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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.

Huda Idris
Written by
Huda Idris
Tech Editor, Content Ops Manager, and Software Advisor
We are a reader supported site with strict editorial standards, clicks may earn a fee which supports our testing. Learn More
Last Updated: Aug 05, 2024
TOP
Fits mid-size companies seeking a mobile-first system to manage employees
Connecteam
4.1
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.3
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Fits mid-size companies seeking a mobile-first system to manage employees
Connecteam
4.1
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.3
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Core Employee Management and More
Gusto
4.0
Popularity Score
4.0
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Core Employee Management and More
Gusto
4.0
Popularity Score
4.0
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Flexible, Data-Driven Employee Management Solution
Leapsome
4.3
Popularity Score
4.8
User Score
4.7
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Flexible, Data-Driven Employee Management Solution
Leapsome
4.3
Popularity Score
4.8
User Score
4.7
Product  Score
Learn More
Over 3 million HR leaders trust our advice

Top Employee Management Software

Connecteam

: Fits mid-size companies seeking a mobile-first system to manage employees

Gusto

: Core Employee Management and More

Leapsome

: Flexible, Data-Driven Employee Management Solution

WorkDay

: Enterprise Scale Employee Management Platform

BambooHR

: Employee Management Tool with Flexible Pricing

Zenefits

: Employee Management Priced Right for SMBs

UKG

: Well-Established Employee Management Platform

15five

: Employee Management Tool with Focus on Performance

Namely

: Mid-Market, All-In-One Employee Management Solution

kissflow

: Employee Management Digital Workplace

Zoho People

: Comprehensive and Affordable Employee Management Tool

Introduction to 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.

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Our Criteria: Here's How We Chose The Top Employee Management Software

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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Compare the Top Employee Management Software

Popularity Score
Best for
Key Differentiator
Pricing
Free Trial
Customers
Users Score
Product Score

Connecteam

Most Popular
4.1
Companies with deskless workers
Mobile-first employee management platform
Starts at $29/mo
Yes
36,000+ companies
4.6
4.3

Gusto

Most Popular
4.0
Small and medium size businesses
Affordable platform to hire, pay and manage employees
Starts at $46/mo
No
200,000+ companies
4.0
4.1

Leapsome

Most Popular
4.3
Medium and large companies
Data-driven employee learning, engagement and management
Starts at $8/mo
Yes
Undisclosed
4.8
4.7

WorkDay

Most Popular
4.0
Medium and large companies
Robust employee management platform for enterprises
Custom Pricing
No
10,000+ companies
3.9
4.0

BambooHR

Most Popular
4.5
Companies of all sizes
End-to-end, reliable people management platform
Custom Pricing
Yes
33,000+ companies
4.5
4.4

Zenefits

Most Popular
4.0
Small and medium size businesses
SMB friendly platform for peopleOps, payroll and benefits
Starts at $8/mo
Yes
Undisclosed
3.9
4.0

UKG

Most Popular
4.0
Medium and large companies
Well-established HR platform for larger companies
Custom Pricing
No
Undisclosed
4.2
4.1

15five

Most Popular
4.0
Companies of all sizes
PeopleOps tool with a focus on performance optimization
Starts at $4/mo
No
Undisclosed
4.6
4.2

Namely

Most Popular
4.7
Medium and large companies
All-in-one employee management software for mid-size companies
Custom Pricing
No
12,000+
4.1
4.6

kissflow

Most Popular
4.1
Medium and large companies
Low-code apps and automation tools development
Starts at $1,500/month
Yes
10,000+ companies
4.2
4.0

Zoho People

Most Popular
4.0
Small and medium size businesses
Comprehensive and affordable employee management platform
Starts at $4.61/mo
Yes
33,000+ companies
4.3
4.1
Phil Strazzulla
HR Tech Expert, Harvard MBA, Software Enthusiast

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Detailed Reviews of the Best Employee Management Software

Connecteam

Visit Website
Connecteam
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.6 / 5
Product Score
4.3 / 5

Why we picked 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.
  1. One of the only fully-mobile HR tech tools for deskless workers
  2. Very adequately-priced for all it entails, SMB-friendly
  3. 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.
  1. In the communication hub, the app offers no confirmation that messages were sent and/or seen. 
  2. Certain features that some teams consider essential, such as GPS-tracking, are only available in the higher-tier pricing plans.

