The Best HRMS Software Systems
After reviewing many systems in fine detail, here’s my shortlist of the 10 best human resource management systems (HRMS) that I’ve highlighted in detail out of the 30 options I’ve included in this article:
Human resource management systems (HRMS) help organizations digitize their core HR functions. They offer repeatable, customizable workflows that get you away from your spreadsheets and filing cabinets. They also provide a better employee experience, with all your core HR processes housed within one central system.
As a former HR professional who was often lost in said filing cabinets, I know how much a well-chosen HRMS can help.
While there are many different types of HR management systems to choose from, true HRMS platforms tend to include the most features. They’re important and powerful tools, so it’s worth taking time to shop around before deciding on the best HR system for your organization.
In this article, I’ve reviewed my top 10 choices for the best HRMS systems on the market today. I've also explained why I chose each one, to help you find the best fit for your organization's needs.
What is an HRMS System?
An HRMS is a type of HR software designed to integrate core HR functions like payroll, time and attendance, performance, training, and more. Other popular modules include recruiting, onboarding & offboarding, and benefits management. They'll improve the efficiency of your HR activities via workflow automations and team collaboration tools. They'll also simplify the process of preparing HR analytics thanks to their data dashboards that populate in real-time.
Detailed Overviews of the 10 Best HRMS Software
To help you find the best human resource management system for you, I've provided detailed summaries of my top 10 choices, explained what each system does best, and why I picked it. I've also highlighted their standout features and given you some pros & cons to help you find the best solution for your business needs. On top of that, there are 20 additional HRMS options below, if you want even more software solutions to choose from. Let's take a closer look!
Deel
Best all-in-one HRMS for international teams
Deel is a global HRMS solution for international teams. It eliminates borders from your talent pool, supporting over 150 countries where you can hire, manage, and pay any contractor or employee.
Why I picked Deel: Their HRMS platform offers more than just basic HR management tools. Instead, Deel serves as an employer of record for international employees and handles full payroll and benefits so you don't have to set up a foreign entity. You can make use of functions like contract generation, expense reimbursements, and off-cycle changes using Deel's self-serve platform. Their automatic onboarding saves time, and the analytics are great for monitoring your HR data. Overall, it scored very highly in the evaluation considerations for Usability.
For contractors, Deel helps you avoid contractor misclassification with legal-reviewed contracts and provides multiple withdrawal options. The platform provides a polished and consistent payment experience, using major payment providers like Wise, PayPal, Payoneer, and Revolut to offer withdrawals in the currency of the contractor’s choice, including cryptocurrency.
Deel Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include global payroll, global mobility support, integrated Slack tools, and advanced integrations. Their global mobility service helps companies with visa sponsorship, allowing them to bring in candidates from abroad. The Slack plugins can be used to create an accessible organizational chart, provide self-service PTO management, and even track applicant referrals.
Integrations are available with major HR, ATS, and accounting platforms, including Ashby, BambooHR, Bob, Lever, Expensify, Greenhouse, NetSuite, Quickbooks, Workable, and Xero. Deel also complies with SOC2 and ISO 27001 security standards and has an Open API solution that allows developers to build their own connections with the Deel platform.
Pros
- Tailored for international organizations
- Managed by 200+ local legal and tax compliance experts
- Simplifies payroll using multiple currencies
Cons
- Overlapping plan features require custom pricing
- No free trial available
Paycor
Best HRMS for enterprise organizations
Paycor's HRMS platform is designed to help companies eliminate paper-based administrative tasks by automating common workflows. Their unified employee database acts as a single source of truth for all employees, and includes a knowledge base and an employee self-service portal. While it's technically an HCM (human capital management) platform, their software has all the features you'd expect from an HRMS system, and more.
Why I picked Paycor: I included Paycor in this list because of the flexible and modular nature of their software. Their HR system works for businesses of any size, from small-to-medium sized businesses all the way up to enterprise organizations. Paycor also prides themselves on tailoring their technology for each clients needs, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution.
