The Best Talent Management Systems
Here’s a shortlist of the best talent management software I’ll discuss in this article:
- Trakstar
Best for identifying high performers
- ClearCompany
Best HR workflow with strategic insights to improve hiring, onboarding, performance, and workforce planning
- PerformYard
Best for linking talent management and performance management processes
- Cegid
Best for collaborative recruitment
- SAP SuccessFactors
Best for enterprise-level talent management
- Oleeo
Best for redeployment and internal mobility
- Ascender PeopleStreme
Best for compensation management
- Bullseye Engagement
Best low cost talent management system
- MightyRecruiter
Best free talent management system
- Lattice
Best for performance management & 360 degree feedback
As all HR professionals know, talent management is a crucial component of achieving organizational success. A talent management system is a subset of HR software that's designed to help you manage your best talent—your current and future employees—to ensure they remain happy and engaged in their roles.
The best talent management solution will support the entire workforce management process, including finding the right talent, identifying top performers, providing internal development and upward mobility opportunities, and assisting with succession planning.
This article will help you quickly compare and evaluate the best talent management systems to help you recruit, retain and develop your team members successfully.
Talent Management System Comparison Criteria
What am I looking for when selecting talent management platforms for review? Here’s a summary of my evaluation criteria:
- User Interface (UI): Is it clean and attractive?
- Usability: Is it easy to learn and master? Does the company offer good tech support, user support, tutorials, and training?
- Integrations: Is it easy to connect with other tools? Are there any pre-built integrations? Does it connect with pre-existing job boards and professional sites like LinkedIn?
- Value for $: How appropriate is the price for the features, capabilities, and use case? Is pricing clear, transparent, and flexible?
Talent Management Systems: Key Features
Here's what I look for when I'm selecting the best talent management systems for review.
Hiring Process Automations
Does the talent management software system offer any artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), or automations within an HRIS workflow?
Talent Pool Searchability
Are hiring managers and HR teams able to quickly, thoroughly, and reliably search their talent pool according to relevant field data like experience, skills, education, and so on?
New Talent Onboarding Process
Is the HR management team able to easily onboard new talent and provide them with accessible documentation, resources, and training in-app to get them started?
Document Management and Storage
Is there a way to upload, track, sort, and search relevant candidate documents (like CV, portfolio, certificates, etc.)? Will it identify duplicate applications?
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Overviews Of The Best Talent Management Systems
Here’s a brief description of each talent management platform that made our top 10 list:
Trakstar
Best for identifying high performers
Trakstar is a talent management system that can help you create and track the metrics and goals of employees. Properly communicating these goals to employees can help them understand their goals and what they need to achieve them. You can use Trakstar to create company pulse surveys to understand better what motivates them so you can improve employee engagement. Trakstar can also help you identify promising talent among employees so you can plan your company’s future by developing them as leaders.
Employees who deliver exemplary performance deserve recognition not just to reward them for their work but to inspire others, and Trakstar is an excellent talent management system if you want one that can help you identify high performers. Trakstar can help you create customized rating scales and competencies to effectively gauge employees using the metrics that matter to your company. The software also lets you involve managers, peers, and clients in the performance assessment process by gathering their feedback. Trakstar also has self-evaluations to encourage self-reflection and gain insights on how employees perceive themselves and the impact of their contributions to your company.
Trakstar provides pricing and a free demo upon request.
ClearCompany
Best HR workflow with strategic insights to improve hiring, onboarding, performance, and workforce planning
ClearCompany is a talent management system for better hiring experiences, seamless onboarding, and company-wide goal alignment and performance management. They boast all the features you need to source, onboard, train, and retain the best talent.
Quickly set up 1:1s, including custom scoring tables, weighted sections, and free-form responses; access candidate sourcing, automated screening, grading and interview scheduling; easily build talent pools compliant with EEO/OFCCP; and more.
ClearCompany is best for companies based in the U.S. and Canada.
ClearCompany integrates with tools for assessment tests, background checks, calendars, job postings, payroll and benefits, and SSO.
ClearCompany offers customized pricing upon request.
PerformYard
Best for linking talent management and performance management processes
PerformYard is a performance management software that provides flexible features for HR teams to foster an effective talent management system. It gives you the tools you need to build out your talent management strategies, while employees get a streamlined experience so they can focus on quality feedback and effective performance discussions.
