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Most people who pursue a career in human resources (HR) do so to help and interact with people — not spend all day on repetitive administrative tasks.
But managing a workforce is both a personal and strategic endeavor. From tracking employee performance to handling payroll to ensuring compliance with labor laws, HR management is filled with complex and time-consuming tasks.
That's why, for modern teams, technology isn’t just a luxury — it’s a necessity that helps your organization remain effective. HR software solutions can help businesses automate processes, increase employee engagement, promote compliance, and much more. This frees up HR staff to do what they do the best: helping people reach their potential.
Before you invest in an HR software solution, it’s important to consider what modern HR platforms are truly capable of and what features you need. Let’s explore 7 HR software companies at the forefront of innovation so you can make the best decision for your organization.
Top Picks: HR Software Solutions
What Are HR Software Solutions?
HR software solutions bring the full range of HR functions into one system. They automate key tasks, increase efficiency, and ultimately save money for the organization. Broadly, HR software is designed to do the following:
- Unify and streamline HR processes. The best HR systems facilitate payroll, talent acquisition, performance tracking, workforce management, and more within a single system. They effectively streamline the entire HR administrative process. Plus, HR software can be integrated with existing business systems to share data and generate new insights.
- Manage employee data. HR software can consolidate and track key workforce requirements such as benefits administration, wage rates, career progression, internal mobility initiatives, complaints, and more.
- Automate repetitive tasks. Many critical HR functions are repetitive and time consuming. Fortunately many HR systems can schedule and automate these tasks, reducing error, saving time, and allowing HR personnel to focus on more pressing workforce issues.
- Report critical workforce data. Effective management decisions require accurate and up-to-date information. HR systems can generate analytics and reports to be used for strategic decision-making and workforce planning.
- Improve employee experience. HR solutions empower teams to make HR strategies more personal and relevant to employee life. These tools tend to provide communication channels between HR personnel and employees and make key resources more accessible.
- Ensure compliance and manage risk. HR software systems ensure all actions and tasks are recorded, tracked, and organized to serve the interests of both the company and employees. This is a critical factor in the high-stakes arena of human capital management.
Key Features of HR Software Solutions
Before purchasing any new software, it needs to have the right capabilities for your needs and budget.
Below are some of the essential features available in modern HR software solutions. While some of these features are components of unified systems or available as elements in a modular design, the best solutions can do the following:
HR Software Systems: Buying Considerations
Before choosing an HR software platform, here are some key factors to consider:
- Scalability. Any HR software solution your business chooses will need to adapt to your current needs and grow with your team as you expand.
- Integration. Your HR software must seamlessly integrate with existing business systems such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) and project management platforms. If your HR system can’t integrate with your core software, key data will be missing from your HR processes.
- Modularity. HR systems take many forms, and while some claim to be “unified”, many are built from disconnected pieces. Modular systems may allow you to add features as needed, but at the expense of stability and data integrity. Unified systems (even if they utilize a semi-modular structure) are more stable and effective in the long run.
- Configuration. Software needs to adapt to your business, not the other way around. HR systems should make it easy to configure the platform to your needs.
- Data management. HR information is highly sensitive, so you want to make sure your software meets security and compliance requirements. Also, you will need to decide if you want a cloud-based or local solution.
- User experience. The system must be intuitive to learn, include a user-friendly interface, and allow for mobile access. The easier and more pleasant it is to use, the more likely HR personnel will adopt and use the system to its full capacity.
- Customer service. With HR issues, you can’t afford to be offline for long. Waiting on hold for an hour to talk to customer support is not an option. You need to be able to quickly reach a real human being to solve your problem.
- Price. Fortunately, you rarely need to pay full-price for HR software up-front as most systems are available on a subscription basis. But for any system, consider its benefits and whether they’re worth a chunk of your budget. Research your options, get a demo from the sales team, and weigh your decision against your long-term plans before you commit.
