20 Best Employee Management Software for Small Businesses in 2023

Effective management of employees is crucial for small businesses, and there is a greater demand for streamlined HR procedures from recruitment to performance management and off-boarding.

Several employee management software for small businesses have been developed in response to this demand.

The top employee management software has features designed to meet small businesses' unique needs, enabling them to provide better employee experiences and succeed in the modern workplace.

Here we will explore the top 20 employee management software for small businesses.

Factors to consider while choosing employee management software

A few things to look at while opting for employee management software are:

  • Business size and needs - Match the software to your business's size and specific requirements.
  • Ease of use- Prioritize user-friendly software for quick adoption
  • Budget- Set a realistic budget, including ongoing costs and future customization
  • Scalability- Select software that can expand to meet your business's needs
  • Data security and compliance- Ensure the software meets security and privacy standards
  • User feedback- Research and read user reviews for insights into software performance and customer satisfaction.

List of top 20 employee management software for small businesses

Tool Name

Features

Pricing

G2 Rating

1.Xoxoday Empuls

People analytics, remote and hybrid work, rewards and Retention 

Starts from $1 /emp/month 

4.6 out of 5

  2. Monday.com 

Resource, Project , time and task management 

Starts From $8seat /month 

4.7 out of 5

  3.  BambooHR 

HR data and reporting, Hiring and onboarding, Payroll 

Starts from  $5.25/ month


4.4 out of 5

4. Rippling 

workforce management, 

time and attendance, 

recruiting 

Starts at $8 a month

4.9 out of 5

5. Keka 

People data & analytics,

payroll & expense tracking

Starts from ₹6,999/month

4.4 out of 5

6. Zenefits 

HR administration ,

payroll administration

Starts from $8/ month/ employee

4.0 out of 5

7. GreytHR 

HR,

Payroll, 

Leave Management

Starts from $50/month upto 10 employees

4.4 out of 5

8. Gusto 

HR,

Payroll,

Employee benefits 

Starts from $40/month

4.4 out of 5

9. Workday HCM 

Human capital management,

workforce management

Price not disclosed

4.0 out of 5

10. Paycor  

HR and payroll,

talent management

Price not disclosed

4.0 out of 5

11. Trinet 

HR Expertise,

risk Mitigation,

payroll services

Price not disclosed

4.0 out of 5

12.  ADP Workforce 

Payroll,

time & Attendance,talent

Price not disclosed

4.1 out of 5

13. Namely 

HR,

benefits administration,

compliance

3 pricing plans 

3.9 out of 5

14. Personio

Payroll management, Time and attendance tracking, Performance development

3 pricing plans 

4.3 out of 5

15. Zing HR 

Workforce productivity, talent acquisition, talent management 

Price not disclosed

4.1 out of 5

16. Culture AMP

Performance management, employee development 

3 pricing plans 

4.6 out of 5

17. Zoho People

Onboarding,

employee management,

time off management,

payroll

Starts from $0.83/user/month

4.4 out of 5

18. Qandle 

Hiring, onboarding, developing 


Starts from ₹ 2450/month upto 50 employees

4.4 out of 5

19. Lattice 

Performance,

compensation,

and analytics

Starts from $4 per person/month

4.7 out of 5

20. Workable 

Souring, hiring, onboarding, collaborating 

Starts from $149USD/month

4.6 out of 5

1. Xoxoday Empuls

Empuls is an all-in-one employee management software for small businesses that complies with the organization's requirements throughout employees' tenure with the company. It enhances the employee experiences right from their onboarding to health and wellness.

You can also set up and carry out pulse surveys and measure and track feedback. The best part of Empuls is that you can reward employees and give them digital gift cards to encourage them from the various options available.

Putting it together, Empuls provides an alternative approach to creating a dynamic workplace.