Paycor Standout Features & Integrations:
Features are divided into five main modules: HR + Payroll Software, Talent Management, Workforce Management, Employee Experience, and Benefits Administration. Within those modules, they offer features like automated time and attendance tracking, employee scheduling, payroll processing and expense management tools, integrated recruiting software with analytics, employee onboarding tools, pulse surveys, a learning management system, and talent development tools including performance management and compensation planning functions.
With so much data integrated at your fingertips, it's easy to manage your employee records at scale. You can create custom fields and notifications, easily search and filter employee records, and schedule the delivery of e-documents and collect e-signatures.
Integrations with over 200 applications are available natively through Paycor's Marketplace. Featured integrations include Certify, Equifax, GoodHire, HireTech, Ignite, Instant Pay, Oracle NetSuite, Payscale, TalentReef, Tapcheck, Sterling, Velosio, and many others.
Pros
- Modular nature allows for easy customizations
- Includes HR solutions for specific niche industries
- Many time-saving automations
Cons
- Basic package limited to payroll features only
- May be too expensive for smaller organizations
Rippling
Best HRMS for creating a single source of truth to manage HR
Rippling is an online HRMS system that helps organizations create a single source of truth for employee data and automate the manual work needed to manage human resources.
Why I picked Rippling: Companies can collect and store employee information with robust data collection and custom field capabilities. HR teams can then use the data to automate access to apps (Google Workspace, Salesforce, etc.), create policy rules (PTO, overtime, benefits), and more. Users can also create approval processes with advanced approval chains for hiring, terminations, and salary changes.
The HRMS' role-based permission system allows you to automatically give other people—like managers and junior admins—access to specific services and third-party apps based on their department or level. Users can also precisely control what information they can view and change—from salary to SSN to device OS. Smart rules allow admins to automatically provision new accounts and policies when employees get promoted or change departments.
Rippling Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include payroll, time and attendance, learning management, benefits, talent management, PEO, pulse surveys, and workforce analytics.
Integrations are available with 1Password, Asana, Atlassian, BrightHire, Checkr, Databricks, DocuSign, Dropbox, GitHub, Google Workspace, LinkedIn, Microsoft 365, Netsuite, Sage Intacct, Slack, Typeform, QuickBooks, Upwork, Zendesk, Zoom, and hundreds more.
Pros
- Lots of native integrations
- Unique IT management features make it standout
Cons
- No free trial available
Bambee
Best for small businesses
Bambee is an online HR management platform that provides various HR services for companies with less than 500 employees, including employee onboarding, termination, and legal compliance.
Why I picked Bambee: This software offers small businesses a resource that few have access to, a personal HR Manager. This HR Manager is a person that can coach the HR team to solve problems, clarify policies, onboarding, terminations, and can clarify questions on HR regulations.
Apart from that, Bambee can help you develop your workforce through automated training that you can use to measure compliance with mandatory training, like workplace safety rules. Also, its HR Autopilot feature makes sure that all your policies are up to date, signed by employees, and makes them reaffirm their commitment every six months.
Bambee Standout Features & Integrations
Features include audits to let you identify HR gaps, automated and custom HR policies, an employee training tracker, report cards that track your staff against their goals, employee voices for feedback, and access to a personal HR Manager.
Integrations are not currently on the roadmap, but you can explore building a custom integration with this tool using an API.
Trinet
Best HRMS for global payroll and compensation benchmarking
Trinet offers an HRMS as well as HR consulting services to support your core HR needs. The software covers the full employee experience, from hiring and onboarding through employee performance and learning management. It can also be used to manage payroll and benefits administration, and provides workforce analytics.
Why I picked Trinet: The software and services cover the full scope of HR tasks and operations, bringing everything into a central hub. Pre-built performance review templates are available, and you can connect employee goals and feedback to their evaluations. Payroll and tax filings can be conducted through the software as well as employee performance evaluations and goal-tracking. You can also monitor the most important HR-related business metrics and run reports on your HR operations.
In addition to being able to handle complex payroll regulations in multiple countries, the software also provides compensation benchmarking. This helps you set competitive pay rates and understand salary standards across various industries, job titles, and company sizes. The software can also manage worker's compensation claims, retirement plans, and employee benefits packages.
