More than half of the managers worldwide are disengaged, according to a survey conducted in 2021.
And it’s not just managers who are feeling uninspired at work.
As per the same survey, around 33% of employees actively search for job opportunities elsewhere when they are overloaded with mundane tasks or feeling bored.
This is where BambooHR comes in – a platform that aims to transform your workplace into an engaging environment.
The real magic of BambooHR lies in its ability to create a positive employee experience.
By offering features like onboarding tools, self-service portals, and performance management trackers, it takes charge of career development activities so that HR teams can focus on more strategic components.
However, BambooHR is not all glory.
The platform comes with potential drawbacks, such as a lack of in-house payroll management, limited reporting and customization capabilities, and a lack of pricing transparency – to name a few.
In our article, we will not only give you an overview of BambooHR but also four BambooHR alternatives. We leave the platform to you to decide which tool works best for your company!
BambooHR in a Nutshell
BambooHR is a cloud-based HR software platform that is designed to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) manage their HR processes more effectively. It includes a range of features for managing employee data, onboarding new hires, tracking time off and attendance, and managing performance reviews.
Source – BambooHR
Some of the key features of BambooHR include:
- Employee database: A centralized system for storing employee information, including contact details, job titles, salary information, and performance history.
- Onboarding: Tools for creating and managing onboarding tasks, such as sending welcome emails, collecting new hire paperwork, and setting up training sessions.
- Time off tracking: A system for tracking employee time off, including vacation, sick leave, and personal days, and for managing time off requests and approvals.
- Performance management: Tools for setting goals, tracking progress, and conducting performance reviews for employees.
- Reporting: Customizable reports and dashboards that provide insights into key HR metrics, such as turnover rates, time off accruals, and employee demographics.
Overall, BambooHR is designed to help SMBs streamline their HR processes, reduce administrative tasks, and improve the employee experience. With its user-friendly interface and affordable pricing, it has become a popular choice for many SMBs looking to modernize their HR operations.
Major Irks of BambooHR
Limited Reporting Capabilities
BambooHR’s reporting functionality is seen as lacking in depth and flexibility, making it difficult for users to generate custom reports or extract the exact data they need.
Average Customer Support
Some users have reported that BambooHR’s customer support can be slow or unresponsive and that it can take a long time to get issues resolved.
Expensive Pricing
While BambooHR offers a range of pricing plans, some users feel that the cost is too high for the features provided, especially for smaller businesses.
Limited Customization
Users have expressed frustration with the limited customization options available in BambooHR, particularly in terms of branding and visual customization.
Complex Setup and Navigation
Some users have found BambooHR’s setup and navigation to be overly complex and difficult to use, particularly for those who are not familiar with HR software or who have limited technical skills.
Source – Get App
Features to Consider While Looking for a BambooHR Alternative
Users look for BambooHR alternatives for better customization and integration capabilities etc. Here are some key features to consider when searching for a BambooHR alternative:
Customizable HRIS
Your HR software should be customizable to cater to your unique organizational needs. Look for an alternative that offers flexibility in terms of data fields, custom reporting, and workflows.
Automated Time and Attendance Tracking
Manually tracking employee working hours and attendance can be time-consuming and prone to errors. Look for a software alternative that offers automated time and attendance tracking to save you time and improve accuracy.
Built-in and Flexible Payroll Processing
Processing payroll is a crucial aspect of HR management. Look for a software alternative that has a flexible payroll processing system to ensure accuracy and save time.
End-to-End HR Management
From posting job openings and scheduling interviews to onboarding employees, HR software should be able to handle every aspect of HR management. Look for an alternative that provides a seamless and integrated approach to managing your workforce.
Strong Performance Management
A strong performance management system can help boost employee engagement, improve productivity, and drive organizational success. Look for a software alternative that has robust performance management capabilities.
Self-Service Features
Employees appreciate the ability to access their information and perform tasks on their own. Look for an alternative that has robust self-service features like requesting time off, viewing pay stubs, and updating personal information.
By considering these key features, you’ll be able to find an HR software alternative that can cater to all your organizational needs and take your HR management to the next level.
Built-in Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
BambooHR integrates with an ATS but does not have a built-in tool to streamline the hiring process. If you’re looking for an HR software alternative, it’s important to consider a built-in ATS, as it is more flexible and customizable.
BambooHR Alternatives | Our Four Favorite Picks for the Year
BambooHR Alternative #1: Gusto
Gusto, a popular HR SaaS tool launched in 2012, simplifies HR processes for small-to-medium-sized businesses.
This cloud-based HR and payroll software focuses on providing an easy-to-use platform for managing HR, and payroll needs efficiently.
Gusto is known for its top-notch payroll management features that automatically file tax forms and calculate payroll taxes for employees in all 50 US states.
The platform also offers several free financial tools that help employees cash out earnings, track budgets, set up automatic savings goals, and access paychecks two days in advance with Gusto Wallet.
Source – Gusto
Key Benefits of Gusto:
- Allows employees to access pay stubs, request time off, and clock in/out on the go using the iOS and Android mobile app
- Worker’s comp feature protects managers and teams from work-related illness or injury
- Automated checklists, software setup, and offer letters streamline hiring and onboarding processes
- Integration capabilities with other HR tools facilitate a seamless workflow
- End-to-end employee performance development and reviews make OKR processes smooth
- Provides customizable reports and data-backed insights into HR and payroll metrics
Source – G2
Major Irks of Gusto:
- The self-service portal is not as robust as BambooHR
- Slow customer support response reported by some users
- Limited integration capabilities with other HR tools
- The platform lacks typically advanced HR functions due to its prime focus on payroll
- Only available in the United States, lacks a global presence
Source – G2
Cost
- The Simple plan costs $40 per month, plus $6 per month per person
- The Plus plan costs $60 per month, plus $9 per month per person
- The Premium plan has exclusive pricing, not publicly available
Does it Offer a Free Trial?
