Its comprehensive search capabilities enable us to quickly find important documents when needed. BambooHR has been an invaluable tool for improving overall workplace organization and productivity, helping us run our business with fewer manual processes efficiently and effectively.
- BambooHR is an incredibly user-friendly HR platform that has made it easier than ever to manage employee data.
- it makes onboarding new employees a breeze, allowing us to quickly and accurately collect important documents with just a few clicks.
- The powerful analytics BambooHR provides are also great for keeping tabs on performance, compensation, and attendance.
We chose BambooHR as our Human Resources software because of its expansive, easy-to-use capabilities. We wanted to automate HR processes and initially used Zoho but we found a problem integrating Zoho to meet our expectations since Zoho requires knowledge of IT. BambooHR allows us to easily manage employee timesheets, track new hire onboarding processes, create interactive checklists, and track performance goals with ease. We have been using BambooHR for almost two years now and have seen a great ROI. BambooHR has moved our HR processes into the 21st century and enabled us to make changes quickly while keeping track of valuable data that would have taken us significantly longer to include manually.
- BambooHR does not offer a significant number of options when it comes to customizing your dashboard or user profiles.
- BambooHR lacks many advanced reporting features.
- BambooHR does not currently offer the ability to track vacation hours for individual employees.
Its strong suite of features make it stand out from similar tools. BambooHR simplifies the onboarding process by helping to manage employee data, providing an effective way to track hours and attendance, or designing custom workflows for tasks like vacation requests. What I particularly appreciate about BambooHR is its ability to create employee reports that are fast, intuitive, and easy to use. BambooHR also integrates seamlessly with other software such as payroll, benefits management, and mailing services. Overall in comparison to other HR tools available today, BambooHR stands above many of them. Its intuitive design and robust functionality make it my preferred choice for managing my HR processes; it gives me everything I need in one place without any hassle.
When considering BambooHR as the right software solution for your business, there are several key criteria to consider. Thoughtful evaluation of factors such as cost and implementation time frame should be taken into account to make BambooHR fits into your business plans and operations. Additionally, it’s important to understand BambooHR's functionality and its capacity for automation to guarantee you’re getting the most out of the software in terms of streamlining tasks and increasing efficiency.
By consistently listening to customer feedback, BambooHR continues to evolve and grow along with its users' needs. BambooHR now provides software solutions that allow companies to streamline their mundane, yet essential HR processes like record-keeping, onboarding, and more. BambooHR has also added more robust analytics and reporting functionality to offer real-time visibility into human capital metrics.
BambooHR is an incredibly valuable tool for businesses of all sizes looking to streamline their HR processes. It makes it simple to store employee information, set access permissions, and track important past and present data. From small independent businesses just getting started with their HR needs, to large organizations that have much more complicated paperwork requirements. because the software offers a high range of features and prices that can fit any type of business.
BambooHR may not be suitable for certain users and organizations due to its specialization in Human Resources. BambooHR’s core focus is streamlining the payroll, hiring, performance reviews, and goals-tracking processes for medium-sized businesses. As such, BambooHR may not be the ideal choice for companies that prioritize a large range of features outside of conventional HR setup or are unwilling to invest time into learning the platform’s unique services. BambooHR also does not have an international presence, so global organizations looking for a comprehensive HR system may need to look elsewhere.
Zenefits
Zenefits is an employee management software that is skillful in lots of things: onboarding, payroll, benefits, time off, workforce reporting, and retiring. Plus, it is designed with American businesses in mind, so all offerings work across 49 states at a price that is exceptionally good.
PROS
- Zenefits is one of the top names in HR tech and payroll software for American small businesses.
- Their platform is one of the best-looking and easiest to figure out in the space.
- Zenefits can grow with you. Its pricing plans allow you to pay and tweak as you go, add certain modules when you need them or get rid of them if you don’t.
- Has a free trial and a transparent pricing structure.
- It’s one of the top names in HR tech and payroll software for American small businesses.
- Their platform is one of the best-looking and easiest to figure out among the sector.
- Zenefits can grow with you. Its pricing plans allow you to pay and tweak as you go, add certain modules when you need them, or get rid of them if you don’t.
CONS
- Oriented to small businesses in the US.
- Payroll with unlimited pay runs is offered as an add-on.
- Basic customization.
- Tax filings, at times, don’t work well for multi-state teams.
- Doesn’t provide phone support or dedicated account managers. Response time on customer service is less than ideal.
- As oriented to small businesses as the tool is, it doesn’t give you the chance to create a custom bundle of the services and/or modules you’d like to have. For instance, Zenefits does not offer a standalone ACA module. Therefore, you will need to purchase an entire HRIS plan if you want to access that offering.
- In addition, Zenefits focuses on small to mid sized companies. If you're an enterprise organization, you may want to consider another option.
- Zenefits is also rather focused on the US market at this point. So, if your team is mostly in another country and you need more of a local know-how, it might not be the best bet for certain modules like payroll and benefits.
Zenefits automates several HR processes including onboarding, payroll, benefits administration, and PTO tracking so under-resourced small businesses can focus on more strategic initiatives.
Despite its affordability, the platform doesn't skimp on features. You can also boost its capabilities with integrations to popular tools like Slack, Google, Office 365, and various accounting platforms, breaking down data silos and giving HR and employees a holistic view of the organization.
With dedicated 24/7 support and a platform continuously updated based on user feedback, Zenefits is clearly devoted to optimizing the small businesses’ employee experience. For any growing company needing to graduate from manual HR processes but not ready for complex HCM tools, Zenefits offers the right balance of automation, integration, accessibility, and support.