Key features:

  • Employee communication
  • Employee rewards and recognition
  • Employee survey
  • Employee retention
  • People analytics

Pricing structure:

  • Reward and Recognize - $3 per employee/month billed annually
  • Surveys - $3 per employee/month billed annually
  • Social Intranet - $1per employee/month billed annually
  • Perks and Benefits - $2 per employee/month billed annually

Pros:

  • Email triggers for recurring events are automatic and helpful
  • Easy data organization for employers and employees
  • Keeps employees engaged through various platforms

Cons:

  • Mobile application can be a little quicker
  • As it offers a range of reward options it can be confusing, initially

Case studies:

  • Gulf Taleed prioritizes employee engagement and experience with Empuls and 300+ peer recognitions shared in the last 6 months
  • Digital healthcare enterprise achieves 2x surge in engagement with R&R on Empuls

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.6 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.5 overall

Companies using this product:

  • Adobe
  • Adobe
  • Pepsi
  • Freshworks

2. Monday.com

The software Monday.com provides tools for creating cooperative workflows and schedules, allocating tasks and projects to your employees, tracking time, reporting on key performance indicators (KPIs), getting employee feedback, and sending automatic reminders for crucial due dates.

The best part is their workflow management software with integrated features for communication like reviewing and approvals that have deadlines. Which makes it a best fit for companies with heavy document-processing needs.

Key features:

  • Project management
  • Task management
  • Progress tracking
  • Time management
  • Resource management

Pricing structure:

  • Basic- $8seat /month Total 24 / month Billed annually
  • Standard- $10 seat /month Total 30 / month Billed annually
  • Pro - $16 seat /month Total 48 / month Billed annually

Pros:

  • Easy to use, adaptable, and functional
  • Very easy to monitor the progress of any project employee is working on
  • Customization options for a particular project make it highly intuitive.

Cons:

  • The report's customization options are not flexible enough
  • It's difficult to follow the sequence of operations as the layout is confusing

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.7 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.6 overall

Companies using this product:

  • HOLT
  • Canva
  • CocaCola
  • Lionsgate

3. BambooHR

BambooHR is an employee management software for small businesses that prioritizes the efficiency of their human resources. With a single data source, automate vital procedures, actions, and integrations. To streamline your personnel operations in a quick, well-organized, ecologically responsible, and pleasant manner for all parties involved, collect and track signatures online.

The best part is that BambooHR integrates all of your employee, payroll, time, and data into a single dashboard, providing you with data accuracy and security.

Key features:

  • HR data & reporting
  • Hiring & onboarding
  • Payroll, time & benefits
  • Employee experience & performance

Pricing structure:

  • Essentials - Starting at $5.25/ month
  • Advantage- Starting at $8.75/ Month

Pros:

  • Simple to use arrangement and execution
  • A central location for the most of the data
  • Pre-built and editable workflows to automate daily HR processes

Cons:

  • There is only U.S.-based support for payroll and benefits administration
  • Almost no improvements have been made to the platform's UX/UI

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.6 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.6 overall

Companies using this product:

  • Forcura
  • SoundCloud
  • Wistia
  • Nourish

4. Rippling

Rippling is a comprehensive employee management software solution designed to simplify HR and IT processes. It offers a wide range of features, including employee onboarding, payroll, benefits administration, and IT provisioning.

The best part about them is that they prioritized data security and compliance. It employs robust security measures to safeguard sensitive employee information and ensures that businesses remain compliant with industry-specific regulations.

Key features:

  • Global workforce management
  • Time and attendance
  • Recruiting
  • Performance management
  • Analytics

Pricing structure:

  • Starts at $8 a month, per user

Pros:

  • The tool provides excellent payroll information
  • It has a great design and is quite simple to navigate
  • Enrollment and benefits plan comparison both have simple processes

Cons:

  • Implementation takes a while to respond, which creates delay
  • Confusing price structure for modules

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.9 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.9 overall

Companies using this product:

  • Compass Mining
  • Frogslayer
  • Vambora
  • AWK

5. Keka

Keka, which provides a wide range of features and capabilities to expedite HR procedures within organizations, is another dynamic employee management software for small businesses.

