The Best HRMS For Small Business
Here’s the list of the best HRMS for small business that I’ll cover in this article.
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
Many small businesses don’t worry about HR until it’s too late. They manage to get by using spreadsheets or paper files to keep track of their human resources and payroll.
But the problem with this basic management system is that it doesn’t offer any insights into your team’s performance, employee satisfaction, and employee lifecycle. Instead of relying on data to make smart business decisions, you guess your way to a more profitable organization.
Human resources management systems (HRMS) help small business owners with recruiting, onboarding, performance tracking, compensation, employee development, and succession planning. They collect and interpret data from a variety of sources, and provide all the information you need to make calculated business decisions.
Read my review to discover the best HRMS for small business in 2022. My review includes a short description of each solution that made the list, screenshots, as well as a comparison chart outlining the differences between the solutions so you can determine which would be a good addition to your company.
Comparison Criteria
What do I look for when I select the best HRMS for small business? Here’s a summary of my evaluation criteria:
- User Interface (UI): I look for solutions that offer a clean interface. You shouldn’t go through a series of unnecessary steps to access the right HR functions.
- Usability: I look for tools that are easy to use. You should be able to understand how the software works after going over the tool’s documentation or watching a series of training videos.
- Integrations: I look for software that integrates with your existing solutions so you’ll be able to simplify your work processes.
- Value for $: I look for tools that help you achieve a variety of HR goals, so you get the most out of your investment.
HRMS For Small Business Key Features
- Payroll management: The solution should help you manage the payroll process, so you can focus on other aspects of your business.
- Employee management: The tool should enable you and your team to forecast and manage workload, handle benefits, and schedule PTO in a self-service portal.
- Employee performance tracking: The software should enable you to identify top performers in your organization so you can reward them accordingly.
- Talent management: The solution should create a database for all your employee-related data and help with applicant tracking and employee onboarding.
Overviews Of The 10 Best HRMS For Small Business
Here’s a brief description of each HRMS for small business to showcase each tool’s best use case, some noteworthy features, and screenshots to give a snapshot of the user interface.
Deel
Best free all-in-one HRMS for small businesses
Deel is a global HRMS solution designed for businesses of all sizes. Deel’s HR tools are completely free for small businesses, so it’s a powerful platform to manage additional help from anywhere in the world.
The Deel platform has a clean and straightforward user interface that makes it easy to manage employees and contractors without having to juggle several tools. Features include contract and stock option management, expense reimbursements, and compliance tracking. In addition, their automated onboarding with compliance document collection is a great time saver.
Employees and contractors can self-manage their pay and personal data, which reduces admin load. The platform provides a polished and consistent payment experience, making it easy to update their own data and set up withdrawals.
Deel has positive online reviews from clients and their workers. The company offers 24/7 online chat support.
Deel integrates with a handful of popular HR and accounting software systems, including Ashby, BambooHR, Expensify, Greenhouse, Hibob, Netsuite, Okta, OneLogin, Quickbooks, SCIM, Xero, Workday, and Workable.
Deel’s HR management tools are free for businesses with under 200 workers. They offer flat rate pricing for their hiring and payroll services, so you can simply scale up or down depending on your situation. You can request a free demo through their website to discuss your hiring needs.
Connecteam
Best mobile-first HRMS for managing deskless workers
Connecteam is a mobile-first HRMS that's specifically designed to serve organizations where employees don't spend their working hours at a desk. The broad nature of their platform makes them an excellent fit for small businesses since you can take advantage of their wide set of features for a reasonable price.
Connecteam's HRMS software is available on desktop, as well as on mobile devices, or as a kiosk app for tablets, making them a versatile option for a number of deskless industries, including retail, restaurants, manufacturing, construction, field services, and healthcare. Their software is divided into three main modules: operations, communications, and HR & skills.
Their operations module includes employee scheduling features, a time clock for clocking in and out remotely, and digital forms, checklists, and other task management tools to keep your employees on track, no matter where they're working from.