Coney Island Prep, MeUndies, FireClay Tile, Impact, Goals for Autism.
Zenefits has three core plans plus optional add-ons:
- Essentials: $8/employee/month. Includes core HR, time tracking, integrations, and mobile app access.
- Growth: $16/employee/month. Adds compensation, and performance management to the Essentials plan.
- Zen: For $27/employee/month, Zen is Zenefits’ top-tier plan, adding wellness tracking, engagement surveys, and People Hub access.
Add-Ons:
- Payroll: $6/employee/month
- Advisory Services: $8/employee/month
- Benefits Administration: $5/employee/month
- Recruiting: Starts at $35/month
Best For
Zenefits is best for small businesses looking for an all-in-one HR, time tracking, payroll, and benefits administration platform.
A major advantage was the self-service feature for onboarding. Before a new hire started, most onboarding tasks, such as I-9 and tax forms, were already completed. We heavily relied on Zenefits for employee data management. It helped us track changes in employee information, such as address updates and manager changes, as well as the reporting hierarchy through the organizational chart feature. It was also useful for document management.
As a school, we had to comply with the Department of Education's document management requirements, like teacher certifications and first aid & CPR. Automating notifications for expiring credentials was incredibly helpful. The second phase of integration occurred when we opted to replace ADP with Zenefits for payroll processing and time & attendance tracking.
The time-off and scheduling features of Zenefits proved to be incredibly helpful. Before using Zenefits, coordinating time off and ensuring adequate coverage was a complex process, largely because it was managed by the HR team and then passed on to the managers.
The ability to allow managers to approve their team's time-off requests saved a lot of time. In addition, each professional, including teachers, paraprofessionals, and speech pathologists, had between 3-8 professional certifications that needed tracking.
Notifying, tracking, and following up with staff for updated certifications was very time-consuming. However, once we set up the notifications and employee self-service features, the process of tracking and ensuring compliance became much easier. It also allowed employees to upload their updated credentials.
Upon establishing the HR department, we only had ADP for payroll and employee tracking. Before introducing Zenefits, we expanded rapidly from 40 employees to over 100 within a few years. We initially managed everything manually via paper applications and Excel spreadsheets. Although Excel is beneficial for data management, it became increasingly difficult as the company grew.
Additionally, we had only two HR professionals, myself included. Tasks such as onboarding new employees, data management, payroll processing, and handling time-off requests became increasingly manual and time-consuming, detracting from our ability to focus on value-added activities. Over the past two years, automating many of these labor-intensive tasks has proven invaluable.
There is a lack of customization in reporting. Although the platform includes many preconfigured reports and templates, the ability to modify specific data points is somewhat limited.
The platform also has limited customization for the user interface and dashboards. You can change the layout, color schemes, branding, and hyperlinks on the user's homepage, but further customization is limited.
Onboarding and offboarding workflows have limitations. They follow pre-determined steps that align with a general process, but you can't make many modifications to these steps.
Suggestions for improvement include the ability to modify the tracking of onboarding task milestones, customize the onboarding workflows for different roles (e.g. teaching assistant vs. teacher), and add the ability to customize approval tasks when multiple supervisors need to approve a task or transaction.
Zenefits offers many benefits over other HRIS software, such as Workday. First, the cost is significantly lower and may be more appealing to smaller businesses with a limited budget. Second, if you don’t have a dedicated IT team, the implementation of Zenefits is significantly easier and may be more ideal for smaller HR departments. Third, while it may have some limitations relative to customizing workflows, it does significantly reduce the likelihood of running into challenges with workflow.
The pricing structure is a significant aspect to evaluate. The platform's cost hinges on a monthly or annual commitment and is determined per user. Furthermore, the expense of integrating additional features such as Learning Management Systems or Performance Management should be accounted for. Features like employee self-service might offset costs otherwise spent on a dedicated HR assistant managing data changes. Lastly, ensure the platform is user-friendly for both the end-user and administrator. This platform isn't overly complex and is suitable if your HR team includes a tech-savvy member.
Zenefits, once a standalone company, has been acquired by TriNet. This significant change in ownership has broadened the scope of what Zenefits can offer, particularly in terms of integrations with other platforms. The integrations now include prominent platforms like QuickBooks and 360 Learning, along with OKTA. These developments have enhanced the functionality and usability of Zenefits, making it a more versatile tool for businesses. Among these, the integration with OKTA has proven to be profoundly beneficial. OKTA is a platform that manages user access based on roles, a feature that has found applicability in a wide range of organizations. This has resulted in Zenefits becoming more scalable and adaptable, capable of meeting the needs of a wider array of businesses.
Zenefits is an outstanding choice for small to medium-sized businesses that are operating on a tight budget and can't afford to invest heavily in HRIS software. Furthermore, since TriNet acquired Zenefits, the PEO and HR outsourcing option can be very helpful for a company with a smaller/less sophisticated HR team. This can be an incredibly beneficial strategy, particularly for businesses that are in the growth phase.
Zenefits is relatively user-friendly, both in terms of integration and end-user experience. However, like any HRIS implementation, it requires significant time for planning, implementation, and training. Therefore, if you or your business can't dedicate the necessary time to work with the implementation team, I wouldn't recommend it.
UKG
From paying your employees to managing them, developing them, and everything in between, UKG is a robust HRMS suite that can cover all of your people management needs.
PROS
- Super robust product, packing years of experience with HCM and Workforce Management technology.
- Administrators can configure the visibility settings for managers, employees, and themselves.
- The Ultimate Community provides on-demand information about all UKG Pro products and their usage.