TriNet Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include an employee perks program, global payroll solution, compliance with local tax laws and regulations, custom rewards, a variety of payment options, and employee recognition programs.
Integrations include Assembly, Bob, ChartHop, Compt, Greenhouse, Hyperproof, Lattice, Sage Intacct, and QuickBooks, among others.
Pros
- Centralizes all of your HR processes in one platform
- Company provides HR consulting as well as software
- Global payroll management for multi-national businesses
Cons
- Robust system, comes with a learning curve
- Full functionality may not be needed
Connecteam
Best HRMS for mobile-first teams
Connecteam is a true all-in-one HRMS — a software designed for HR people, employee managers, and business owners, to communicate, manage, onboard, and train non-desk employees, wherever they might be.
Why I picked Connecteam: Available on mobile, desktop, or as a kiosk app for tablets, Connecteam is a perfect fit for any organization, where employees don’t spend their working time in the office. From retail and restaurants to manufacturing, construction, field services, and healthcare — Connecteam is being used by thousands of businesses across dozens of industries, to communicate with and manage their mobile workforce.
Designed for out-of-office use, even on the run, Connecteam is extremely intuitive, easy to use, customizable, and quick to set up, so it takes no time to deploy and start utilizing. Connecteam is a one-stop-shop for HR and staff managers to go paperless and automate daily procedures, streamline team communication, boost employee engagement, and save time and money on operational friction.
Connecteam Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include a dedicated employee communication channel with targeted updates, team engagement features, surveys and polls, a suggestion box to collect employees feedback, a searchable company directory, an organizational chat, training and onboarding capabilities, a company library, time management tools, digital forms and checklists, quick tasks, and more. Basically, everything you need to manage your deskless workforce, combined into a single app for no extra cost.
Integrations include Google Calendar, Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll, and others.
Pros
- Great user experience, intuitive UI
- No company email is required to sign-up
- All-in-one and mobile-first solution
Cons
- No applicant tracking features
- Live location tracking works only while clocked in
- Requires an external solution for payroll processing
Insperity
Best HRMS combined with complete HR services
Insperity offers both an HR software and services for various HR functions from their expert support team. Payroll management, benefits administration, recruitment and hiring, and performance management are among the company's offerings.
Why I picked Insperity: As a complete human capital management (HCM) platform, the software can be used for various core HR functions like onboarding, training, and paying employees. The employee portal allows staff members to submit time off requests, access their paystubs, and keep their personal information up-to-date. Employers can draw up reports to understand their HR operations, and stay compliant with employment laws and regulations.
The company offers both software and services, so you not only get an HCM platform but also a team of HR experts to support your operations. Their team can help with your admin, compliance, and employee benefits needs.
Insperity Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include employee portals, employee time tracking, talent management, hiring and onboarding tools, payroll processing, benefits administration, performance evaluations, employee training, reports, and full-service HR team.
Integrations can be configured with the software's public API and API dashboard.
Pros
- Software and services combined
- Benefits brokering included
- All-in-one people management platform
Cons
- May not be ideal for those with in-house HR teams
- Only available to US companies
Justworks
Best HRMS for flexible payroll & benefits planning
Justworks is a cloud-based HR management system that provides businesses with an all-in-one solution to streamline their HR tasks and processes, including payroll, benefits administration, compliance, and employee management.
Why I Picked Justworks: Justworks stands out from the competition with its intuitive user interface and easy-to-use tools for HR management. One of the standout features is the ability to manage payroll for both salaried and hourly employees in one place, ensuring accurate and timely payments. Justworks also offers a range of employee benefits, including health insurance, 401(k) plans, commuter benefits, and more. In addition, the platform provides compliance support for taxes, payroll, and HR regulations.
I found that the best way to get the most out of Justworks is to take advantage of their extensive support resources, including tutorials and expert advice. The platform offers a range of helpful resources, such as a knowledge base, webinars, and personalized support from HR experts. By taking advantage of these resources, I was able to fully understand the capabilities of the platform and use it more effectively to streamline my HR tasks.