With PerformYard, you can customize the software to fit the talent management strategy that’s right for your organization, including 360-degree reviews, project-based reviews, rating scales, continuous feedback, or cascading goals.
PerformYard provides a simple employee experience that facilitates feedback and quality conversations. They provide dedicated customer success managers for every customer to manage their implementation from onboarding to employee training, to ongoing support.
PerformYard integrates with most major HRIS/Payroll systems including ADP, BambooHR, Gusto, Rippling, UKG, Paycom, Workday, and Paylocity.
PerformYard costs from $5-$10/user/month.
Cegid
Best for collaborative recruitment
Cegid’s Talentsoft platform (formerly Hello Talent) combines the functionality of an employee engagement platform with a talent acquisition and management platform. Beginning with recruiting, the system encourages collaboration between managers and employees throughout the search for new talent. By using their co-option app, employees can recommend candidate profiles from their personal networks in just a few clicks. To help facilitate recommendations, you can even embed a point system for employee referrals that is customized for your business.
To bolster employee retention, Cegrid designed an intuitive internal mobility tool to help existing employees identify new career opportunities within their organization. Other features also allow teams to promote cross-disciplinary projects to help employees remain proactive in their own skill development.
SAP SuccessFactors
Best for enterprise-level talent management
SAP stands for “Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing” and was founded in 1972 in Walldorf, Germany. Originally specializing in enterprise resource planning, they now do TMS as well, including robust features for global talent sourcing and team goal management.
SAP supports talent management success at the enterprise level by tapping into the four pillars of talent management: recruiting and onboarding, performance management, learning and development, and compensation management. They also have a variety of tools that can integrate with their talent solutions. For example, they have connections for common document authoring, document management, and identity management systems. This scored them well in the Integrations segment of the evaluation.
A few cons to note are A) the cost of the software can really add up if you need various services/packages and B) reporting could be more intuitive and automated and, as it stands currently, requires significant manual intervention.
SAP SuccessFactors has solutions that start at $2.18/user and has software packages starting from $1000+/package. The tool offers a free trial.
Oleeo
Best for redeployment and internal mobility
Formally called WCM, this platform is specifically designed with diversity-sensitive hiring in mind with modules for a VA talent management system and Intern/Apprentice sourcing. This software hones in on oft-missed recruitment pools, like veterans and college campus populations.
A stand-out quality of this software is that it works well as a high-volume applicant tracking system (ATS), allowing flexibility and scalability to design a solution around your pre-existing process. Other useful features include debiasing tools to reduce gender-bias in job postings, and programmatic job ad campaigns you can automate.
Lack of pricing transparency and no free trial offerings lost Oleeo some marks in the Value for Cost section of the evaluation criteria, in which at least one of these two items is highly recommended for a perfect score.
Oleeo offers pricing upon request and has a free demo.
Ascender PeopleStreme
Best for compensation management
Ascender PeopleStreme is an international human capital management and payroll software company, specializing in the development of technology to support human resources initiatives, like employee recognition, incident management, and learning and development.
This system stands out for compensation management and provides HR leaders with a real-time view of employee compensation including other rewards to improve employee satisfaction and retention. This tool excels at customizability and, despite that, is easy to use no matter the configuration you settle on. The hyper-attentive support team can clear up any troubleshooting remaining.
Ascender PeopleStreme lost some marks in the Value for Cost section of the evaluation criteria simply because they are A) not transparent with pricing options online and B) do not offer any sort of free trial for users before commitment.
Ascender PeopleStreme offers pricing upon request and has a free demo.
Bullseye Engagement
Best low cost talent management system
Recognized by Insights Success Magazine as a “Disruptor of the Year,” Bullseye Engagement provides solutions for a 360 employee review and evaluation, engagement and pulse surveys, goals management, compensation planning, and talent matching.
The feedback loop of this tool is easy and satisfying, engaging users with notifications, role-based appraisals, comments and notes, employee history access, an organizational chart, a social media wall, direct reports coaching, and communication tracking.
With a dated and clunky user interface, Bullseye Engagement lost some marks in the UX category of the evaluation criteria section. The software looks much older than it is and does nothing to create a seamless, clean experience.
Bullseye Engagement starts at $3-4/user/month and has a free demo.