- The mobile app is available in the Apple and Android app stores.
- Offers UKG Pro for HRMS and UKG Ready for workforce management, you could arrive at a combination of products that suits many of your HR needs from the same set of tools.
- Super robust product, packing years of experience with HCM and Workforce Management technology
- Since they offer UKG Pro for HRMS and UKG Ready for workforce management, you could arrive at a combination of products that suits many of your HR needs from the same set of tools.
CONS
- Compared to newer tools, UKG Pro and UKG Ready have not configured their offering to work for smaller or niche teams.
- Employees can encounter log-in issues at times with the Android app.
- Not a very budget-friendly option for small businesses.
- Similarly, UKG offers many solutions under one umbrella, so it's not the best fit if you're looking for only a handful of specific use cases.
- Compared to newer tools, UKG Pro and UKG Ready tend to miss a unique selling point or a specific focus on a certain type of business. While they work great for bigger companies in all sorts of industries, very niche operations might have a hard time adapting to the tool.
- Similarly, UKG offers many solutions under one umbrella, so it's not the best fit if you're looking for only a handful of specific use cases.
UKG Pro is a comprehensive employee management solution for midsize to large enterprise companies. HR departments at companies like MGM Grand and the Miami Dolphins use it to hire, onboard, pay, and manage employees. This all-in-one tool also features performance management, engagement, and succession planning, so it eliminates the need to purchase additional products to fulfill such needs separately.
UKG also offers UKG Ready, a workforce management solution developed with Kronos, a well-known time and attendance tool. This partnership adds time keeping, attendance, scheduling, and Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliance to the broader UKG offering.
Tesla, Marriott, Yamaha, Aramark, Puma, Sony Music, Samsung.
- Pricing for UKG Pro or Ready is not available on their website. However, it is usually on a per-employee-per-month basis, either billed annually or monthly.
- You’d need to contact a sales representative for an accurate quote.
- Our research has shown that licenses tend to start at around $600.00 per year for every 5 users.
Best For
UKG goes beyond payroll and offers a comprehensive suite of features tailored for enterprise-level organizations. Its robust capabilities serve as an exceptional payroll + HR solution, well suited for large teams with a global headcount, but also smaller businesses with over 50 employees.
I’ll use UKG Pro every working day. Our primary use for it is payroll and timekeeping. Even still, we use a myriad of the other features. This includes employee benefits administration, hiring and onboarding, compensation management, talent management, and a few others. This program also provides a lot of flexibility and freedom in its application.
UKG Pro’s greatest strength lies in its full-suite of payroll and HR tools. It’s all blended together in a “sandbox” environment so users can freely explore the system. In addition to these, it also includes extensive reporting tools which makes work much easier and quicker.
My company transitioned to UKG Pro after frustrations with our former HRIS. One of UKG’s greatest strengths is the program’s ease of use. Not only is it easy for our HR representatives to use, but for our employees as well. We’ve been using UKG Pro for a little over a year now and already it’s proven to be leaps and bounds above some other systems I’ve used. With UKG Pro, you’re getting an excellent value for your money.
UKG Pro is on the expensive side and, to boot, they’re not transparent about their pricing. I also did not appreciate the lack of a free or “trial” mode to try out the product before spending so much for it. Also, scaling up (or down) can be cumbersome as a custom set up is required.
UKG Pro is far more intuitive than other HRI Systems I’ve used in the past. It’s among my favorites for its ease of use and customizability.
When buying this type of tool you want to pay close attention to what is important for your company. You’ll always want to take into consideration pricing. But beyond this, look at the features provided. Does it include a full-suite? Does it integrate well with other systems you’re currently using? You’ll want to really do your research.
I can’t speak too heavily to its evolution. I can acknowledge that they have implemented a few smaller quality of life changes to make the experience run smoother.
This is a good software for larger, very typically structured, organizations. If you’ve got more than 200 employees, this software will make your life easier.
Smaller organizations, namely those with less than 150 employees, should consider other options. UKG Pro is among the most expensive HRIS I’ve used.
15five
15Five’s Perform module comes with employee management tools to conduct performance reviews, check employees’ role clarity, identify strengths, and help them have a career vision. A unique thing managers can through this module is adjust employee scores in real-time during a calibration session.
PROS
- 15Five helps HR leaders run their performance programs from start to finish and make talent decisions based on a 360-degree view of each employee.
- With the help of visual dashboards, HR leaders can access colorful and easy-to-comprehend insights that will make their talent decisions easier.
- The platform is fairly easy to use, comes with a mobile app, has transparent pricing, as well as a 14-day free trial so users can try before they buy.
CONS
- Some users reported experiencing difficulty creating new objectives or connecting existing objectives to parent objectives in the objectives section.
- When you create an engagement survey using 15Five's template, you can only choose from a selection of pre-made categories rather than creating your own.
- The out of the box integration options are quite limited, and a Zapier integration used to be available but is now sunsetted. As an alternative, 15Five does have a public API for users to plug-in custom tools but that requires a bit more work.
15Five enables managers to have a better understanding of their team members through a host of tools for communication, performance tracking, and goal setting. For starters, managers conduct regular check-ins, performance reviews, and pulse surveys to stay informed about their team's progress and identify areas for improvement. They can also set goals, track progress towards those goals, and provide feedback to employees as needed, fueling a culture of continuous growth.
15Five’s customer base includes Hubspot, Spotify, American Red Cross, Clearbit, Pendo and more.
- Engage: $4 per user per month. Its features include Core engagement surveys, Topic-based assessments, Custom topic-based assessments, Filterable heatmap & analytics, Enterprise-grade security, an Action plan dashboard, and more.