Justworks Standout Features & Integrations
Features include payroll for salaried & hourly employees, off-cycle payments, employer payroll tax filings, vendor & contractor payments, W-2 & 1099 filings, HR consulting, online employee onboarding, PTO management, calendar, doc center, directory, and mobile app for employees
Integrations include 15Five, Accurate Background, Bench, Checkr, Culture Amp, Expensify, Found, JazzHR, Lattice, Pilot, Remote, Teampay, Velocity Global, and Zip Recruiter.
Pros
- Mobile app for employees
- All-in-one HR platform
Cons
- Limited customization options
Arcoro
Best HRMS for construction companies
Arcoro is a comprehensive human resource management system that's designed to streamline and simplify HR tasks for businesses. It's a cloud-based solution that offers a range of features, including succession planning, performance management, and compliance tracking. It's a tool that's built to handle the nitty-gritty of HR, so you can focus on the bigger picture.
Why I Picked Arcoro: Arcoro serves as a robust HRMS tailored specifically for construction companies, enabling efficient management of various HR functions within the industry. It offers comprehensive tools to automate processes such as recruitment, onboarding, and employee record management, facilitating streamlined workflows and ensuring compliance with industry-specific regulations. Arcoro's construction-focused HRMS also encompasses modules for tracking certifications, licenses, and safety training, ensuring that workers are appropriately qualified and compliant with project requirements. It also provides features for time and attendance tracking, labor cost management, and workforce scheduling.
Arcoro Standout Features and Integrations:
Features include it's succession planning module. With Arcoro's succession planning, you can identify and develop future leaders within your organization, ensuring a smooth transition when key employees leave or retire. It's a proactive approach to HR that I really appreciate. Arcoro also has compliance tracking. Keeping up with all the different HR laws and regulations can be a real headache, but Arcoro makes it easy. It keeps track of all the relevant laws and regulations for you, and alerts you when there are changes that you need to be aware of.
Integrations include Acumatica, Procore, Quickbooks, Sage, Viewpoint, and Foundation Software. They add that they connect with other onboarding, core HR, and time tracking apps but they don't list which ones by name.
Pros
- Outstanding customer care team
- Great succession planning features
- Niche specialty in construction companies
Cons
- May not work for non-construction businesses
- Few out-of-the-box intregrations
Workday
Best HRMS for advanced workforce planning tools
Workday is an HRMS platform with a broad set of features. Their wide range of software solutions work together seamlessly, making them well-suited for large or enterprise-level organizations that have a lot of sophisticated workforce and data management needs.
Why I picked Workday: Their system offers more advanced workforce planning tools than others in this list, including 'what if' scenarios, flexible organizational charting tools, and a skills cloud of 55,000 skills to help with talent development and skill gap analysis. Other modern features that landed them a spot on this list include their system's machine learning capabilities that help identify existing workers for internal mobility opportunities, and compensation tools including diversity and pay equity metrics.
Workday Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include core HR employee data management tools, time tracking including a paid time-off tracker, tools to recruit and develop talent, and modern payroll features including global payroll services and pay on demand. They also offer detailed reporting and analytics tools, data dashboards, scorecards, and retention analysis tools.
Integrations are available natively with 600+ software applications, or you can access more tools using their custom API. They also offer full feature mobile apps for Android and iOS devices too.
Pros
- Intelligent process automation from attract-to-pay
- Flexible organizational structures and modeling
- Benefits and employee transactional data in the same system
Cons
- Complex goals and self-appraisal process
- Pre-screening questionnaires are not customizable per job posting
- Can only drag-and-drop single entries on the Candidate Grid
10 Best HRMS Software Comparison Chart
This comparison chart summarizes basic details about each of my top human resource management system selections. You can view pricing details and the availability of free trials or demos side-by-side to help you find the best HR system for your budget and business needs.
