An employee management software is a tool that aids managers and human resource personnel in managing employees and tracking the completion of their tasks. It also aids in improving productivity, project success ratio, and resource utilization. However, there are multiple employee management apps in the market, how do you know which is best for you?
Below we compare seven popular and affordable employee management platforms, so you can find the best fit based on your company's needs, the size of your business, and where you plan to operate.
Read about our top picks for employee management apps for 2024 and get one step closer to optimizing your workforce.
Employee management apps and tools are typically used to make employees more productive and plan and allocate resources in a manner that delivers greater project success. More projects are completed on time and within budget.
There is no one-size-fits-all all approach when it comes to employee management apps. What might be the ideal tool for you might not be the right one for another business. Therefore, when it comes to finding the best employee management software, you need to consider the following aspects:
Employee management apps come with a wide range of features – the ability to import data, customizations, integrations, and accessibility. However, you need to know which features are most crucial to your business needs. Is it time-tracking or resource utilization rates? Do you need software that allows for recurring bookings? Which financial reports do you need access to?
Pick a software that is easy to use. This is non-negotiable. The app should be easy to learn and adapt to for even a computer novice. One way to find out is by making the most of a free trial period – the majority of the apps have a seven or fourteen-day free trial period. If the software doesn’t have a free trial, speak to the customer service team and see if they can provide you with a demo. You don’t want to commit to an app that is difficult to navigate as it will hinder usage.
The app should have the ability to scale and be customized to your business needs. For instance, today only five people might need access to the resource management app, but as your company grows, that number could increase to 10 or 15. Make sure that the app can adapt to your future growth, accommodating more employees and complex processes.
You might have found the right app with the key features you need for your business, but here’s the catch — they are way over budget. We strongly advise one to start researching and comparing apps with a clear budget in mind. How the apps are priced can also vary — some charge per user, while others price them as per the features you want access to. It’s also important to read the fine lines and understand if there are any hidden costs such as automatic renewal fees, or credit if the app isn’t operating as desired.
Consider compatibility with existing software like payroll and accounting or other legacy systems. How easy is it to import and export data? If you are using a marketing or project management tool, can the app integrate with that?
Your resource management app stores sensitive information like employee payroll, benefits, social security, etc. In today’s age, where cyber crimes are on the rise, find apps with robust security measures that will protect sensitive employee data. Ask the development team what security layers are in place and what they are doing to ensure data isn’t hacked or tampered with.
Here are top 7 employee management software-
eResource Scheduler, or eRS, is a highly-rated and affordable option for an employee management platform. Since its beginnings in 2010, eRS has helped over 1000 clients from across the world plan, track, and manage their human and non-human resources. eRS was started to resolve the problem of project failure due to inadequate planning or resources. eRs is a top choice in employee management apps as it has multiple features, is pocket-friendly, and is a value-driven product. It’s a good investment for a firm of any industry and size, as it’s easy to customize and scale.
eRS is a collaborative and configurable multi-user resource scheduling, planning, and management software that offers the following features:
eRS’s pricing is tiered based on the features you want. For instance, if you want to use the platform’s scheduling functionalities, it will cost you $4 per month (for an annual subscription). Add-on features such as timesheets will cost you an additional $5 per month. The financial module comes at $4 per month.
Launched in 2014, Monday.com is a cloud-based employee management app that helps all types and sizes of companies manage their projects and teams. Monday.com started as a project management tool but has since evolved into the top resource management software for over 180,000 customers. Some of their most recognized clients include Canva, Liongate, and Coca-Cola. One of Monday.com’s most popular offerings is its 24/7 helpdesk.
Here's an overview of the services and features that help Monday.com stand apart from its competitors:
Monday.com is free forever for up to two users. The basic plan starts at $9 per user and with that you can manage all your team’s work from one place. The basic plan allows three users to access the platform. The standard program, which they say is the most popular because it allows access to more features and customizations, starts at $12 per user.
If you’re looking for a simple no-frills employee management app, ConnecTeam is an excellent option. It’s a mobile-first, all-in-one platform designed specifically for remote teams. ConnecTeam’s focus is on keeping everyone on the same page through chats, notifications, and shared workflows and files. As of today, ConnecTeam is used by customers across 80 countries.
Take a look at the top features of ConnecTeams’ feature offerings:
ConnecTeam’s small business plan (up to 10 users) is completely free. In the basic plan, for the first 30 users, the app’s pricing is $29 per month (billed annually). The advance plan comes in at $49 per month for the first 30 users. The difference between the advance and starter plan is the number of features and customizations you get access to.
Workday is a cloud-based software that provides human resources (HR) and financial management (financials) applications for large businesses. It's a one-stop-shop for managing a company's workforce, including payroll, timesheets, benefits, and more. Workday can help you manage your global workforce effectively — from planning your workforce budget and staffing strategies to managing retired workers, the app does it all. We’d say that Workday is best for larger companies that need an integrated HR and finance platform.
Workday provides the following employee management features:
Workday doesn’t disclose its prices online. However, based on the features and the fact that it’s a solution for larger enterprises, it’s safe to assume that it has a higher price point than the employee management apps mentioned in our list.