HR Software Solutions: Our Top 7 Picks
There are a lot of platforms out there, but not all of them are worthwhile. Here are the best HR software solutions on the market today:
1. Criterion HCM
Best Overall HR Software Solution
Target Market: Midsize organizations across industries (including non-profits), particularly those with complex payroll processes and unique industry requirements.
Key Features
- Core HR management features
- Employee data and position management
- Payroll and benefits
- Talent acquisition and applicant tracking
- Employee self-service portal
- Workforce analytics and reporting
- Training and development tools
- Open API
Criterion HCM is a cloud-based HR platform designed to address the growing needs of midsize companies and enterprises. Built on a single, truly unified database, Criterion HCM provides seamless integration between HR functions, payroll, and talent management — all in a highly configurable, user-friendly interface. Criterion HCM also provides robust reporting and analytics, helping HR teams make effective data-driven decisions.
Criterion’s open API supports integration with any third-party tool like accounting software, project management, and even custom, in-house tools. This opens up endless possibilities for analytics and reporting and ensures data is consistent across tools.
Mobile app access allows employees to use Criterion both in the office and on-the-go, with geofencing features to maintain time tracking boundaries on job sites.
With Ch.ai (Criterion’s built-in AI assistant), your team can take advantage of new technology to automate repetitive admin tasks like writing job descriptions, generating policies, resume parsing, and more.
Best of all, Criterion is backed by a responsive customer support team. Each Criterion customer gets a dedicated account representative to help answer questions and develop solutions that tailor Criterion to meet your organization’s goals.
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2. ADP
Best HR Software for Global Compliance
Target Market: ADP caters to businesses around 50-1000 employees, typically in technology services or healthcare.
Key Features
- Global payroll support for over 140 countries
- ADP DataCloud: Advanced analytics and reporting platform
- Facial recognition login for employees
- Newly improved mobile app
- Custom reporting
Founded in 1949 as Automatic Payrolls, Inc., ADP originally provided manual payroll processing services. Renamed Automatic Data Processing (ADP) in 1957, it went public in 1961 and has since expanded through multiple acquisitions to become a major payroll and HRIS provider. ADP focuses heavily on payroll (particularly for global operations) and leverages full-service compliance and a service bureau approach. This has earned them a strong market reputation and a large customer base.
However, while ADP does offer a range of HR features, the platform can be difficult to customize and may not adapt well to more complex processes. Given ADP’s vast customer base, its “plug-and-play” model often replaces personalized service, and the company isn’t incentivized to tailor solutions beyond that approach. A service bureau solution can reduce costs and offload compliance, but it also sacrifices direct control and visibility. While these may not be problematic for some businesses, growing organizations need more control over their tools to solve new problems. This makes ADP inherently less scalable as an HR software solution.
Pros and Cons (Based on User Reviews)
3. Gusto
Best Solution for Benefits Compliance
Target Market: Small businesses and startups, particularly those in retail and professional services.
Key Features
- Automated payroll processing
- Tax filing and compliance tools
- Employee onboarding features
- Health insurance and benefits administration
- Time tracking and paid time off (PTO) management
Gusto is marketed as an all-in-one HR platform tailored for small businesses looking for affordable and intuitive payroll and benefits solutions. To be clear, Gusto offers a “full-service” payroll solution. This means that, although there is an application interface, the Gusto team is managing payroll themselves on the backend. It’s like outsourcing your payroll to another company.
The platform can help companies save significant time in tax filing and payroll management. Gusto is highly regarded for its affordability and ease of use, and its clean interface ensures that even non-HR professionals can use it effectively.
Gusto also integrates with various accounting and time-tracking tools, which makes it a decent choice for businesses in several industries.
However, the functionality may be limited for larger organizations, especially with payroll. While the “full-service” offering provides some security, it doesn’t allow your team to truly own your payroll process. Plus, since Gusto is focused mainly on payroll, some HR-specific features may not be as developed as other platforms that focus exclusively on HR or human capital management.