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Deel Best all-in-one HRMS for international teams | Free demo available | Flat rate user pricing, with a free version for businesses with up to 200 people | Visit Website |
2 | Paycor Best HRMS for enterprise organizations | 90-day free trial + free demo available | From $5/employee/month + $99/month base fee | Visit Website |
3 | Rippling Best HRMS for creating a single source of truth to manage HR | Free demo available | From $8/user/month (EOR pricing upon request) | Visit Website |
4 | Bambee Best for small businesses | Free demo available | From $99/month | Visit Website |
5 | Trinet Best HRMS for global payroll and compensation benchmarking | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
6 | Connecteam Best HRMS for mobile-first teams | 14-day free trial + free plan available | From $29/month for 30 users (paid annually) | Visit Website |
7 | Insperity Best HRMS combined with complete HR services | Not available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
8 | Justworks Best HRMS for flexible payroll & benefits planning | Free demo available | From $59/user/month | Visit Website |
9 | Arcoro Best HRMS for construction companies | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
10 | Workday Best HRMS for advanced workforce planning tools | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
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Other HRMS Systems
Here are a few more options that didn't make the best HRMS list. If you need additional suggestions for human resource software, check these out:
- People HR
Best HRMS for managing employee performance
- VAIRKKO
Best HRMS with learning management add-ons
- Collage HR
Best HRMS for Canadian organizations
- Built For Teams
Best HRMS for advanced org charts and succession planning tools
- PeopleGuru
Best HRMS + combined payroll system for US-based organizations
- monday.com
Best HRMS system for creating custom HR processes and workflows
- Factorial
Best HRMS for talent management and recruiting
- Eddy
Best HRMS for easy customized onboarding
- Sage HR
Best HRMS for benefits administration
- Kallidus Sapling
Best HRMS for automating repeatable workflows
- ADP Workforce Now
Best HRMS for numerous third-party integrations
- Remofirst
Best HRMS with global payroll and additional EOR services
- HR Cloud
Best HRMS solution for engaging employee onboarding workflows
- Keka HR
Best HRMS software for driving the digital transformation of HR processes
- Transformify
Best HRMS with ATS and EOR add-ons
- OrangeHRM
Best open source HRMS
- Namely
Best HRMS for mid-sized businesses
- Zoho People
Best HRMS with a freemium version
- Gusto
Best employee self-service finance tools
- Zenefits
Best HRMS for employee turnover prevention
Selection Criteria for Human Resources Management Systems
Perhaps you're wondering how I selected the best HRMS systems for this list? First, I drew on my years of personal experience as an HR administrator and HR software power user to add more expertise to my assessment. In that role, I spent a lot of time entering data from paper-based forms into our HRMS to keep our employee records up-to-date. That's why I know how important a well-chosen HRMS is.
To build this top 10 list, I started by reviewing the most up-to-date market data on HRMS systems. I then evaluated and compared a wide range of human resources management systems with positive user ratings, including some HRIS and HCM platforms too.
After determining my long list of top choices, I further honed my list by using the selection criteria below to see how each HR system compared to the rest.
Here's a summary of the main features I evaluated to create this list:
Core Functionalities
Since human resource management systems serve as a central cog for your HR operations, it's important that the software you choose includes all the features you need. While this will differ for each organization, for this list I aimed to select systems that included a wide range of core HR features to cover the basic needs.
In order for an HRMS system to land a spot in my top 10 list, it needed to cover the following core HR functionalities at a bare minimum:
- The ability to store employee data electronically, with updates linked across all integrated modules
- Employee self-service and/or manager self-service functions to cut down on the amount of questions your HR staff have to deal with
- The ability to track employee working hours and/or attendance management within the system (with bonus points awarded for systems that automatically sync time-tracking data with their payroll module)
- Automations to streamline common yet time-consuming administrative processes and improve the system's ease of use
Usability
Pretty much without exception, HR teams are always swamped. That's why you need a system that's easy to use, with a well-organized user interface (UI) that creates a positive user experience (UX).
To assess an HR tool's usability, I look at the organization of its interface and menus. I also examine how modules connect to each other, and the type of workflow automations that are available. Any features that will save you time and eliminate hassles are going to create a better UX for everyone on your team.