Connecteam Review

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.

Connecteam Customers

Over 35k businesses use Connecteam’s solutions, including Chick-fil-A, Ihop, and The UPS Store.

Connecteam Pricing

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.

Connecteam in action
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Gusto

Visit Website
Gusto
Learn More
Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked 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
Gusto dashboard - Simplify HR management with the best employee management software

Gusto Review

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.

Gusto Customers

American Canning, Matchless Builds, Citizen Pilates, Pain Clinic, Distant Moon.

Gusto Pricing

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.

Gusto in action
Reviewer's Rating
8/10

I use Gusto approximately every day. Some key workflows are onboarding users (employees) and storing important demographic information and compensation information, paying users (we used to pay employees on the platform, now it's just contractors), and staying in payroll compliance - Gusto gives you a to-do section that shows you all of the things you need to do to stay in compliance.

What do you like about this tool?

It's very intuitive, the UX/UI and design features are really amazing. It's also very well liked by our employees because of its ease of use. It's built to keep small companies in compliance -- Gusto really takes it a step further than most other Payroll platforms and gives you a bunch of compliance features and help. Gusto also has "next-day pay" features on some of the more premium tiers of membership; this is a really solid SLA and turnaround for payroll platforms, as this process (sending money to folks) isn't the easiest thing to do at scale.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We onboarded onto Gusto when the company first started back in 2016/2017. We didn't have a way to pay people, and Gusto offered an intuitive, small-business solution to pay employees, help us stay in compliance, and do all the heavy lifting for us in the Payroll and HR world. We've used Gusto for approximately 6 years and we still use it today to pay contractors, which is another benefit it provides.

What do you dislike about this tool?

Gusto is built for small companies so if your company grows quickly, it could easily outpace the features that Gusto provides. It doesn't integrate well/if at all with other softwares it doesn't already have a partnership with. It also has pretty limited reporting capabilities; the reports you can pull are nice, but there are limited types that you can choose from and building reports doesn't include all fields you might need.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

It’s more intuitive, but not as scalable for large companies. I'd prefer the more intuitive tools to start with, and then once I wrap my head around how payroll works then I think switching to a larger, more scalable tool helps with understanding the big picture.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

If you have a small finance/payroll/HR team, and want a tool to do a lot of the work for you, get Gusto. If you're a large team with a large company, I wouldn't recommend it.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

For the most part, it's really improved its contractor payment system and also its compliance features. It still needs to work on allowing for more integrations with third-party tools.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Small organizations (1-100)

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Midsize to large companies (100 - 1000+)

Leapsome

Visit Website
Leapsome
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.3 / 5
User Score
4.8 / 5
Product Score
4.7 / 5

Why we picked 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. 
Leapsome Employee Profile Dashboard Screenshot - one of the best employee engagement system

Leapsome Review

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 Customers

Leapsome is used by many well-known companies, including Spotify, +Babbel, Unity, PayFit, Learnerbly, Modus Create, Spryker, DCMN, and more.

Leapsome Pricing

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.

Leapsome in action
No items found.

WorkDay

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WorkDay
Learn More
Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
3.9 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked 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.
Workday Employee Management System dashboard screenshot taken by the reviewer

WorkDay Review

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.

WorkDay Customers

  • Target
  • Patagonia
  • Bank of America

WorkDay Pricing

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.

WorkDay in action
Reviewer's Rating
7/10

What I like the most about Workday is its simple interface that you don't have to ask your Boss how to use it. It is very intuitive and easy to find what you are looking for. I worked for 3 companies before and ALL of them are using Workday. It is famous for being so straight-forward and simple and yet a very reliable tool between the company and the employees.

What do you like about this tool?

It is user friendly. It is easy to teach it to employees outside of our Human Resources department. There are so many features!

