Best HR software in 2023

One of my favourite hot takes when it comes to HR software is that "HR is about people, so we should not use tech."

I find that hilarious.

Most of the time, it is people who should know far better who are saying that. It also sometimes feels like people need to be old-school and unnecessarily contrarian as a means of sustaining themselves.

The whole point of HR software is to give you back more time to focus on people! Get an algorithm or an automated system to do the heavy lifting, and you can focus on what matters.

If you are unsure about the impact HR software can have on your business, try them out! Most tools offer free trials, freemium plans, or low-cost price tiers to help you get a flavour of how they can help your business.

What is HR software?

HR software is any platform that can manage, automate, or replace a variety of HR functions. HR software can range from highly specialised tools focusing on a specific element of HR to all in one platforms that take care of all your HR processes.

With many of us expecting to be working remotely into 2021 and beyond, HR software is going to be crucial to making many processes work smoothly.

Check out the six HR software options below to streamline your HR processes in 2021.

6 HR software platforms to try in 2023

1. BreatheHR

BreatheHR is a popular all in one HR tool packed with features to help you manage all your HR needs.

What makes BreatheHR a winner for us is the simple things that you do not realise are helpful until you use them. For example, the ability to upload updates to employee files and data in bulk probably is not a headline selling point. When you actually perform the function and realise you have earned back half a day pressing buttons, skipping across programs, and making sure data has saved correctly, it becomes the best thing about it!

Other things we love about BreatheHR include:

• Its API and integration options.
• Great value pricing where you pay for your business account first, then add extra users at a minimal cost.
• A range of optional add-ons depending on how many HR functions you want to move online.
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2. BambooHR

One of my favourite things about BambooHR is they nail the argument for HR software right there on their homepage.

"BambooHR lets you focus on people, not processes."

Bingo.

Still, BambooHR is more than a great tagline that I agree with!

Their platform is loaded with features and is simple to buy based on your needs with just two plans to choose from.

The first plan, Essentials, focuses on automation and management of HR processes. Particularly valuable is BambooHR's suite of "Employee Self Service" features. Wave goodbye to paperwork and even emails for things like holiday requests! If you need help with managing your recruitment processes, BambooHR's Advantage plan includes these features as well as API access.

If there's a downside to BambooHR, it's that things like time tracking and payroll are only available as add-ons rather than as standard. However, it's still a tool worth considering.

3. Personio

Personio is another company that nails the focusing on people message, and also boasts a blue-chip client list to boot.

At a basic level, Personio is an all in one HR tool that allows you to choose from three tiers, which add on functionality and features as you move up. In this sense, Personio is perfect for a growing business, as the higher level tiers instantly take on the extra work you would ordinarily have to do yourself.

Where Personio stands out is in letting you build the plan you want. Using the self-service feature on Personio's pricing page, you can select the features to fit your business needs. These include optional add-ons for automation, branding and customisation, and access to document templates to streamline your administrative tasks. If you add recruitment features, you pay for the vacancies you want to advertise rather than a flat fee. Best of all, you can see your monthly subscription price as you put your plan together!

As an all in one HR tool, Personio has it all, but you only pay for what you want to use!

4. HRSprout

This HR software is great for teams that wish to have access to attendance, reports, payroll, leave management, and all other data related to the employee. With HRSprout you are able to create an unlimited amount of candidates for onboarding, offboarding, or other events, where the software creates the tasks automatically in the different scenarios. 

HRSprout provides you with the complete solution for all the HR operations in your company. It is a cloud-based Human Resource Management software by 500apps. The software offers unique features and makes your HR processes faster and smarter. Some of these features are:

• Create and manage multiple workspaces
• Smart IDs for your smart employees
• Integrated Document Management system.

5. JazzHR

If you are looking for an HR tool purely to help you with recruitment, then JazzHR is one of the best specialist tools available for this function.

Think about the challenges you face when trying to identify and hire talent:

• Time spent removing unqualified or unsuitable candidates from the recruitment process.
• Managing interviews.
• Dealing with processes and admin to ensure your hiring is legally sound.
• Spending time dealing with other elements of the process that could be automated.

JazzHR addresses all these potential pain points and much more.

The most significant thing to know about JazzHR is that it is excellent even if you are a small company that might only hire once or twice a year. Whereas many recruitment platforms are built purely for huge companies always advertising double-digit vacancies, JazzHR takes care of the little guy as well as the multinational.

Your business is never too small to benefit from help in hiring the best talent, so give JazzHR a look!

6. Contractbook

Contracts are an essential part of the HR process. While many HR software platforms offer features like document storage or templates, they do not tend to provide full end-to-end contract lifecycle management.

Sure, being able to store a contract is excellent. But, before you can store a new employee contract, you need to write it, get it to them, receive it back from them, and then store it securely. The employment agreement is one of the first touch points with your new employee, so make sure you give a good first-impression with a professional, smooth and digitally savvy system. Not just to make you look cooler - but because it is key to establishing trust and mutual respect in this relationship. 

With Contractbook, you can take care of the whole process in one place. Write your contracts, check them with your colleagues, get them signed, and store them in your account. This functionality makes Contractbook the ideal solution if you only need contract management or if contract management is a shortcoming in your existing HR tool.

Contractbook also integrates with hundreds of other apps and platforms to make it easy to use alongside your existing tech stack.

Choosing HR software for your business

The right HR software for your business is the one that will best meet your needs.

Whether you need to improve your contract management, recruitment success, or review your whole HR system and processes, try out these six tools to get yourself on the right track for 2021 and beyond.