Yes, it offers a 30-day free trial.
BambooHR Alternative #2: Zoho People
Zoho People, launched in 2008, is an online HRM system designed to streamline employee management.
From tracking employee information to managing attendance and time off requests, Zoho People offers a centralized dashboard to manage everything HR.
The performance management feature enables managers to track individual employee performance, set goals, and provide feedback.
Additionally, Zoho People offers efficient employee onboarding, a secure self-service portal, compliance automation, and payroll processing. Businesses can also try a demo version of the service before committing to the tool.
Source – Zoho People
Key Benefits of Zoho People
- Dedicated time-tracking feature for generating timesheets, managing overtime, and tracking employee hours with automated workflows
- Strong payroll management feature for processing payrolls, managing taxes, and generating pay stubs
- Integrates with other accounting software for streamlined payroll calculation
- Customizable onboarding process with documentation management and employee profiles
Source – G2
Major Irks of Zoho People
- Complicated user interface that can be overwhelming for first-time users compared to BambooHR
- Limited mobile app features compared to the web version
- Limited reporting and analytics features compared to competitors
- Long customer support response time
- Time-consuming and tedious first-time setup
Source – G2
Cost
- The platform comes with a basic free version
- The Premium plan starts at less than a dollar per employee per month when billed annually
Does it Offer a Free Trial?
Yes, it offers a 30-day free trial.
BambooHR Alternative 3: Bambee
Bambee, launched in 2016, is an HR solution that provides support to small to large businesses for employee management, compliance, and even employee termination.
Its main goal is to help businesses navigate their complicated HR tasks while strictly adhering to labor laws.
In addition, Bambee provides a dedicated HR manager to oversee employee onboarding, termination, training, development, and more.
It comes equipped with an HR Autopilot feature that automates HR audits, stores important HR documents, maintains staff certifications, policies, and more. The platform also prioritizes employee feedback by allowing your team to voice their concerns.
Although fairly new compared to its competitors, Bambee’s focus on compliance and automation makes it a valuable HR tool for businesses.
Source – Bambee
Key Benefits of Bambee
- The 2-day payroll feature enables employees to get paid with direct deposits and on time
- Employee misclassification protection for full-time, part-time, and contractors
- Customizable HR policies to meet specific business needs
- Annual HR audits provided
- Streamlined job opening processes with recruitment and applicant tracking
- Performance management feature for employee evaluations and progress tracking
Source – Get App
Major Irks of Bambee
- No free trial offered
- One-time setup charge may be expensive
- No mobile app available
- Limited phone support
- Not suitable for organizations with a large number of employees
- Not recommended for non-profit organizations and freelancers/entrepreneurs
- Deployment limited to cloud-based, SaaS, and web-based applications
Source – Get App
Cost
| Number of Employees | Monthly Cost | One-time Setup Fee |
| 1-4 | $299 | $500 |
| 5-19 | $399 | $500 |
| 20-49 | $2699 | $1500 |
| 50-99 | $1299 | $2000 |
| 100-149 | $2499 | $2500 |
| 150-249 | $3699 | $3500 |
| 250+ | Custom Pricing | N/A |
Does it Offer a Free Trial?
No, it doesn’t offer a free trial.
BambooHR Alternative #4: Workday
Workday, launched in 2005, is a comprehensive HR solution tailored for medium-sized businesses with multiple locations.
The platform is one of the most popular software in the market, with over 9500 employees, including Fortune 500 companies.
Workday is a tool that helps companies manage employee benefits, payroll, data, and overall human resources activities.
Its main focus is on human capital management, helping businesses manage end-to-end aspects of the workforce, from recruitment to retirement and hire to fire.
Source – Workday
Workday has these three standout features:
#1 The financial management tool, which helps firms manage their financial operations like revenue management accounting, billing, and more.
The platform also provides a centralized dashboard where all financial data can be managed along with advanced analytics and reporting.
#2 The human capital management feature, which is designed to help firms manage their workforce efficiently, from applicant tracking and performance management to time tracking, all from a single platform.
#3 And, the adaptive planning feature, which integrates with a data source to create budgets, financial plans, and forecasts.
The feature also enables firms to perform what-if scenarios, create custom financial models, and collaborate with stakeholders across the organization, making it easy for businesses to make quick, data-driven decisions.
We have shared Workday Alternatives in a different article. Do check those alternatives.
Key Benefits of Workday
- Offers an employee voice feature for conducting surveys and analyzing feedback
- Workday’s strategic sourcing feature focuses on supplier management and advanced reporting
- Helps manage financial services, non-profit, healthcare, and hospitality indicators
- All features are available on the mobile app for on-the-go access
- Includes role-based access controls, audit trials, and data encryption for data protection
- High customization features for creating custom forms, reports, and workflows
Source – G2
Major Irks of Workday
- The timesheet feature is more basic than other platforms
- Payroll service is only available in US, UK, Canada, and France
- Navigation can be confusing due to the absence of a back button on some pages
- User interface is less modern than Bamboo HR
- Configuration can be tougher than competitors
- More expensive than other software options
Source – G2
Cost
- No specific pricing is available publicly. The cost depends on several factors like the size of the organization, modules, length of the contract, numb eros users, and more
Does it Offer a Free Trial?
Yes, it offers a 30-day free trial.
Conclusion
We hope that this overview of some of the top HR solutions in the market has been helpful in identifying a suitable alternative to BambooHR for your business needs.
