Managing people is hard. Between tracking attendance, managing payroll, onboarding new hires, and keeping up with constantly changing compliance regulations, it‘s no wonder HR teams and managers often feel overwhelmed. Fortunately, technology can make things easier.
Let‘s explore the top 17 employee management platforms on the market in 2023 to help take your workforce operations to the next level. I‘ll provide an overview of each software, key features and functionality, as well as pros, cons and pricing considerations. Read on to determine which solution might be the right fit to meet your business needs.
1. Rippling
Rippling is an all-in-one HR, IT and payroll platform built to help manage your entire employee lifecycle – from onboarding to offboarding.
Key features:
- Unified dashboard to manage HR, payroll, benefits and more
- Advanced access controls and permissions
- Custom onboarding workflows and task automation
- Device management and security policy enforcement
- Real-time payroll processing and reporting
- 500+ app integrations including Office 365, G Suite, Slack and more
Pros: Rippling makes it easy to manage your global workforce in one place. It brings together employee HR information and IT system access for smooth, automated provisioning.
Cons: Interface has a learning curve. Plan options get expensive for larger teams.
Pricing: Starts at $8/user/month
2. BambooHR
BambooHR is a leading HRIS platform built for small to medium businesses. It makes it easy to consolidate employee information in a secure, cloud-based system.
Key features:
- Centralized employee database
- Customizable workflows, fields and reports
- Performance management and goal tracking
- Advanced access controls and permissions
- Mobile app for managers and employees
- 100+ critical HR app integrations
Pros: BambooHR provides a user-friendly HR platform with robust features at an affordable price.
Cons: Platform is more HR-focused and lacks full-featured payroll processing.
Pricing: Starts at $4.95/employee/month
3. Paychex Flex
Paychex Flex is a full-service HR and payroll solution catered to small and mid-sized businesses. It makes managing payroll, taxes, HR and benefits easy through automation.
Key features:
- Payroll processing and tax filing
- Employee onboarding and offboarding
- Benefits administration
- Compliance reporting
- Applicant tracking
- Time and attendance monitoring
- 200+ integrations with popular business apps
Pros: Paychex Flex is a scalable platform that can grow with your business. Support services are top-notch.
Cons: Interface is a bit outdated. Lacks some features offered by competitors.
Pricing: Custom quotes based on number of users and services needed
4. Deel
Deel enables businesses to hire and manage an international team compliantly by streamlining payments, contracts, invoicing and more – no local entity required.
Key features:
- Pay employees and contractors globally
- Local contracts compliant in over 150 countries
- Automated payroll calculation in 120+ currencies
- Applicant tracking and background checks
- Built-in expense management
- Integration support (Slack, Dropbox, etc)
Pros: Deel makes expanding your team globally easy and risk-free. It handles compliance, payments and support in markets around the world.
Cons: Contract database could be more robust. Lacks some traditional HR features.
Pricing: Custom quotes
5. Gusto
Gusto (formerly ZenPayroll) is an online payroll, benefits and HR platform built for modern small businesses and startups.
Key features:
- Easy payroll setup and processing
- Health insurance and other benefit offerings
- Applicant tracking and background check integration
- Employee self-onboarding
- Time tracking
- Dimensional reporting
Pros: Gusto makes payroll, benefits and HR simple through automation. It provides an employee self-service portal packed with helpful resources.
Cons: Platform lacks IT functionality like access management. Payroll processing can have errors.
Pricing: Starts at $39/month base fee plus $6/person
6. OnPay
OnPay streamlines payroll, HR and benefits processes for small businesses through automation, compliance expertise and exceptional customer support.
Key features:
- Easy online payroll setup and processing
- Built-in compliance assurance
- Intuitive employee dashboard
- Custom onboarding checklists
- Unemployment claim handling
- Integrations with top small business platforms
Pros: OnPay reduces the burden of payroll and HR through automation. It provides personalized service and support tailored to your business.
Cons: Limited HR functionality compared to some competitors. Add-ons increase cost.
Pricing: Starts at $36/month plus $4/employee
7. Zoho People
Zoho People provides a unified platform to manage your HR process including recruitment, onboarding, performance management and more.
Key features:
- Candidate tracking
- Easy employee database
- Automated onboarding checklist
- Organization chart and directory
- Timesheet tracking
- AI-powered talent search
- Social collaboration
Pros: Zoho People offers exceptional value packed with features. Provides intuitive tools for both HR and employees. Deep integrations across full Zoho ecosystem.
Cons: Mobile app connectivity could be better. Steep learning curve.
Pricing: Starts at $2/employee/month. Premium plan $4/employee/month unlocks additional features.
8. CakeHR
CakeHR is a cloud-based HR platform built to provide organizations with useful insights on their workforce through analytics.