Scheduling shifts and managing rotating employees creating a constant headache? Look no further than RotaCloud, a cloud-based app specifically developed to ease the scheduling burden, something the founders James, David, and Joel personally faced. This U.K. based company is best for small to medium-sized businesses that want a simple way of managing their employees. RotaCloud is currently serving over 4000 businesses.
RotaCloud offers a generous 30-day free trial. The standard plan, which is ideal for companies with 20-30 employees, starts at approximately $77 per month. The standard plan has their essential employee management features; the time and SMS capabilities will be an additional $35 per month.
A resource and capacity planning software for on-time project delivery is Runn. This New Zealand-based company has been steadily making its mark in the employee management app space since its beginnings in 2018. Runn is primarily used by many professional services firms and small businesses that are managing multiple projects.
Below are some noteworthy features of Runn’s project and resource management app that make it one to consider:
Runn’s free plan, which excludes integrations, APIs, and live chat support, is free for up to five users. The Pro plan is $8 per user (person who is managed), per month. With the Pro plan you can have unlimited users and projects. Runn does offer a free demo and a free trial.
TriNet might be the last app on our list, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less worthy. TriNet is an all-in-one HR solution that has the capability to store employee data and schedule them. It has other niche tools that make it a great employee management software for small to medium-sized businesses. It takes care of all the nitty-gritty details, so you as a business owner or team/HR manager can focus on more pertinent issues.
Here’s a quick overview of how TriNet can help your organization manage its employees:
TriNet is another company that doesn’t openly list its pricing. However, the company does say that it charges a flat fee, per employee, per month. They offer flexible contracts without a long-term commitment. They also mention that the exact pricing is dependent on the company, industry, and location. You can contact them and request a quote that would be tailored to your needs.
To make it easier for you, we've organized these apps into categories, based on who they are best for.
To make it easier for you, we've organized these apps into categories, based on who they are best for.
Name |
Free Trial |
Best For |
eRS |
Yes - 14 days |
All companies, regardless of size and industry |
Monday.com |
Yes - 14 days |
All businesses |
ConnecTeam |
Yes - 14 days |
Remote teams and businesses |
Workday |
Yes - 30 days |
Businesses with 10-1000 employees |
RotaCloud |
Yes - 30 days |
Retail, Hospitality industries and call centers |
Runn |
Yes - 14 days |
Small firms, professional services focused on project delivery |
TriNet |
No |
Looking for all-in-one HR solution |
The following employee management apps didn’t make it to our top seven list, because they might be more HR and payroll platforms with some resource management capabilities. But they are worth checking out.
Eddy has an impressive suite of features that will reduce your HR burden. From storing employee details to tracking time-off, and onboarding employees, Eddy has it all. The app’s Applicant Tracking System is an add-on that’s extremely popular and makes it easier to recruit top talent for your firm. Eddy is priced at $6 per user, per month.
Gusto is more of a payroll software than a complete employee management app. It’s excellent for small to medium-sized businesses that work with a lot of freelancers or contract workers. Gusto can assist with onboarding, payroll, and benefit administration.
Yes, you can. But using paper or Excel-based methods for planning and scheduling employees is prone to human error and is time-consuming. The data is not up-to-date and doesn’t provide insight into crucial metrics like resource utilization and costs.
Some benefits of using an employee management app are improved efficiency and productivity, as well as reduced paperwork and administrative tasks. The use of the app can also enhance communication and collaboration, provide better analytics, and increase employee engagement and satisfaction. Lastly, the software can help you easily manage your data and serve as a single source of truth for strategic decisions.
Yes, we recommend every business use employee management software, regardless of the size or industry of the organization. However, the type of employee management app you use can vary based on your needs and budget. It also depends on what system your organization is currently using and the pain points it’s facing. If projects are consistently failing because you don’t have enough or the right resources in play, using a dedicated resource management platform like eRS would be the best choice. However, larger companies might need a more end-to-end, combined HR and finance solution.
Employee management systems allow team members to receive regular updates about daily schedules, shift changes, assigned tasks, and project progress. The platform also stores information about attendance, over-time, and requested leaves. One can also access data on different projects, resource profiles, employees working on a project, and tasks completed and time taken through the app. Most employee management platforms save this data for future use. So, even after months, you can access the historical records and find the information you require. This helps maintain records in order and managers can access them at any time they wish. With the help of these records, you or a project manager can work on creating demand forecasts and capacity plans for future needs.
So that’s a wrap on employee management apps and some of the most commonly asked questions around it. We have provided insight into the seven of the best softwares in the market to help you get a headstart on finding one that’s right for you.
eRS’s transparent pricing, ease-of-use, and powerful suite of features makes it the best choice for any firm looking to improve their employee management. We have worked with over 1000 clients and can customize our solution to your needs. Request a demo and see how eRS can help you avoid booking errors, plan resources for pipeline projects efficiently, and keep budgets in check.
If you have any more questions, reach out to the team at eRS as we are ready to help!