The department’s name is human resources, yet when it comes to choosing digital tools, sometimes real human advice can be hard to come by.
Run a search online for “best HR tools,” and (after scrolling past all the sponsored content) you’ll likely find yourself wading through ad-riddled lists of affiliate links as shallow as they are long. Most of the content will read like copy-and-pasted marketing copy. Unbiased reviews from actual human users will be few and far between.
Of course, this phenomenon isn’t limited to HR tools. When looking for real-world advice on nearly anything — from toilet repair to business solutions — savvy internet users have learned to append “Reddit” or “LinkedIn” to their search engine queries.
These online communities often play host to spirited, informative discussions prioritizing honesty, transparency, and helpfulness. Users are encouraged to ask questions and share their expertise and experience; overt sales and marketing efforts are frowned upon.
So, as a service to our readers, we thought we’d help put the “human” back in “HR tools” by highlighting some of the most thoughtful and illuminating tips from the highly engaged HR communities of Reddit and LinkedIn.
(Just for an idea of the pool of expertise represented here, the subreddit r/humanresources currently boasts 95,000+ participants.)
What Is an HR Tool?
Before we get to the reviews, though, let’s establish what we mean by “HR tool.” For the purposes of this article, an HR tool is any digital application or service designed to help HR teams fulfill their core functions, such as recruitment, staffing, benefits, compensation, employee relations, payroll, training, and development.
For now, we’ll focus on tools explicitly intended for HR use rather than general business tools that may be used company-wide.
Tools for Getting Started
Startups, growing firms, and small businesses often rely on an HR team of one to handle all of HR’s many functions. If the comments on Reddit and LinkedIn are any indicator, these busy HR pros often turn to software to pick up the slack and help them stay organized as they jump from role to role.
“If you could only propose three tools to a new HR department, what would they be? Looking for something that’s easy to use.”
The top reply (by Reddit upvotes) recommended Zoho People as an affordable option for “recruiting, on-board, time, leave & attendance & performance.” For companies that can spare a little more, the reply went on, there’s also Workday HCM, which is as “modern and modular” an implementation as possible.
On the other hand, another Redditor observed,
“Workday is great, but is mainly for larger enterprises who can devote support to the system, or those not experiencing much change/growth/additional configurations after implementation.”
The same question also prompted conflicting viewpoints on whether an all-in-one HRIS (human resources information system) is necessary for smaller employers.
One Redditor said the most basic HR functions — hiring, payroll, benefits — could be handled without an HRIS during the initial stages, but another reply counseled taking the long view:
“Think of what you want to accomplish, not now, but for the future. Consider what will be the best option for the business in the long term.”
Reddit and LinkedIn’s Favorite HRIS
An HRIS (also known as a human resources management system) serves as a centralized repository of employee data, enabling HR teams to track, organize, and report on everything from hiring to onboarding to PTO to payroll to benefits. Many HRIS platforms also include performance management, training, and professional development functionality.
The typical HR professional can spend most of their day within their company’s HRIS. So, it’s no surprise that the HR pros who frequent Reddit and LinkedIn hold some pretty strong opinions about the best HRIS platforms.
Unfortunately, with so many people weighing in, no HRIS rises to the top. This discussion from 2023 touches on options like Paycom, Workday, ADP, Paylocity, Paycor, and BambooHR.
In April 2023, a Redditor “tasked with revamping everything” for a company of about 80 employees asked for affordable HRIS recommendations. The most upvoted reply suggested either BambooHR or Rippling, depending on the budget. Another Redditor described the differences between the two:
“Bamboo is cheaper and a great user experience. It’s simple and really nails the basics for smaller orgs. Rippling is more elaborate as well as a bit more expensive, but it can scale with company growth a lot better than Bamboo. The dev team at Rippling really puts emphasis on getting it right from the start, and the service team is unmatched in the small market segment. Bamboo isn’t as big in terms of what it can do, but that makes the features it does have rather fool proof.”
Do You Need an ATS?
While not every job searcher loves them, applicant tracking systems (ATSs) are generally considered essential tools for HR teams of all sizes. One Redditor says,
“Candidates can get overwhelming to track using a simple …Especially inside a bigger team, is essential to know what happened to each of them (got called by us, failed an interview, already participated in past processes, declined an offer etc). Also, as a database for contact info and resumes.”
Another HR pro posted on LinkedIn:
“It’s easy to see the immediate returns of an ATS: Organized candidate tracking, streamlining your application process, and reducing manual tasks. But, perhaps even more valuable are the data your ATS will retain. Analyzing your company’s recruiting trends can help you strategize to meet organizational goals.”
As for which ATS is the best ATS, opinions and experiences vary. This Reddit thread offers pro and con takes on all the most popular options, including Taleo, Bullhorn, Greenhouse, BambooHR, Lever, ADP Workforce, and Jobvite.
Employee Engagement Platforms Recommended by Reddit
Employee engagement is another frequent topic of online conversation among HR pros. Specifically, which digital tools best measure engagement, monitor engagement strategies, and share insights?
One Redditor offers an overview of employee engagement tools here:
“CultureAmp tends to be the market leader for employee surveys/pulse surveys with Qualtrics and Medallia making headway into that space. Lattice and 15Five are more performance management platforms with surveying capabilities.”
However, over on another thread, a Redditor warns against investing in an employee engagement platform “without it fitting into a much bigger engagement strategy.” A fellow HR professional agrees:
“Before evaluating tools, first identify what you want to accomplish. Is it to address a specific issue stemmed from employee engagement? Is it because everyone is talking about employee engagement?”
What About ChatGPT and AI?
Finally, we can’t let a discussion of HR tools go by without touching on ChatGPT and AI in general. Ask the HR pros of Reddit and LinkedIn about AI, and they’ll either tell you it’s poised to revolutionize the discipline — and every other business field — or it’s just another tool, and it is what you make of it.
A few months ago, a user asked HR/human resources, “How have you used ChatGPT, integrations and other AI tools to help free up some of your time, in HR?” Most of the responses involved crafting copy for announcements and other employee messaging.
One person wrote,
“As some others have said, the only thing I’ve found genuinely helpful is getting over the hump of writer’s block when I don’t want to draft something. Because the outputs are fairly generic, there’s nothing I’d trust it to generate without human review and correction. It’s a rough draft generator when I’m feeling uninspired. It doesn’t so much save time as help avoid wasting time.”
And another noted,
“I used it to generate phone screen questions for a HR Coordinator role while I worked on other stuff. I’m a big fan and think this will become a helper, not a replacer.”
But some HR professionals have found more unique time-saving uses for AI, such as creating Excel formulas and, as one Redditor suggested,
“Scheduling. If you have more than three people meeting with someone and you have a timeframe, you can make chatGPT create schedules. It’s not failed me yet.”
Stay Up to Date on the Latest HR Tools
Reddit and LinkedIn are valuable resources for HR professionals. Where else can you find unvarnished reviews and advice, stripped of marketing platitudes and informed by real-world experience? But keeping up with every online HR conversation is almost a full-time job in itself.
Don’t worry, though; we’ve got our fingers on the pulse so you can focus on doing your job. Subscribe to the Flimp newsletter for regular updates and insights into the latest HR tools and trends.