Key features:
- Centralized employee database
- Paid time off tracking
- Employee life cycle workflows
- Real-time reporting
- Attendance clock-in portal
- Candidate tracking
- Customizable to your needs
Pros: CakeHR provides robust functionality with modules tailored to SMBs. Offers fantastic overall value.
Cons: Third-party integration is limited. Lacks IT/security features.
Pricing: Starts at $1.25/employee/month for starter plan
9. People
People provides easy-to-use, cloud-based HR tools combined into one platform with employees in mind.
Key features:
- Elegant interface
- HR knowledge base
- Peer recognition
- Paid time off tracking
- Automated onboarding
- Employee lifecycle management
- Custom reports
Pros: Beautiful, engaging interface for both managers and employees. Shifts HR focus to employee experience.
Cons: Geared more towards SMBs. Third-party app integration lacks breadth.
Pricing: Starts at $2/employee/month
10. Namely
Namely is a comprehensive HR, payroll and benefits platform providing businesses with a single solution for managing their people.
Key features:
- Unified HR database
- Customizable dashboards
- Automated workforce reports
- Built-in payroll processing
- Benefits management and enrollment
- Robust permission settings
Pros: Namely allows you to handle all aspects of managing your workforce in one place. Provides advanced features tailored to mid-market businesses.
Cons: Setup and implementation can be complex for smaller teams.
Pricing: Starts at $12/employee/month
11. Workday
Workday provides enterprise-level, cloud-based HCM, financial management and planning tools for global businesses.
Key features:
- Unified suite for HCM, payroll, talent and more
- Embedded analytics and benchmarking
- Skill, performance and compensation insights
- Sophisticated access controls
- Global payroll support
- Hundreds of ecosystem app integrations
Pros: Workday offers exceptionally robust functionality for large, multinational companies. Customizable to unique needs.
Cons: Overly complex and expensive for SMBs. Significant training needed.
Pricing: Request demo for quote
12. SAP SuccessFactors
SAP SuccessFactors provides best-of-breed HR tools for core HCM, payroll, talent management and more across all industries.
Key features:
- HR analytics and workforce planning
- Performance management
- Compensation tools
- Learning and development
- Recruiting and onboarding
- Time tracking
Pros: Exceptional depth and breadth of HR functionality. Supports organizations with complex needs and global structures.
Cons: Very complex to learn and use. Expensive overkill for many SMBs.
Pricing: Request demo for custom quote
13. Lattice
Lattice provides performance management and employee engagement software tailored to help managers develop their people.
Key features:
- Peer recognition and rewards
- Real-time feedback, goals and reviews
- Personalized development plans
- Public, team and private praise
- Robust people analytics
Pros: Lattice excels at driving employee performance through coaching, feedback and recognition. Clean, intuitive interface.
Cons: Light on traditional HR functionality.
Pricing: Starts at $7/employee/month
14. Oracle HCM Cloud
Oracle HCM Cloud delivers an integrated suite of applications to manage the entire employee lifecycle within a single platform.
Key features:
- Talent acquisition
- Payroll and benefits
- Absence management
- Compliance and policy control
- Analytics and dashboards
- Built on machine learning
Pros: Robust capabilities across the entire HCM spectrum. Reliable Oracle solution architecture and global support network.
Cons: Can be overly complex for smaller businesses. Lacks polish/intuitiveness of competing solutions.
Pricing: Request demo for custom quote
15. UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group)
UKG combines two leading HR/workforce management brands, Ultimate Software and Kronos, into a single solution.
Key features:
- Unified HCM platform
- Global payroll and HR
- Talent acquisition
- Time and attendance tracking
- Scheduling/shift management
- Recordkeeping and compliance
Pros: Best-of-breed payroll, HR and workforce management under single platform. Tailors to your business needs.
Cons: Very broad platform can have steep learning curve.
Pricing: Request demo for quote
16. Dayforce
Dayforce provides modern businesses with real-time access to workforce data and analytics for better people decisions through a single application.
Key features:
- Centralized database
- Benefits, payroll and talent management
- Advanced reporting and analytics
- Automation and compliance
- Time tracking
- Customization flexibility
Pros: Robust functionality across HR disciplines. Real-time, actionable data insights enable better workforce decisions.
Cons: Reports lack polish. Mobile functionality trails competitors.
Pricing: Request demo for quote
17. Sage People
Sage People offers an end-to-end HR and people system for SMBs to manage their business processes, engage employees, develop talent and mitigate risk.
Key features:
- Core HR Record
- Customizable workflows
- Self-service portal
- Automated compliance
- Advanced analytics
- Time-off tracking
Pros: Simple, clean interface. Nice balance of useful functionality without unnecessary complexity.
Cons: Third-party app integration is light. Lacks polish and innovation of competitors.
Pricing: From $2.50/employee/month