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We bought Workday to ensure we had a financial system that would work with our HR systems. This helped us accurately run payroll. We use this Workday for storing the employee information, such personal details, previous employment details and contact details. It helps to track the goal setting to yearly appraisal feedback. We can easily be able to track the compensation revision history as well. It is a highly secured website. It requires a password + additional two security questions to login. This ensures the additional safety of the data.

What do you dislike about this tool?

It can be confusing to navigate at times. That is partially the software itself but more so how our team decided to set everything up. We are still adding more and more and making this process better for our users.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

I would consider it very similar to Paycom. I would recommend Paycom over Workday by a slight margin.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

Workday is an excellent choice if you are the owner of a business with 250 to 1,000-plus employees and require workforce management tools (onboarding and training, scheduling and leave management), as well as HR analytics tools (pay management and performance evaluation and management)

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

It has evolved to take on more employees with little effort.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Human Resources, Management, Financial Department

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

A smaller or start-up business.

BambooHR

Visit Website
BambooHR
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.5 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.4 / 5

Why we picked 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.
BambooHR Dashboard - Boost productivity and performance with the BambooHR's employee management software

BambooHR Review

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 Customers

BambooHR has over 20,000 customers, including major companies such as the University of Maryland, Quora, Reddit, Universal Group, Asana, and Wistia.

BambooHR Pricing

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 in action
Reviewer's Rating
9/10

Starting with talent acquisition, we use it to maintain our talent pool. Then recruiting the talent by incorporating an offer letter and contract. Once the employee is in our system, we use it for database management. We also use it for their performance evaluation and record the training. In the end, we also use its features of onboarding, offboarding, and employee survey as well.

What do you like about this tool?

I like it for its smooth performance evaluation process. It's one of my favorite features. Second is its onboarding feature and hires packet that let the new employee feel welcomed. Last but not least, is its ATS system which helps us keep a track of our talent pool.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

My organization has been using it for 2 years. This is an amazing tool for employee database management. Along with that, it offers an employee satisfaction survey which can help improve things along the way. Its performance module has made life way easier with a simple few steps process for performance evaluation. Lastly, its hiring module is easy to use and generates results.

What do you dislike about this tool?

It does not provide integration with LinkedIn which adds to the cost of LinkedIn job wrapping. Its customization option is very limited and its API keys are also limited to very few options.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

For a startup, It provides all the necessary options that will help the organization alleviate its HRIS system. It is not that costly compared to others and it is also very simple to use.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

Apart from the very obvious, cost; another criterion could be the size of the organization. The needs of the organization are also very important in terms of what they want to achieve from an HRIS.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

They have introduced new modules like performance, moreover, they are always doing webinars to make the best use of their tool. Their customer support is always very helpful.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Small and Medium Enterprises.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

MNCs.

Zenefits

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Zenefits
Learn More
Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
3.9 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked 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 dashboard - Manage your workforce effectively with a Zenefits worker management system

Zenefits Review

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.

Zenefits Customers

Coney Island Prep, MeUndies, FireClay Tile, Impact, Goals for Autism.

Zenefits Pricing

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.

Zenefits in action
Reviewer's Rating
7/10

Zenefits is the HRIS system for everything from onboarding to termination. It's primarily used to ensure onboarding is compliant, with I-9s and documents sent out for signature. It's also used for payroll, which is mostly automated, but there are things we need to add and manage due to other taxable benefits. For benefits enrollment, Zenefits helps people sign up, although a separate broker with their own app is used to manage benefits. Zenefits is also used for managing and feeding into the system that handles COBRA during terminations.

What do you like about this tool?
  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.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

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.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  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.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

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

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

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.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

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

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

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

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Large enterprises or companies with more complicated employee structures will not find Zenefits to be the right fit as it lacks capabilities to support that capacity.

UKG

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UKG
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.2 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked 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 - Enhance productivity and engagement with innovative UKP Pro employee management solution

UKG Review

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.

UKG Customers

Tesla, Marriott, Yamaha, Aramark, Puma, Sony Music, Samsung.