Features covered in their communications module include an instant messaging chat tool, and employee directory, survey tools, news & announcements, and a knowledge base, that employees can use to easily access key corporate documents while on the go.
Lastly, their HR & skills module is used to track individual employee documents and key milestones, as well as time off requests, onboarding, and training requirements.
Integrations are available with other key systems, including Google Calendar, Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll, and others.
Paycor
Robust human capital management with an intuitive self-service portal
As an HRMS, Paycor helps businesses manage employee data, onboard new employees, and automate payroll and tax compliance. Paycor’s payroll system can automatically calculate and withhold taxes, track employee hours, and generate pay stubs. It offers a wide range of reports that allow employers to track employees' compensation history and compare it to market rates, which can be used to ensure that employees are being paid fairly and identify opportunities for cost savings.
Paycor’s compliance tools help businesses comply with federal, state, and local employment laws. These tools include a compliance calendar, an onboarding checklist, and a document library. Its self-service portal helps small businesses manage their payroll and HR needs by providing a secure online environment where they can access their account information and take care of tasks such as managing employee records, running payroll reports, and paying invoices. The self-service portal helps businesses save time and money by eliminating hiring a separate payroll and HR provider. The portal has the ability to create custom reports, set up automatic payments, and track employee vacation days.
Paycor’s Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) feature allows employers to take advantage of federal and state tax credits for hiring employees from certain target groups, such as veterans and food stamp recipients. Businesses can offset the costs of training new employees. The HRM system provides dedicated customer support, ensuring users have the resources to run their businesses effectively. It integrates with various third-party applications, making it easy to manage all HR data in one central location.
Pricing for Paycor starts at $199/month.
Trinet
Best for its robust mobile app
TriNet is a cloud-based HR technology platform that offers a suite of HR solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. It covers everything from payroll and benefits administration to compliance and risk management.
It's great for companies that are growing and need an all-in-one solution to manage their HR processes efficiently. It also has a user-friendly interface and robust feature set. What sets TriNet apart from other HRMS tools is its focus on compliance and risk management. The platform includes a team of HR professionals who stay up to date on the latest regulations and can help businesses navigate complex HR issues. This added layer of support is invaluable for small businesses that may not have a dedicated HR department.
Its standout features include payroll processing, benefits administration, time and attendance tracking, HR compliance, onboarding and offboarding, performance management and an employee self-service portal.
Integrations include QuickBooks, Oracle NetSuite, Sage Intacct, BambooHR, Lattice, Greenhouse Software, Carta, and Xero. This makes it easy to connect your HR data with other systems you may be using.
monday.com
Speed up your recruitment with a flexible all-in-one solution
monday is a flexible cloud-based platform you can configure to work as an HRMS software. The platform comes with 200+ HR-related templates and adaptable dashboards. With monday, you can set up employee management processes, applicant and performance tracking systems, recruitment and onboarding roadmaps, and payroll automation.
One of the great things about monday is that you can customize it to your specific business needs. The platform’s automation features are fantastic, allowing you to connect different elements in order to create complex processes.
When properly configured as an HRMS, monday excels at tracking and managing your hiring process. You can segment the applicants into different categories, assign recruiters, send out candidate surveys, and break down referral sources.
monday integrates with a wide variety of apps, including Slack, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Zoom, Google Drive, LinkedIn, Zapier, and more.
monday costs from $8/user/month. The platform offers a free 14-day trial. You can also access a free-forever plan for up to two users.
Eddy
Stay on top of your company data with a detailed employee directory
Eddy is an HR software that’s great for performance management. The tool acts as a database for your employee records and makes it easy to track employee engagement, run payroll and create standardized HR processes.
This human resources information system (HRIS) stands out from its competition thanks to its ease of use. Its interface is customizable and easy to navigate, and your team members should be able to learn how to use all of the tool’s features after a brief training period.