It enables you to spend less time on routine tasks and put more effort into strategic planning by helping you handle everything from hiring and attendance management to performance and data analytics.

The best part of Keka is its ability to integrate with other systems seamlessly.

Key features:

  • People data & analytics
  • Payroll & expense tracking
  • Performance and culture
  • Hiring and onboarding

Pricing structure:

  • Foundation- ₹6,999/month and ₹60/month/additional employee
  • Strength- ₹9,999/month and ₹90/month/ additional employee
  • Growth- ₹13,999/month and ₹130/month/additional employee

(All upto 100 employees)

Pros:

  • The integration with Clear Tax and the tax and payroll module is excellent
  • Helps HR in effectively handling tickets submitted by employees and resolving the issue
  • UI and UX have been made easier to use and navigate

Cons:

  • Sometimes it's challenging to navigate paycheck information
  • if you want additional metrics, such as sales data or expenses, you will need a different solution as the app just tracks time

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.4 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.4 overall

Companies using this product:

  • Travel Triangle
  • Shaadi
  • Dream11
  • CoinDCX
  • Vedanta

6. Zenefits

A SaaS cloud-based employee management software called Zenefits enables small and mid-sized businesses to empower employees, manage modification, and maintain compliance.

Its HR, Benefits, Payroll, and Performance apps operate in sync with support services and closely connected partner apps to drastically reduce the amount of paperwork and complication in HR management, allowing businesses to stay focused on beginning, running, and expanding their operations.

Key features:

  • HR administration
  • Payroll administration
  • Recruitment
  • Performance management
  • People analytics

Pricing structure:

  • Essentials- $8/ month per employee
  • Growth- $16/ month per employee
  • Zen- $27/ month per employee

Pros:

  • The functionalities for reporting are excellent
  • The product is flexible and adaptable, meeting any necessity
  • Integrated compliance tools to reduce risk for small businesses

Cons:

  • Customer support is not much appropriate
  • Interface navigation is not very intuitive

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.0 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.2 overall

7. GreytHR

GreytHR is a cloud-based HR and Payroll solution that helps small businesses to streamline their HR processes. It provides efficiency tools for improved people management and streamlined HR procedures. Better employee engagement and time savings result from using the employee portal by both managers and employees.

The software is made to comply with the complex and constantly changing rules governing payroll and HR, making sure that firms meet all local, state, and federal requirements.

Another benefit of GreytHR is its scalability. Regardless of how big or small your business is, the software may change to meet its evolving HR demands.

Key features:

  • HR Software
  • Payroll Software
  • Leave Management
  • Attendance Management
  • Employee Self Service
  • Performance Management System

Pricing structure:

  • Essential- $50/month (Includes 10 Employees)
  • Growth- $60/month (Includes 10 Employees)
  • Enterprise- $80/month (Includes 10 Employees)

Pros:

  • Payroll processing simplicity and self-service features
  • Lot of features and end to end HR management

Cons:

  • Logging error usually occurs at the beginning of the month.
  • Tickets raised are not responded to sometimes.

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.4 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.3 overall

Companies using this product:

  • Dunzo
  • Healthify

8. Gusto

Gusto is an employee management software for small businesses that places a strong emphasis on streamlining payroll procedures. It is an excellent choice if you have complex payroll requirements because of the many levels of payroll software capabilities.

This saves HR professionals significant time when processing payroll. However, the platform also has several additional HR features, such as the administration of benefits and recruitment.

Automation features and payroll capabilities are the best part of it. Your human resources department may concentrate on other projects without being constantly watched over, thanks to unlimited and automatic payroll processing.