- Perform: $8 per user per month. Its features include Performance reviews, 360º feedback, Talent Matrix, Data insights, Career Paths & Plans, and more.
- Focus: $8 per user per month. Its features include Goal setting with OKRs, OKR chart view, Data insights, Jira & Salesforce Integration, and more.
- Total Platform: $14 per user per month. Its features include everything in other plans, plus DPAs and security questionnaires.
Best For
15Five is a good bet for both growing companies and enterprises. It particularly benefits organizations seeking a holistic feedback system that ensures input from all employees throughout the company.
We use 15Five on a regular basis to support our employee engagement and performance management efforts. We have established a regular cadence of use, with weekly check-ins and quarterly goal-setting and progress reviews.
During weekly check-ins, employees share updates on their progress and any challenges they may be facing, while managers provide feedback, support, and recognition. This helps to keep everyone on track and fosters a culture of transparency and accountability within the organization.
We also use 15Five for regular one-on-one meetings between managers and employees, which are scheduled and tracked through the platform. This has made it easier to ensure that all employees are receiving the support and feedback they need to be successful in their roles.
The goal-setting and tracking features of 15Five are also key parts of our workflow. We set quarterly goals and track progress in real-time, allowing us to make adjustments and provide support as needed. This has helped to increase employee motivation and productivity, while also providing a clear framework for performance evaluation.
Finally, we use 15Five for feedback and recognition, which allows employees to receive feedback from their managers and peers, as well as gives them the opportunity to recognize their colleagues for their contributions. This has helped to foster a positive and collaborative culture within the organization.
Overall, 15Five has been an essential tool for supporting our employee engagement and performance management efforts. By using the platform regularly and leveraging its customizable features, we have been able to improve communication, transparency, and accountability across the organization.
I like 15Five for the following reasons:
- Efficient and Effective Performance Management: With 15Five, it is easy to set and track goals, provide regular feedback, and recognize employee achievements, making the performance management process more efficient and effective.
- Improved Communication and Collaboration: 15Five provides a platform for employees to share their thoughts and ideas with managers, and for managers to communicate more effectively with their teams, leading to better collaboration and alignment.
- Analytics and Insights: The platform offers data and insights on employee engagement, satisfaction, and performance, allowing HR managers to make informed decisions and track progress over time.
Our organization decided to purchase 15Five for several reasons, primarily to address the pain points we were experiencing in the areas of employee engagement and performance management. We made the purchase in March 2021, and I have used it since then.
Specifically, we were struggling to keep track of employee goals, progress, and feedback in a streamlined and organized manner. This was leading to missed opportunities for recognition and development, as well as a lack of transparency between employees and their managers.
We were also facing challenges with regular check-ins and one-on-one meetings, as it was difficult to keep track of schedules and ensure that all employees were receiving the support and feedback they needed.
The key benefits of 15Five for our organization have been significant. With the platform, we are now able to track employee progress and provide feedback in real time, which has increased transparency and accountability across the organization. Regular check-ins and one-on-one meetings are now streamlined and easy to schedule, which has improved communication and support for our team.
Additionally, the platform's customizable features have allowed us to tailor the software to meet our specific needs, which has increased our efficiency and productivity. Overall, 15Five has been an invaluable tool for improving employee engagement, performance management, and organizational growth for our medium-sized organization.
While I find 15Five to be a valuable tool, there are a few areas where I feel it could improve:
- Limited Customization: While 15Five offers a range of features, the platform lacks the ability to fully customize certain features, such as the types of questions that can be asked in weekly check-ins, which may not meet the specific needs of all organizations.
- User Interface: Although the platform is easy to use overall, the user interface could benefit from some enhancements, such as more intuitive navigation, clearer labeling of features, and improved search functionality.
- Integrations: While 15Five offers some integrations with other HR tools, such as Slack and Zapier, I would like to see more options available to further streamline HR processes and improve overall efficiency.
I find that 15Five stands out from its competitors in several ways. Compared to similar tools, 15Five offers a more comprehensive platform for performance management, feedback, and employee engagement.
One of the key advantages of 15Five is its emphasis on regular check-ins and continuous feedback, which helps to foster a culture of open communication and transparency between managers and employees. The platform also offers a range of features for goal-setting, recognition, and feedback, all of which are essential components of a strong performance management program.
In terms of user experience, 15Five's platform is intuitive and easy to use, with a clean and modern design. It also offers a range of integrations with other HR tools, such as Slack and Zapier, which makes it easy to streamline HR processes and improve efficiency.
Compared to other tools I have used in the past, I find that 15Five is more user-friendly and offers more comprehensive features for performance management and employee engagement. I particularly appreciate the regular check-ins and the ability to track progress on goals over time, which helps to ensure that employees are aligned with organizational objectives and are continuously improving. Overall, I prefer 15Five because of its user-friendly interface, comprehensive features, and emphasis on regular feedback and communication.
I would recommend that people consider the following criteria when buying a performance management tool like 15Five:
- Features: Look for a tool that offers a range of features for goal-setting, performance tracking, feedback, and recognition, as well as any other specific needs that your organization may have. It's important to assess which features are most important to your organization and ensure the tool you choose has them.
- User Experience: It's important to choose a tool that is easy to use and navigate for both managers and employees. A good user experience can encourage adoption and regular usage, helping to maximize the tool's effectiveness and ROI.
- Customization: Look for a tool that allows for some degree of customization, such as the ability to add custom questions or fields, as this can help to tailor the tool to your organization's unique needs.