I also try to get a sense of the type of customer service or tech support each software provider offers too. This includes features like training academies, knowledge hubs, user tutorials, live chats, and customer support via email, phone, or live chat.
Scalability and Flexibility
I always prefer HR systems with modular designs, meaning you can pick and pay for only what you need. The great thing is, most systems are like that nowadays, but it is an important detail to assess.
I also prefer to select systems that offer plans for different business sizes. For example, startup or small business plans, with scalable packages up to the enterprise organization level. Your HR needs will likely grow and expand over time, so it's important to select a software system that can grow with your business accordingly.
Reporting and HR Analytics Tools
One of the biggest benefits of using an HRMS is the ability to run advanced analyses on your data. You want a system that collects and interprets data from across your different modules automatically, with the option to drill down into the details more as needed.
For this list, I've chosen software that includes data dashboards and other analysis tools to help you get the most out of your system-wide employee data.
Software Integrations
Software integrations will help you improve your team's productivity by automatically sharing up-to-date data across all the platforms you use. You don't want to waste your precious time importing and exporting data between systems. Or even worse, copying and pasting it (trust me, I've been there)! That's why I've summarized key software integrations for each of the HRMS systems in this list.
It's also crucial to make sure the software you choose integrates with the key programs you're already using. This will simplify your day-to-day data management requirements significantly. Also, make sure the software you choose can integrate with other niche tools that are NOT built into their system already. For example, if the HRMS system you choose does not include a full payroll solution, then make sure it has many payroll management integrations available instead.
Price
Sometimes it all comes down to price, so keep your budget in mind when you're doing your research. I always try to choose software with transparent pricing modules as much as possible. However, sometimes those details are only available upon request. This is often the case for systems that are modular by design. But, the upside of that is that you can request a quote for only the modules you need, instead of a one-size-fits-all package that might not actually work for you.
I'm also a big supporter of software that offers free trials before you commit to a contract. I've noted free trial details for each HRMS in this list. Or at the very least, a free demo is a reasonable secondary assessment option too.
Other Key Features
Beyond the basic functionalities above, I also assessed the following key features to make my final selections for this list:
- Digital personnel files: The depth of a system's employee data management capabilities can make a big impact. That's especially true if there's an employee-facing component. Robust digital profiles can help staff locate each other through an employee directory.
- Payroll processing tools: These features help you manage your payroll data, calculate taxes and deductions, run payroll, and complete direct deposits. This also includes specialized features to make sure your payroll operations are always in compliance.
- Workforce management tools: This includes features to create employee schedules, prepare timesheets, track employee work hours, and clock in and out.
- Performance management tools: These track metrics like key performance indicators, or objectives and key results. Other features include tools to collect continuous feedback or 360-degree feedback, and notifications to schedule performance reviews.
HRMS: Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some answers to commonly asked questions you may have about HRMS software and how it works:
Are there different types of HRMS systems?
Are there specialty features to look for when evaluating an HRMS?
How can I tell which HRMS is right for my business?
How much do HRMS systems typically cost?
What are the latest trends affecting HRMS software?
Other Software Reviews
It's hard to imagine a modern organization functioning efficiently without some form of human resources management system in place. To help you find the right system for you, I recommend checking out these other specialty HR solutions too:
- Best HRMS for Small Businesses
- Best HRIS Systems for Employee Data Management
- Best HRIS for Small Businesses
- Best HR Software for Small Business
- Best HCM Software Vendors
- Best Enterprise HR Software Systems
- Best Canadian HR Software
- Best Employee Management Systems
- Best Payroll Software: Reviewed and Compared
- Best Cloud-Based HR Software Systems
- Best Onboarding Software for Training New Hires
- Best Leave Management Software for Tracking PTO
Final Thoughts
Increasingly, companies have been leveraging HRMS to get greater insights into their workforce by analyzing patterns in their employee data. HRMS analysts, a relatively new role, are tasked with implementing and maintaining HRMS and making recommendations based on data.
If you're looking for more specialized or specific software, pop over to our Search field at the top. I'm sure we already have the list you need ready to go for you too.
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