Key features:

  • HR, payroll
  • Employee benefits
  • Time and attendance
  • Talent management
  • Insights and reporting

Pricing structure:

  • Simple- $40/month (plus $6/mo per person)
  • Plus- $80/month (plus $12/mo per person)
  • Premium (exclusive pricing on demand)

Pros:

  • Payroll schedules are flexible to serve complex operations
  • As an employee, it is quite simple to use and highly user-friendly
  • Well-organized and easy to find all important information quickly

Cons:

  • Lack of response and delay in response sometimes
  • The whole GUI is not that good

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.4 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.6 overall

9. Workday HCM

Workday is a cloud-based human resources management software that can be integrated with different business solutions. It enables businesses to manage each component of their employees, from hiring and onboarding procedures to staff evaluations and salary structures in a single location.

Workday will be a perfect option for you if you're searching for a platform that combines basic features like time tracking and payroll management with powerful ones like powerful analytics, HR administration, or visualization of data reporting.

Key features:

  • Human capital management
  • Workforce management
  • Operational planning
  • Analytics and reporting
  • Talent Management

Pricing structure:

  • Workday HCM only provides pricing information on request

Pros:

  • There are many features, and using them is very straightforward
  • Great tool for HR purposes to link employees with the business
  • Good integration and reporting capabilities

Cons:

  • Few opportunities for modification.
  • For non-tech-savvy, the initial setup can be complicated

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.0 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.4 overall

Companies using this product:

  • Humana
  • Wegmans
  • Gap Inc.

10. Paycor

Businesses may handle payroll, employee hours, HR, and benefits with the help of Paycor, a complete employee management solution. Paycor includes their in-depth insights on benefits and salary for employees.

Additionally, it offers a mobile app with capabilities that let employees read pay stubs, request time off, and monitor accrued expenses. By utilizing configurable templates, goal-setting tools, real-time feedback, and one-on-one meetings, managers may monitor employees' performance.

Key features:

  • HR and payroll
  • Talent management
  • Workforce management
  • Employee experience
  • Benefits administration
  • Compliance solutions

Pricing structure:

  • Paycor has not provided pricing information for its software

Pros:

  • Warm and friendly customer service is always provided
  • It excels in this area and is quite easy to figure out
  • Employees have quicker access to their money and financial wellness

Cons:

  • It is challenging to adjust, change, or cancel time off
  • Need to purchase higher plans for customizable reports

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.0 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.4 overall

Companies using this product:

  • Detroit Zoo
  • Wendy’s
  • Seaway
  • Pure

11. Trinet

To help companies manage various HR tasks, such as payroll and benefits for employees, performance management, and workplace analytics, Trinet provides complete HR software. The capabilities and functions cover every stage of the employee lifecycle, including recruiting, onboarding, and offboarding.

The best part is they have cascading goals, templates for performance reviews, and real-time employee feedback in their performance management module. The software also allows for the scheduling and timekeeping of employees. You may control an employee's compensation and perks while managing their time.

Key features:

  • HR Expertise
  • Risk Mitigation
  • Technology Platform
  • Payroll services
  • Benefit options

Pricing structure:

  • TriNet has not disclosed the cost of its software

Pros

  • Many benefit options to improve hiring practises and staff retention
  • Integrated compliance tools to reduce risk for small businesses
  • The payroll registration and invoice are both user-friendly and clear

Cons:

  • They repeatedly failed to fulfill certain requests
  • No compliance assistance with the Health Insurance

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.0 out of 5
  • Capterra - 3.8 overall

Companies using this product:

  • Happiest Baby
  • UroGen Pharma
  • Pat Tillman Foundation

12. ADP workforce

ADP Workforce software manages time and benefits, payroll, talent, and HR. It is appropriate for small to large organizations since it fully integrates with powerful HR capabilities.

The best part of this software is that no matter how many employees you have, one or more than a thousand, ADP can meet your demands. It is developed to give SMBs access to ADP's 24/7 customer service while helping automate HR operations.

Key features:

  • Payroll
  • Time & Attendance
  • Talent
  • Benefits & Insurance
  • HR Services & PEO

Pricing structure:

  • ADP Workforce does not disclose its pricing policy

Pros:

  • On initial login, the menu slides were nice and is easy to use
  • The capacity to view every line on a paycheck and quite easy to set up
  • Features for scheduling employees shifts in organizations with shift workers

Cons:

  • The interface to request days off is confusing
  • Possible challenges with other software integration

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.1 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.4 overall

13. Namely

Namely, it is here to provide you with the resources you need to improve both your existence and the well-being of your employees. It delivers all the required technologies on a cutting-edge, user-friendly platform that covers the entire employee lifecycle.