With Eddy, you can create a company directory rich with employee data, track billable time, manage time off, and store documents. The platform provides access to HR training materials and educational content, so your HR professionals can learn how to create onboarding, training, and people management processes.
Eddy integrates with a variety of tools, including QuickBooks, HelloSign, and Indeed.
Eddy costs from $8/user/month. The company offers a live demo.
Insperity
Best comprehensive and user-friendly HRMS software for small businesses
Insperity is a cloud-based HRMS (Human Resource Management System) software designed to help small businesses manage their HR tasks more efficiently. The software offers a wide range of HR-related features, such as payroll management, benefits administration, time and attendance tracking, employee onboarding, and more.
As a small business owner, I was looking for HRMS software that could help me streamline my HR tasks, improve my overall HR operations, and ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. After researching and comparing several options in the market, I chose Insperity because of its comprehensive features, user-friendly interface, and excellent customer support.
Insperity offers many standout features that make it an excellent choice for small businesses. One of the most notable features is its HR support center, which provides access to HR experts who can help with employee-related issues and compliance matters. Additionally, Insperity's payroll management feature is robust and includes direct deposit, tax filing, and reporting. Another standout feature is the employee self-service portal, which enables employees to view and manage their benefits, pay stubs, and time off requests.
Insperity offers integrations with several popular business applications, such as QuickBooks, Microsoft Office, and various time and attendance tracking systems. This makes it easier for small businesses to integrate Insperity with their existing HR and payroll systems, saving time and improving accuracy. However, it's worth noting that Insperity's integrations are somewhat limited compared to some other HRMS software options in the market.
Overall, Insperity is an excellent HRMS software for small businesses looking to streamline their HR operations and improve their compliance. Its comprehensive features, user-friendly interface, and excellent customer support make it a top choice in the market.
Justworks
Best for small businesses starting an HR team
Justworks is a payroll, benefits, and compliance HR software that has services to support small businesses run a human resources operation.
Its user-friendly interface allows you to easily manage payroll, access employee benefits packages, and track compliance throughout the organization. This tool is particularly useful to small businesses because of the HR support services it offers. As an SMB, you sometimes lack the bodies to execute everything you want. Justworks has a 24-hour full-service support that helps you navigate your HR-related questions. Additionally, they take on the heavy lift of paying your payroll taxes for you.
Justworks also lets your employees enroll in benefit packages of your choosing without messy paperwork. Regarding payroll, you can onboard employees through the platform, letting them set up direct deposit and review company policies in minutes. Once they are set up, the system will notify them every time they get paid.
Features include payroll for salaries and hourly employees, off-cycle payments, 24/7 support, PTO management, online employee onboarding, mobile app for employees, and harassment prevention & inclusion trainings.
Integrations include 15Five, Accurate Background, Bench, Checkr, Culture Amp, Expensify, Found, JazzHR, Lattice, Pilot, Remote, Teampay, Velocity Global, and Zip Recruiter.
Freshteam
Empower your workforce with paperless employee self-service options
Freshteam by Freshworks is a low-code HR system that helps you manage hiring, onboarding, time off, employee data, and HR workflows. It automates repetitive routines to reduce recruiter workload by up to 75%.
Using Freshteam, you can organize and store all employee data and files securely. You can also manage time off, track absences, and report other employee events.
Managers can hire and onboard new team members without needing paper, as well as cutting down on new hire queries. Employees can use the self-service option to access their own records and update their information.
This tool integrates with a wide range of applications, including DocuSign, Google Calendar, Google Meet, LinkedIn, and Zoom.
Freshteam costs from $1.20/user/month. A 21-day free trial is also available.
Breezy HR
Attract the right candidates with an end-to-end applicant tracking system
Breezy HR is one of the best HR software solutions for startups and SaaS businesses that want to attract top candidates. The platform gives you actionable insight into how well your job postings are doing and enables you to identify the ideal recruiting channels for your business.