MightyRecruiter
Best free talent management system
MightyRecruiter lets you start sourcing immediately by posting your jobs to 29+ job boards for free. Additionally, they offer automated candidate delivery, easy applicant tracking, and candidate ranking and matching with the ability to integrate with your existing ATS.
Obviously, with a price tag of zero, MightyRecruiter takes the cake for Value for Cost per our evaluation criteria. They scored very well in this regard, making it a great option for small businesses or startups.
Because this is a free tool, they are limited in what job boards they can connect to when it comes to posting and distributing a listing. Additionally, it can take a while for a job posting to start circulating—up to 48 hours.
MightyRecruiter is free to use.
Lattice
Best for performance management & 360 degree feedback
Lattice supports talent management and employee satisfaction with their platform built on employee engagement, performance management, and employee development. Their check-in tools make it easy for managers to transform into coaches for their employees, by integrating continuous feedback systems with transparent goal management and performance reviews that include 360-degree feedback.
Their user interface is clean, clear, and colourful, giving them high marks in the UI category. They also scored well in the Usability category as they offer in-app chat support, plus an online help center, how-to documents, webinars, videos, and tips for best practices in performance management.
Lattice starts at $9 user/month plus an annual agreement cost of $4,000 to start.
Need Expert Help Selecting The Right Talent Management Software?
People Managing People has joined forces with the software comparison platform Crozdesk.com to assist you in finding the best tool for your needs. Crozdesk’s Talent Management Software advisors can create a personalized shortlist of software solutions with unbiased recommendations to help you identify the solutions that best suit your business's needs. Through our partnership you get free access to their bespoke software selection advice, removing both time and hassle from the research process.
It only takes a minute to submit your requirements and they will give you a quick call at no cost or commitment. Based on your needs you’ll receive customized software shortlists listing the best-fitting solutions from their team of software advisors (via phone or email). They can even connect you with your selected vendor choices along with community negotiated discounts. To get started, please complete the form below:
Best Talent Management System Software Summary
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Trakstar Best for identifying high performers | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
2 | ClearCompany Best HR workflow with strategic insights to improve hiring, onboarding, performance, and workforce planning | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
3 | PerformYard Best for linking talent management and performance management processes | Free demo available | From $5-$10/user/month | Visit Website |
4 | Cegid Best for collaborative recruitment | Not available | Pricing available upon request | Visit Website |
5 | SAP SuccessFactors Best for enterprise-level talent management | Free trial available | From $2.18/user and has software packages starting from $1000+/package | Visit Website |
6 | Oleeo Best for redeployment and internal mobility | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
7 | Ascender PeopleStreme Best for compensation management | Free demo available | Price upon request | Visit Website |
8 | Bullseye Engagement Best low cost talent management system | Free demo available | From $3-4/user/month | Visit Website |
9 | MightyRecruiter Best free talent management system | Free to use | Visit Website | |
10 | Lattice Best for performance management & 360 degree feedback | Free demo available | From $11/employee/month | Visit Website |
Other Talent Management Systems
Here are a few more that didn’t make the top list. If you need additional suggestions for handy talent management systems, check these out.
- Recruitee
Best Android and iOS mobile apps
- Zoho Recruit
Best executive talent management system
- hireEZ
Best talent management system for diversity and inclusion initiatives
- Eddy
Best all-in-one HR software for small, local businesses
- ADP Workforce Now
Best cloud-based HR suite
- Inspire
Best for continuous performance management
- Qualtrics Employee Experience
Best to measure employee engagement and sentiment
- Glint
Best talent management for small businesses
- Breezy HR
Best for automated job postings
- OrangeHRM
Best open source talent management system
Talent Management Software Solutions FAQ
Have some questions before moving on? This FAQ is a great place to start.
What Do You Think About The Above Talent Database Software?
Have you tried out a talent management system listed above? Is there any training management system you would add to this list? In your opinion, what is the best talent management software? Let us know in the comments.
Only need software to help with recruiting? Take a look at our suggestions for the best online recruiting software.
Looking to overhaul your performance management profess? We've compiled a list of the best performance management tools to save you time.
Looking for even more software to better suit your needs? Find out what an HRMS System can do for your organization, here.
Check This Out: Why And How To Create A Proper Talent Management Strategy