It is a great option for small companies looking for efficient management of employees. It prioritizes open communication and employee productivity to help you retain employees and support their professional progress.

Key features:

  • HR
  • Benefits administration
  • Compliance
  • Talent
  • Payroll & time
  • HR analytics

Pricing structure:

Namely has 3 pricing plans

  • HR fundamentals
  • HR Complete
  • Enhanced services

Pros:

  • Ease in processing document
  • Customizable performance reviews
  • Interface facilitates employee self-service and is user-friendly

Cons:

  • The positions of certain objects appear a little odd
  • Not so good customer service

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 3.9 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.2 overall

14. Personio

Personio is a complete HR management system that streamlines processes related to HR. It provides a wide range of features for small enterprises, including payroll management, timekeeping, absence management, and employees database management, each helping in efficient management of employees.

One of the reasons to choose Personio is, it is a tested solution for a complex and advanced business environment. They have built the platform to meet strict data security standards and satisfy local customer demands.

Key features:

  • Payroll management
  • Time and attendance tracking
  • Performance and development
  • Applicant tracking
  • Digital employee files

Pricing structure:

Personio has 2 pricing models

  • Core
  • Apps

Pros:

  • Make daily tasks simpler, are straightforward to understand
  • Excellent customer support
  • Great solution for recruitment activities

Cons:

  • Mobile app not available
  • Customization options are limited

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.3 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.3 overall

Companies using this product:

  • Mindful Chef
  • Core
  • Jacquemus
  • Spendesk

15. Zing HR

ZingHR attempts to take a mobile-first, employee-centric approach. It is a company-wide employee management platform that spans every stage from onboarding to departure and beyond for the benefit of the employees, regardless of where they are located.

Machine learning for recruitment, AI-enabled chatbots, integrated HR and people analytics and geo-fencing and tagging for the mobile workforce are just a few of ZingHR's innovative technologies for today's work environment.

Key features:

  • HR ground zero
  • Workforce productivity
  • Talent acquisition
  • Talent management
  • Employee engagement

Pricing structure:

  • ZingHR has not relive pricing information

Pros:

  • Can be customize as per your needs
  • The UI is clear
  • User friendly and easy to understand

Cons:

  • Sometimes the system lags
  • No solution if your forget your password

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.1 out of 5
  • Capterra - 3.8 overall

Companies using this product:

  • Burger King
  • McDonald’s
  • Dunkin’ Donuts
  • DHL

16. Culture AMP

Prominent workplace engagement platform Culture Amp enables businesses to gain useful information on satisfaction, engagement, and performance. It helps organizations develop a culture of feedback and ongoing improvement that enhances the working environment, boosts engagement, and lowers attrition.

It suits the organization well by providing managers, people, and teams comprehensive 360° feedback, assisting them in realizing their full potential.

Key features:

  • Employee engagement
  • Performance management
  • Employee development
  • Reporting and analytics

Pricing structure:

They offer 3 different plans

  • Engage
  • Perform
  • Develop

Pros:

  • Easy to use with good customer support
  • Simple layout
  • Great survey platform for employees

Cons:

  • Some work needed for proper integration
  • Analytical in the reports are missing

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.6 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.7 overall

Companies using this product:

  • Canva
  • SoulCycle
  • Etsy

18. Zoho People

With the help of the HRIS Zoho People, you can keep up with your employee database, oversee your employees, and guarantee uniformity across all your HR Procedures. It immediately lessens the workload for the human resources department.

It is an effective on-demand employee management and recruitment solution with an employee portal, recruitment, and resume management, created to meet the demands of small, medium, and big organizations.