The tool has a great layout, making it easy to organize your work. You can track different job postings on your dashboard and use the app’s communication features to discuss each application you receive with your team.
The highlight of using Breezy is that it enables you to increase your volume of job applicants without adding to your workload. You can track your candidates visually, so you can get back to them without combing through spreadsheets for their contact information. The scorecard feature allows you to rank interviewees, making it easy to create candidate shortlists.
Breezy HR integrates with multiple solutions, including Zenefits, Indeed, Checkr, Google Calendar, Office 365 Calendar, Outlook, BambooHR, Rippling, Zoom, and others.
Breezy HR costs from $143/month. You can also access a free-forever version with limited functionalities.
Need Expert Help Selecting The Right Human Resources (HR) Software?
We’ve joined up with Crozdesk.com to give all our readers (yes, you!) access to Crozdesk’s software advisors. Just use the form below to share your needs, and they will contact you at no cost or commitment. You will then be matched and connected to a shortlist of vendors that best fit your company, and you can access exclusive software discounts!
The 10 Best HRMS For Small Business Summary
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Deel Best free all-in-one HRMS for small businesses | Free demo available | Flat rate user pricing, with a free version for businesses with up to 200 people | Visit Website |
2 | Connecteam Best mobile-first HRMS for managing deskless workers | 14-day free trial + free plan available | From $29/month for 30 users (paid annually) | Visit Website |
3 | Paycor Robust human capital management with an intuitive self-service portal | 90-day free trial + free demo available | From $5/employee/month + $99/month base fee | Visit Website |
4 | Trinet Best for its robust mobile app | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
5 | monday.com Speed up your recruitment with a flexible all-in-one solution | 14-day free trial + free plan available | From $8/user/month (billed annually, min 3 seats) | Visit Website |
6 | Eddy Stay on top of your company data with a detailed employee directory | Free demo available | From $8/employee/month + a $49 base fee/month | Visit Website |
7 | Insperity Best comprehensive and user-friendly HRMS software for small businesses | Not available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
8 | Justworks Best for small businesses starting an HR team | Free demo available | From $59/user/month | Visit Website |
9 | Freshteam Empower your workforce with paperless employee self-service options | 21-day free trial | From $1.20/user/month + $71/month base fee | Visit Website |
10 | Breezy HR Attract the right candidates with an end-to-end applicant tracking system | 14-day free trial | From $143/month | Visit Website |
Other Options
Here’s a few more that didn’t make the top list.
- ZenHR
Improve employee experience with a mobile app for attendance tracking
- Qandle
Create company policies with a flexible HR software
- WorkforceHub
Track your team’s activity with a simple solution
- Rippling
Best HRMS for small businesses needing support with HR, payroll, IT and benefits
- BambooHR
Improve your HR initiatives with automation and simplified workflows
- eloomi
Cultivate your team’s skills with dedicated learning packages
- Factorial
Best employee well-being and feedback module
- Sage HR
Best for planning shifts and handling timesheets
- Kallidus Sapling
Simplify your work with standardized processes for every HR task
- Rise
Manage your workforce effectively with an intuitive HRMS solution
Related Read: 10 Best Employee Evaluation Software For Performance Reviews & Recognition
Help Your Small Business Grow With HRMS Solutions
Growing a small business is complicated because there are a lot of things owners have to look out for. But HRMS solutions make the process easier. Many of them help you automate repetitive HR tasks, so you can focus on other aspects of your business. And they help you save time with recruiting, talent management, onboarding, and workforce management.
But most importantly, HRMS software can help you and your team understand how to grow. Mary Karamanos, Senior Vice President, Human Resources at BDC, said “A common mistake that growing companies make is not taking enough time to plan their HR needs. […] The good news is small businesses often attract top employees because they can often offer challenging responsibilities, good learning opportunities, and personal growth.”
You can read more about human resources management systems on our blog. If you want to get tips on how to improve your small business with the help of HR, subscribe to the People Managing People newsletter.
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