- Integrations: Consider whether the tool integrates with other HR software or systems that your organization uses, such as ATS or payroll software, as this can help to streamline HR processes and improve overall efficiency.
- Pricing: Finally, it's important to consider the cost of the tool and whether it fits within your organization's budget. While cost is an important factor, it's also important to remember that the tool you choose will have a significant impact on your organization's performance management processes, and investing in the right tool can yield significant ROI over time.
I have seen that 15Five has continuously evolved over time to meet the changing needs of its users. Some of the notable changes and improvements I have observed include:
- Increased Customization: 15Five has introduced more customization options for users over time, such as the ability to create custom questions, customize performance review cycles, and add custom fields.
- Enhanced Integrations: The platform has expanded its integrations with other HR software and systems, such as ATS and payroll software, to provide a more streamlined experience for users.
- Enhanced Analytics and Insights: 15Five has added more advanced analytics and insights over time, providing users with more data and insights into employee performance and engagement, as well as actionable recommendations for improving performance and engagement.
- Improved User Experience: The platform has made several improvements to the user experience over time, such as more intuitive navigation, clearer labeling of features, and improved search functionality, to make it easier for users to find what they need.
- Expanded Features: 15Five has expanded its features over time to provide users with more options for goal-setting, feedback, recognition, and more. For example, they have added features such as High Fives, Objectives, and 1-on-1s to further enhance the platform's capabilities.
Overall, I have seen that 15Five has continuously evolved and improved over time to meet the needs of its users, which has helped to make it a valuable tool for performance management and employee engagement in many organizations.
I would recommend the following types of organizations use 15five,
- Small to medium-sized businesses that want to establish a more formalized performance management process without adding significant administrative overhead.
- Remote or distributed teams that need a tool to facilitate regular check-ins, goal-setting, and progress tracking.
- Organizations that prioritize employee engagement and want to create a culture of continuous feedback and improvement.
- Companies that are experiencing rapid growth and need a scalable system to manage performance across a large number of employees.
- Human resources departments that want to streamline performance reviews and track employee development over time.
With my overall experience with 15five, these types of organizations would not be recommended to use 15five,
- Organizations that do not prioritize regular feedback and communication: If an organization does not value or prioritize regular check-ins and feedback, 15Five may not be the right tool. The success of the platform relies on consistent use and engagement from both managers and employees.
- Organizations with a highly rigid performance management process: Some companies have very structured performance management processes that are not easily customizable. In these cases, the flexibility of 15Five may not align with the organization's existing procedures.
- Small teams or individuals: While 15Five can be useful for small teams, it may not be the most cost-effective solution for very small organizations or individual users who do not require a platform for tracking and managing employee performance.
- Organizations with limited technology infrastructure: 15Five is a cloud-based platform, so organizations without reliable internet access or those that have strict data privacy requirements may not be able to use it.
- Companies in highly regulated industries: Organizations in highly regulated industries such as healthcare or finance may have specific compliance requirements that 15Five does not meet. In these cases, a more specialized solution may be necessary.
Namely
Namely powerful HR suite streamlines how you manage your people. It covers onboarding, attendance tracking, performance management, payroll, and benefits administration. It also provides valuable insights into market trends so you can stay competitive.
PROS
- Namely offers a user-friendly interface that allows seamless navigation of the platform, even with its extensive features.
- The employee onboarding module has an easy-to-use wizard, facilitating a smooth onboarding process for employees and new hires.
- Besides Namely’s payroll and benefits administration features, you can opt for their managed payroll and benefits administration services to reduce your team's workload even further.
- The majority of users are able to navigate Namely without any issues. They find the UI to be intuitive and clean, despite the fact that the platform has lots of features.
- Namely’s employee onboarding module gets a alot of praise from users. It features an easy-to-follow wizard, which helps new hires get on quickly and be clear on what they need to do.
- Besides the platform’s built in features for data management, recruiting, onboarding, time off tracking, payroll and benefits administration, there are also managed payroll and benefits administration services you can opt for to reduce the burden on your internal teams.
CONS
- Namely caters mainly to the U.S. market, which means it’s not quite suitable for organizations that need it to handle payroll and benefits for employees in other countries.
- If you’re looking for quick implementation, Namely may not be for you as on average, 6-8 weeks are needed to get your instance up and running.
- Currently, Namely lacks employee development features such as skills training, career pathing, and succession planning.
- Users should look into whether Namely is compatible with their existing benefits provider, as a few users have reported instances where Namely's team encouraged them to switch to providers with higher fees.
- Namely primarily operates in the U.S., which means if you’re looking for a global payroll and benefits provider, this platform isn’t for you.
- Though many praise the platform’s ease of use, it does take long to implement it. Namely’s own team says that an average implementation takes between 6-8 weeks.
- For a platform of Namely’s size, there currently aren’t any features that focus on employee development such as skill training, career pathing, succession planning etc.
- You’ll need to check beforehand if Namely can work with your existing benefits provider, if you have one. There have been a few reports (but not few enough to ignore) about Namely’s team convincing customers to change their benefits provider to providers that charged them more.
Namely offers a range of features to help you with day-to-day employee management. A fundamental one is employee profiles, which you can create from scratch or upload from existing sources. You can access these profiles whenever you need to view employee data, including personal details, job roles, performance history, and benefits information. Namely also packs payroll management capabilities, optimizing how you process payroll and helping you with calculations, tax filing, direct deposits, and more.
You can use Namely’s time and attendance tracking module to ensure accurate recording of work hours and payroll processing. You can stay on top of things even further with Namely’s performance management module, which can help you set goals, conduct evaluations, and provide feedback to employees among other things.