Key features:

  • Onboarding
  • Employee management
  • Time Off management
  • Payroll
  • Expense management
  • HR Analytics

Pricing structure:

  • ESSENTIAL HR - $0.83/user/month billed annually
  • PROFESSIONAL - $1.66/user/month billed annually
  • PREMIUM - $2.5/user/month billed annually
  • ENTERPRISE - $4.16/user/month billed annually

Pros:

  • Excellent workflow and customization capabilities
  • Sales and support teams are very friendly
  • Keeping track of my working hours is easy

Cons:

  • Software has API limitation
  • Documentation is insufficient

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.4out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.4 overall

Companies using this product:

  • Spicejet
  • ShortList
  • Plum

18. Qandle

Qandle is a complete, extremely simple solution created for rapidly expanding businesses. By automating traditional HR tasks, providing employees with a special platform to access their HR-related data, and providing executives with a single, holistic viewpoint on the entire team. The goal is to free up significant time with your employees.

It is intuitive and complete which includes core HR, people management, payroll, and compliance.

Key features:

  • Hiring & onboarding
  • Tracking & managing
  • Redress & analyze
  • Work & development

Pricing structure:

  • Foundation- ₹ 2450/month upto 50 employees (₹ 49/mo/additional emp)
  • Regular - ₹ 3950/month upto 50 employees (₹ 79/mo/additional emp)
  • Plus - ₹ 4950/month upto 50 employees (₹ 99/mo/additional emp)
  • Premium - ₹ 6450/month upto 50 employees (₹ 129/mo/additional emp)
  • Enterprise - for more than 1000 employees

Pros:

  • Work and management is great
  • User interface is good
  • It is to use and it covers all the important elements

Cons:

  • Geo-tagging has issues

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.4 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.4 overall

Companies using this product:

  • CampK12
  • Akansha
  • Crediwatch

19. Lattice

The primary focus of Lattice's people management platform is on performance and goal management, which is intended to support HR teams as well as leaders in getting the best possible results out of their employees.

Along with its performance management module, it also provides integrated solutions to manage OKRs and goals, engagement tools like surveys and eNPS ratings, that help employees and their managers in creating career growth plans and keeping track.

Key features:

  • Performance
  • Compensation
  • Analytics
  • OKRs & goals
  • Grow
  • Engagement

Pricing structure:

  • Performance Management + OKRs & Goals $11 person/month
  • Engagement +$4 person/month
  • Grow +$4 person/month
  • Compensation +$6 person/month

Pros:

  • Amazing customer support
  • 1:1 recording ability is very useful
  • Better performance reviews and feedback procedure

Cons:

  • Lack of flexibility in some cases
  • Bit difficult for small teams to use software

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.7 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.5 overall

Companies using this product:

  • Slack
  • Robinhood
  • Allbrids

20. Workable

Workable is another employee management software to control the entire process, from sourcing to staff onboarding and management. It works together with hiring teams to assess candidates, get feedback, and select the top candidates using a single recruitment system.

One of the best things about it is that it provides managers the complete control and flexibility within the ATS itself, eliminating the need for extra software, and is also seamlessly connected across desktop and mobile.

Key features:

  • Source & attract
  • Evaluate & collaborate
  • Automate & hire
  • Onboard & manage

Pricing structure:

  • Starter- $149USD/month
  • Standard- $299USD/month , $3,588USD/year
  • Premier- $599USD/month , $7,188USD/year

Pros:

  • Easy tracking under a candidate's profile
  • The usability is excellent
  • Great project monitoring

Cons:

  • Inconvenience in archiving information
  • Customer service is not that good

Case studies:

Ratings:

  • G2 - 4.6 out of 5
  • Capterra - 4.4 overall

Companies using this product:

  • Square Enix
  • LYST
  • RYANAIR
  • Moodle

End thoughts

Employee management software for small businesses can accommodate the growing workforces and streamline the HR processes. Above mentioned tools can assist you in managing your workforce. You just have to decide which one is the right one as per your business requirements.