UKG Pricing

  • 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.

UKG in action
Reviewer's Rating
3/10

I personally use the tool every day. The main thing I use the tool for is pulling reports about employee information. I use these reports to provide talent metrics to our executive leadership team. I also use the tool daily to review the org chart. This assists in integrating employees into other programs we use, like Officevibe and Linkedin Learning, which UKG does not directly integrate into. One other workflow we use UKG for is assigning HR tasks. You can create custom tasks, so we use it to keep track of tasks that are not related to UKG, like removing people from other programs when they are offboarded.

What do you like about this tool?

Honestly, I do not like UKG, but these are 3 pros:

  1. The org chart is nice to be able to see who each person reports to (although only HR is able to see it)
  2. The HR checklist tasks are useful to keep track of tasks.
  3. The ability to filter reports before exporting is useful.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

Our organization bought UKG to replace our old HRIS. We previously were with BambooHR but moved to UKG so that we could move payroll internally. We have been using the tool for one year. This tool provides the bare minimum needed for an HRIS as we have the basic version. We have used the tool for one year, but we are already looking for a new HRIS to move to because we have had a very bad experience with both the tool and customer support. I personally use the tool daily to run reports and review the organization chart.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  1. Pulling reports is so complicated. It is not streamlined at all.
  2.  When conducting payroll, we get LOTS of error flags that we have to go through (and by LOTS I mean 75-100)
  3. The org chart is only accessible by the HR dept.
  4. It is just not user-friendly. I often have to hold the hands of our employees to show them how to submit a PTO request, change their personal info, etc.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

This tool is much worse than similar tools in my opinion. The reason we switched was so that we could have an internal payroll solution, but after just 1 year we are already looking for a different tool.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

The first criteria people should consider is whether the tool meets all of their requirements. That is the reason we switched to UKG because our old system did not meet our new requirements. Next, people should consider whether it has add-ons that support their business. We are looking for a system that has a built-in performance management solution, as well as L&D functions.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

No. The customer support has not been helpful to us.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Small companies that want to do internal payroll but do not need all of the bells and whistles (and who do not mind spending a lot of time on payroll and pulling reports). I do not recommend the tool.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Most organizations. Any org that wants additional tools beyond the bare minimum. Any org that is big enough to need an org chart. We are at 250 and it is already an inefficient tool for us.

15five

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15five
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.6 / 5
Product Score
4.2 / 5

Why we picked 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 dashboard - Streamline your staff management operations with powerful 15Five software

15five Review

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 Customers

15Five’s customer base includes Hubspot, Spotify, American Red Cross, Clearbit, Pendo and more.

15five Pricing

  • 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.

15five in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

We use 15Five for Annual Performance Reviews, ongoing check-ins and 1:1s between managers and employees, manager training, and engagement. The robust offerings of 15Five allowed us to originally bring on the tool only for APRs. Over time, we saw the capabilities it had in other arenas. Mainly, we appreciate the tool for its ongoing, direct feedback methods. This allows managers to send and review feedback frequently and has it stored in one location for easy record keeping and reference.

What do you like about this tool?
  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.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

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.

What do you dislike about this tool?

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

How is this tool different than their competitors?

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 Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

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?

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

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.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

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

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

I think this tool might not be beneficial in environments that are not forward-thinking, progressive, or want to be on the cutting edge of employee development and performance.

Namely

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Namely
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Popularity Score
4.7 / 5
User Score
4.1 / 5
Product Score
4.6 / 5

Why we picked 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 dashboard - Transform your HR processes with an Namely's advanced employee management system

Namely Review

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 Customers

Namely is used by several growing companies including Greenhouse, Vita Coco, Life is Good, and OneLogin.

Namely Pricing

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.

Namely in action
Reviewer's Rating
8/10

I used Namely for every payroll of course, but also onboarding staff and making sure they are set up in payroll. Additionally, things like getting employees data regarding payroll such as w2s was much easier. It was especially helpful that our staff can self-serve, which in a company with a small HR department is critical. It was really easy for them to learn, and employees are able to enter PTO requests and track their balances without having to reach out to an HR professional. So that feature was used throughout the company every week. Also, the social feature was appreciated by the staff, such as seeing coworkers' birthdays and anniversary, so they can congratulate and interact.