Namely is used by several growing companies including Greenhouse, Vita Coco, Life is Good, and OneLogin.
Custom pricing is available upon request of a demo. It will vary depending on which package you choose. They start with a basic HR package and then sell extensions or enhanced services for things like payroll solutions and employee benefits.
Best For
Mid-sized companies across different verticals will make the most out of Namely’s offering.
My team and I used Namely every day for all our cloud-based HRIS needs. We used Namely for benefits, time tracking, housing HR policy and personnel documents, and, of course, onboarding. Namely is a functional tool with easy-to-set-up workflows for forms and processes. Also a payroll company, Namely does it all. Functions like e-forms and documents, which required passing through multiple departments, were made easy by the workflows offered in this tool. 10/10.
I like the aesthetic of the site; it is fun to use and user-friendly. The mobile version is functional during onboarding, unlike many other systems that claim to be mobile-friendly; Namely actually is! I like how things flow and the ease of uploading and storing documents. I like that our people enjoy using Namely.
We selected Namely because we wanted a personalized solution fit for our unique needs. We were tired of the same old runaround with big companies like ADP and being passed from one department to another to solve a simple issue. My company needed a better user experience for us as administrators and for our employees. Our primary pain point was transitioning off of a full-service PEO and needing a personalized touch and a good bit of handholding during setup. I used Namely for one year, and the company I was with is still using the product.
During the merger with Prism, there were some system bugs, but those seemed to get sorted out after a month or so. At times, the chat or help function can be slow to use, and I had to restart a few chats, which did not make me happy at that time. That said, the Namely reps were always courteous and went above and beyond to help us. Since we had no appointed contact team, I was always talking to a new person, which can be challenging when working through a long-term project like multi-state payroll tax setup or complex benefits.
I like that Namely allows the HR team to drive the bus. If someone is not tech-savvy, Namely will not be the best tool for them. Namely stacks up against its competitors well, and I loved using the system! I’d use it again.
Before investing in this platform, determine if your HR team is at least moderately tech-savvy; if not, look elsewhere. Do you have under 500 employees? If yes, Namely can easily accommodate your group. Do you have at least one HR person on staff per 75-100 employees? If not, you should consider adding an admin. Namely is a great tool, but it doesn’t think for you. People still need to do the work, especially benefits and payroll-related tasks.
Yes, it has, and they are doing a good job adjusting to market needs. Namely is cutting-edge and definitely improving over time.
Namely is a great tool for small to mid-sized businesses.
Someone needing active handholding daily or a lot of tech support will not do well using Namely.
kissflow
Kissflow Digital Workplace gives you all the tools you need to optimize, manage, and track all of your work. It has five core modules to handle any type of work that moves your way: processes, projects, cases, datasets, and collaboration.
PROS
CONS
Kissflow is designed for both managers and their employees. It lets individuals know exactly what tasks are assigned to them and lets them track work as it moves along a flow. It allows team leaders to create and control codeless workflows and forms. It helps the entire organization digitize their work and creates an operational system of record to know the status of what work was completed.
- Domino’s
- Pepsi
- Sears
- Hubspot
- Casio
- Basic: $16/user/month (Starts at 10 Users)
- Advanced: $22/user/month (Starts at 10 Users)
- Fully Loaded: $30* /user/month (Starts at 50 Users)
Best For
Kissflow has plans for companies of different sizes.
Zoho People
Zoho People is a solution for HR teams looking for an affordable or even free workforce management tool. It administers core HR activities, like onboarding, time off management, attendance, performance, LMS, engagement, and database management. It also includes an employee self-service portal with security-conscious permission controls and more.
PROS
- Comprehensive core HR features consolidated in a single platform.
- Offers a wide array of integrations.
- Available in multiple languages, catering to users across the globe.
- Provides a free version and a free trial.
- All core HR features in a single dashboard
- Wide array of integrations
- User-friendly UI, constantly updated
- Available in multiple languages
CONS
- Some modules may lack the depth of comparable products. For example, some users found the payroll offering to be relatively basic.
- The mobile app does not mirror the features of the web version.
- The platform's responsiveness is unpredictable – users have reported occasional loading delays.
- Since they offer so many modules, some may be not as robust as other products that have been more specific about covering certain needs. For instance, some teams have found their payroll offering to be quite basic.
- Not all that’s available in the web platform is available in the app
- Some users reported that the platform can be slow to load every now and then.
Zoho People is a 360-degree HR solution that amazes us with its rich features. Depending on the plan purchased, users can get some or even all of their employee management needs covered, from onboarding and attendance management to time tracking, appraisals, and learning.
One standout feature is Cases. The feature lets users post their support questions under specific HR categories to receive prompt responses from assigned agents. It's a simple, effective, time-saving solution.
Zoho People features real-time access control. It allows administrators to assign access permissions for select members, promoting better collaboration while ensuring data security.
Another nice touch is Announcements: managers can use this to keep employees posted on company news using various content types, formatting options, and location-specific visibility.
In our testing, the self-service elements worked well in the Chrome browser. The web version contains numerous tools like employee records, leave requests, timesheets, and policy documents.
However, we did encounter some challenges with the mobile app. It occasionally lagged, particularly when using functions like check-ins and facial recognition. Additionally, certain tools, such as the payroll feature, are less fleshed out than in similar tools in this space.
ZPE Systems, Cloudfronts Technologies, Zomato, SpiceJet, Foresight CFO.
Zoho People is free for up to five users. After that, the platform offers four plans with the following pricing:
- Essential HR: $1.25/user/month billed annually.