Pros and Cons (Based on User Reviews)
4. BambooHR
Best HR Solution for IT and Retail
Target Market: Small to midsize businesses, especially those focused on improving employee experience
Key Features
- Employee self-service portals
- Applicant tracking system (ATS)
- Onboarding tools
- Performance management
- Reporting and analytics
BambooHR is a user-friendly HR platform that simplifies employee management and recruiting. It features intuitive tools for onboarding, performance reviews, and self-service portals, which empower employees to manage their own information. Plus, the mobile app adds convenience for both employees and administrators.
BambooHR (like Criterion) is one of the few unified platforms in the HR software space that also offers several integrations. This makes it an easy-to-use platform for IT teams to implement.
While BambooHR is praised for its ease of use, it lacks some advanced payroll features offered by more sophisticated HCM competitors. At the same time, the platform is well-supported by a responsive customer service team as well as detailed online resources.
Pros and Cons (Based on User Reviews)
5. Rippling
Best for Small Businesses and Startups
Target Market: Startups and small companies looking for seamless HR-IT integration.
Key Features
- Payroll and tax compliance
- Onboarding and offboarding automation
- Device and app management
- Time tracking and attendance
- Benefits administration
Rippling is a modern platform designed to bridge HR and IT management, offering a unified solution for payroll, benefits, and device management. The system allows companies to automate onboarding processes by provisioning devices and software, saving significant time and improving efficiency. Plus, their customer support is rated as very helpful, particularly in technical expertise.
But while Rippling is highly functional, some users report challenges with initial setup and a limited range of features. Many users say the software is better for smaller companies with fewer employees, and that larger companies may feel the platform's limits more quickly.
Pros and Cons (Based on User Reviews)
6. SAP SuccessFactors HCM
Best for Large Manufacturing Businesses
Target Market: Large enterprises across industries such as manufacturing, finance, and healthcare.
Key Features
- Core HR and payroll
- Employee performance and goals tracking
- Learning and development tools
- Succession planning
- Workforce analytics
SAP SuccessFactors HCM is a comprehensive platform designed to enhance employee engagement and streamline HR processes for large enterprises. The system is a leader in talent management, with advanced tools for learning, development, and succession planning. The platform's analytics provide actionable insights for workforce optimization.
While its feature set is impressive, the platform's complexity can be overwhelming for new users. SAP offers support and training resources to help with implementation, however they are a massive player in the software space, and HR-specific support may not be their strongest feature.
However, SuccessFactors integrates well with other SAP solutions, making it a strong choice for enterprises already using the SAP ecosystem.
Pros and Cons (Based on User Reviews)
7. Workday
Best for Large Technology Businesses
Target Market: Large enterprises across industries such as finance, healthcare, and technology.
Key Features
- Human capital management (HCM)
- Real-time analytics and reporting
- Payroll management
- Recruiting and onboarding tools
- Workforce planning and scheduling
Workday is a leading HR and financial management platform designed for large organizations. Workday’s cloud-based infrastructure provides real-time updates and scalability around several areas of employee management, making it a good choice for big companies wanting more workforce visibility.
The platform stands out for its advanced analytics and workforce planning capabilities, which helps empower businesses to make informed strategic decisions. Despite being a massive corporation, Workday offers responsive customer support and detailed documentation.
At the same time, Workday comes with a steep learning curve and a higher price tag, which might deter even mid-size businesses. They excel at handling complex organizational structures and large-scale workforce data, but the complexity is probably too much for small and mid-size organizations.
Pros and Cons (Based on User Reviews)
Final Thoughts
HR software solutions are an essential tool for modern businesses looking to:
- Automate repetitive tasks
- Develop more efficient workflows
- Improve compliance
- Boost engagement
HR software frees up HR personnel to focus on people more than processes.
If you’re ready to invest in a comprehensive HR software solution, Criterion HCM is an ideal partner for growing organizations. Built with real HR professionals in mind, our intuitive, unified human capital management platform gives you flexible control over payroll, recruiting, training, employee data management, and more. With Criterion, you can streamline time tracking to payroll, customize onboarding workflows, and manage positions and benefits with ease — plus a lot more.
Curious to see what Criterion can help you achieve? Book a demo to experience a truly unified HCM platform designed for HR leaders.