What do you like about this tool?

I really liked the fact that our staff, who had never used any kind of HRIS before, was able to pick up on this so easily and didn't have trouble or need intensive instruction. I also liked the degree to which they were able to solve problems and access information on their own. I also felt the onboarding features were robust and easy to use.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

At the time we switched to Namely we didn't have an HRIS and were manually doing everything from onboarding to payroll. Since we were growing, we needed a proper system. It definitely made things like reporting and providing employee data far more efficient and accurate. Also, the onboarding process was easy and saved a lot of time and prevented overlooked details and errors. The staff also liked using it and clocking in and out became easier with fewer mistakes. Once it was all set up, running payroll, making payroll changes, and accessing payroll records was much faster, easier and problems became rare. I used it for a year.

What do you dislike about this tool?

When I needed customer service, it wasn't the best I have ever experienced or the quickest, with a lot of different representatives involved of varying knowledge and understanding. I think better built in help resources would improve the product overall. I didn't find the benefits administration easy to use either.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

I have used many similar tools and feel like Namely is a solid system compared to similar products. I don't think it is the very best, as it did lack some features such as an ATS, but for a smaller company these may not be as needed. The ease of use was a bit better than others, but the customer support needed improvement. Overall, I was happy with it.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

People should consider what features they may need, and compare them to similar tools, since there are similar products with more features. Also, they should consider the size of the company, since Namely is best for small to medium sized organizations. If people are without any kind of tool like this, they should consider the cost involved is worth the many efficiencies they will gain from employing Namely.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

In the time I used Namely, I think they did improve the customer service somewhat, which was a problem in the beginning. This is important because the work done in Namely is often time sensitive, such as payroll, and problems can have a major impact on staff, so customer service is critical.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

I think this is perfect for small companies with employees who need an easy-to-use tool. It is great for companies who have never used a system like this before because the user interface is very intuitive.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Very large companies that do a great deal of hiring may find Namely not robust enough and lacking in certain features.

kissflow

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kissflow
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Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.2 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked 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 Dashboard - Automate workforce operations with Kissflow employee management software

kissflow Review

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.

kissflow Customers

  • Domino’s
  • Pepsi
  • Sears
  • Hubspot
  • Casio

kissflow Pricing

  • 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.

kissflow in action
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Zoho People

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Zoho People
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.3 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked 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 Dashboard - Empower your HR team with Zoho's efficient employee management software

Zoho People Review

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.

Zoho People Customers

ZPE Systems, Cloudfronts Technologies, Zomato, SpiceJet, Foresight CFO.

Zoho People Pricing

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.

Zoho People in action
Reviewer's Rating
9/10

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.

What do you like about this tool?
  1. Zoho People helped us manage all employee data in a single location and made it easier to track employee records.
  2. 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.
  3. Zoho People automates a lot of HR processes we used to do manually including attendance tracking, leave management, and payroll processing.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

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.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  1. Zoho People could benefit from a more intuitive interface to make it easier to use.
  2. While Zoho People does have a strong mobile app, there’s room for improvement in functionality and speed.
  3. 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.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

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.

  1. 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.
  2. It is competitively priced and quite affordable for businesses of all sizes.
What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

If anyone wants to buy a subscription to Zoho People, here are a few points to take into consideration:

  1. Determine business requirements and the features you need from the HR management software to choose the appropriate subscription plan.
  2. Check the pricing plans and select the one that fits the budget.
  3. 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.
How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

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.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

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.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

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.

Pro Tips on Employee Management Software

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.

About Us

  • Our goal at SSR is to help HR and recruiting teams to find and buy the right software for their needs.
  • Our site is free to use as some vendors will pay us for web traffic.
  • SSR lists all companies we feel are top vendors - not just those who pay us - in our comprehensive directories full of the advice needed to make the right purchase decision for your HR team.

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