- Professional: $2/user/month billed annually.
- Premium: $3/user/month billed annually.
- Enterprise: $4.5/user/month billed annually
Best For
This tool is particularly well-suited for SMBs who can make use of its multilingual capabilities.
I initially signed up for a free trial of the plan that I thought suited our organization’s needs best. After checking its suitability, I created my account as an HR partner and uploaded all employees’ data into the system. The platform has helped us automate a lot of our daily HR processes. I used Zoho People to manage employee records, track their attendance, monitor their performance as per KRA, and generate various reports. It streamlines the recruitment cycle starting from job posting to onboarding new talents. The tool has great features in terms of processing employees’ payroll. It has also helped us follow compliance, labor laws, and regulations by providing tools to manage legal documents, track compliance, and generate compliance reports.
- Zoho People helped us manage all employee data in a single location and made it easier to track employee records.
- Zoho People has features for employee self-service, performance tracking, and goal setting, which have helped our employees stay engaged and motivated in their work.
- Zoho People automates a lot of HR processes we used to do manually including attendance tracking, leave management, and payroll processing.
There are many reasons why my organization chose Zoho People: it has customizable features, it’s easy to use, and also cost-effective. It helped us to improve our HR operations and create a more engaged and efficient workforce. I must say Zoho People is worth buying as it streamlines all HR processes. I have been using the tool for 8 months.
- Zoho People could benefit from a more intuitive interface to make it easier to use.
- While Zoho People does have a strong mobile app, there’s room for improvement in functionality and speed.
- Zoho People does offer online documentation and support but it doesn’t cover everything so we do end up reaching out to the support team now and then.
While there are several competitors in the HR software space, Zoho People has several advantages that set it apart from the competition in my opinion.
- Zoho People integrates seamlessly with other Zoho apps, such as Zoho CRM, Zoho Projects, and Zoho Books, which is great if you happen to use their other products too, and can keep virtually all of your employees on a single platform.
- It is competitively priced and quite affordable for businesses of all sizes.
If anyone wants to buy a subscription to Zoho People, here are a few points to take into consideration:
- Determine business requirements and the features you need from the HR management software to choose the appropriate subscription plan.
- Check the pricing plans and select the one that fits the budget.
- Before subscribing to Zoho People, take advantage of the free trial to test the software and its features to evaluate whether it meets your requirements or not.
When Zoho people was first released, it was only used by small-size organizations as this software was limited to employee database, leave, and time tracking. Zoho People has evolved over time to become a comprehensive HR management software that offers a wide range of features to businesses of all sizes. The software's integration with other Zoho applications and its focus on mobile accessibility and analytics have helped it stand out in the crowded HR management software market. It also added a few features recently like an onboarding management system and integration with Zoho Analytics.
Zoho People is a cost-effective HR management software that is ideal for small and medium-sized businesses that may not have fully staffed HR departments. Zoho People is also a great choice for remote-working employees to collaborate, track time, handle scheduling, and more.
Large organizations: While Zoho People is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses, it may not be robust enough to meet the needs of large organizations with complex HR requirements. Zoho People's reporting capabilities may not be as advanced as other HR management software so it is not suitable for those organizations or businesses looking for advanced reporting capabilities.
Key Features of Employee Management Software
“Employee management” is an umbrella software category; hundreds of different HR management software solutions (HRMS) can be labeled under it. While that may be the case, the following are features you can safely expect from employee management software.
- Storing employee records: An employee management software effectively functions as your employee database. It stores employee information such as names, addresses, designations, salaries, and start dates. You can even store custom employee info such as skills, education, birthdays, emergency contact details, and more.
- Time and attendance tracking: Manually updating timesheets is a tedious task that’s time-consuming and almost impossible to perform without error. Incorrectly inputting employee time and attendance data leads to incorrect payroll. With the help of employee management software, you can cut down on human errors and ensure that your payroll is always accurate.
- Employee scheduling: Employee management software can help you schedule and move around shifts for your employees to ensure that the working hours of your business are sufficiently covered. Depending on what product you use, employees may also be allowed access to the same system to adjust availabilities and request shift changes.
- Employee self-service portal: Most employee management solutions provide employee self-service portals. Employees may use these portals to handle a number of human resources-related tasks that would otherwise require the attention of an HR employee. Most self-service portals allow employees to update personal details such as contact details, addresses, bank account info, and more. Some employee self-service portals also allow employees to put in time-off requests and adjust availabilities.
- Employee performance monitoring: Most employee management systems allow employers to define goals and productivity metrics and monitor employees’ progress towards those goals and metrics from a single dashboard. Accessing such data enables employers to make informed decisions that drive performance, e.g., identify where certain employees could use some training or if their skills are perhaps more suited for a different role.
- 3rd-party integrations: The majority of employee management software solutions offer integration options with your existing business tools, such as those for recruiting, payroll, enterprise resource planning (ERP), team collaboration, and more to extend the functionality of your software, have your data synchronized automatically and eliminate duplicated effort.
- Additional features: In addition to the above, some employee management systems may also carry features for applicant tracking, onboarding, payroll management, benefits administration, learning management, employee rewards, and employee recognition.
Common Mistakes Made When Buying Employee Management Software
You can easily make mistakes when choosing an employee management solution if you don’t carefully research and compare what’s available on the market while factoring in the needs and budget of your business. Here are a few mistakes you should avoid:
- Buying an all-in-one employee management software when all you need is one or two HR functions covered: For example, if you only need a system for performance management or attendance tracking, then buy a product that does just that. An all-in-one HR cloud can be quite costly if you’re not putting it to good use. We recommend that you always invest carefully and selectively to make the most out of your budget.
- Choosing an employee management system that isn’t scalable: Your business may see exponential growth within just a matter of months. It may also experience financial hardships, requiring you to downsize your team. No matter what the future holds for your business, you’ll definitely need your employee management software to grow or shrink accordingly.
- Not aligning internally with all departments that could benefit from an employee management system before buying one: Many top employee management systems offer features extending beyond your HR department’s scope. For example, employee management software can have project management capabilities, which means different managers across your company can use it to stay organized and keep track of their team members’ progress. It is also quite common for an employee management system to have payroll processing and benefits administration features, which are typically the responsibility of the finance department and not HR. Since other departments/managers can benefit from your employee management system, make sure you factor in their feedback in your product selection process.
- Making long-term commitments before thoroughly testing a solution: Most software vendors will offer discounts if you get into an annual contract. Some will even try to tempt you to get into a two-year commitment. While such deals can save you significant money over time, you should only commit to a vendor after thoroughly testing their software and verifying that it’s the one for you. Otherwise, you will end up going back and forth with them regarding their refund policy and likely incurring a considerable cancellation fee.
Pricing Models of Employee Management Software
The majority of employee management software vendors offer tiered pricing to accommodate different business needs and financial capabilities. Those tiers vary in features and either cost a flat monthly/annual subscription fee for an unlimited number of employees or have a per-employee-per-month pricing structure, which could cost anywhere between $1.25 - $30 per employee per month.
Do keep in mind that in all cases, additional fees may still apply for on-demand services such as product training, customization, compliance services, dedicated account management, and cancellation. Consult your selected employee management software vendor on the exact breakdown of their recurring fees as well as the pricing of all on-demand services that are billed separately.
Benefits of Using Employee Management Software
Using employee management software allows you to:
- Secure employee information: Paper files and spreadsheets are not a secure way to store sensitive employee data, as they could easily fall into the wrong hands. You can mitigate such risks by using an employee management system instead. The majority of employee management systems are highly secure, with measures such as data encryption and multi-factor authentication to keep your employees’ information safe at all times.
- Increase productivity: Using an employee management system helps you automate many processes that are otherwise quite tedious and take up a great deal of your team’s time. When different departments across your company aren’t manually dealing with employee data maintenance, time and attendance tracking, shift scheduling, and leave management, they’re able to reinvest that time in other tasks that contribute to your bottom line.
- Improve employee satisfaction: Good HR tech has an impact on employee experience and retention. When employees are managed through outdated channels and processes, it is easy for them to get frustrated and dissatisfied with your company. Employee management software gives your employees a channel to easily update their information, request time off, adjust their shifts, track their performance, communicate with you when needed, and much more - all in an effortless manner.
Questions to Ask During Your Employee Management Software Demos
As you’re researching different employee management software, we always recommend that you schedule demo sessions with the top vendors on your list to make sure their solution is compatible with the needs of your business. Here are a few questions you can ask during your demos:
- What HR functions does your software cover? Can your solution replace other products in my HR tech stack?
- Can you walk me through what employees see through their self-service portal (if any)?
- Does your platform feature Artificial Intelligence (AI) to automate certain processes?
- How easy is it to implement your solution, and would I be able to do it myself?
- What business solutions does your software integrate with?
- What metrics have you used to prove the effectiveness of your solution, and where can I see these in my analytics dashboard?
- What data protection laws are you compliant with?
- How much does the software cost for my team size?
- How will our pricing change as our team grows or shrinks?
- Will I be assigned a dedicated account manager?
- What are your Customer Support SLAs?
- Do you have a help center with articles and other documentation for self-service?
Implementing an Employee Management Software
Implementing employee management software is fairly easy, especially since the majority of them are cloud-based, delivered through a software-as-a-service (SaaS) infrastructure. Getting started with a cloud-based solution is relatively quick. Once you’ve purchased a subscription that meets your needs, you can create an account and start configuring it and importing your employee data.
On the other hand, some employee management software solutions are self-hosted (on-premise). Self-hosted solutions generally take longer to set up, and depending on your chosen vendor, you may need to consult them regarding their solutions’ compatibility with your current hardware and installation process or better yet, have them do the installation for you.
Note: Most of the vendors we’ve listed in this guide provide step-by-step video tutorials and help docs that assist customers in getting up and running quickly. For more information, you can reach out to your chosen vendor’s support team.
Employee Management Software FAQ
What is employee management software?
Employee management software allows companies to carry out different HR functions, including time and attendance tracking, new hire onboarding, shift scheduling, leave management, employee engagement, and performance management. It may also have features for payroll processing and benefits administration.
What should you look for in employee management software?
Besides making sure that employee management software covers the HR/finance functions that you need, see that it is user-friendly, scalable, can integrate with favorite products, and has an employee self-service portal.
Who needs employee management software?
All businesses, regardless of size and industry, can benefit from employee management software to streamline how they store employee information, onboard and offboard employees, as well as drive up employee engagement and performance.
Final Thoughts
No matter what industry you’re in and regardless of the size of your company, an employee management system is quite useful to streamline different functions across your HR department and beyond. All of the solutions we’ve listed in this guide would make a great addition to your tech stack. All you have to do is:
- Align with your HR, Finance, and other team managers regarding their needs and expectations before selecting a product;
- Carefully consider those needs as well as your budget and choose a product that meets them;
- Request a trial account to test the platform’s features first-hand;
- Schedule demo sessions with different vendors to get all of your questions answered.
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