Best Workforce Management Solutions For Small Businesses | Top 20 Options

ByEric Czerwonka Last UpdatedApril 21, 2024

Workforce Management Solutions

If you want to manage your workforce easier, use workforce management solutions. Here are our top 20 picks for you to go through 👇

Best Workforce Management Solutions \| Top 20 Picks 📜
Buddy Punch \| Best Employee Scheduling Software	Full Review
Zoho Workerly \| Best For Shift Scheduling and Management	Full Review
Asana \| Best For Team Dashboards	Full Review
Quickbooks \| Best For Tax Preparation	Full Review
ADP Workforce Now \| Best For Talent Management	Full Review
Clockify \| Best For Reporting and Analytics	Full Review
ClickUp \| Best For Team Collaboration	Full Review
Rippling \| Best For Automated Employee Onboarding	Full Review
BambooHR \| Best For Applicant Tracking System	Full Review
ClockShark \| Best For Employee Scheduling	Full Review
Hubstaff \| Best For Activity Monitoring	Full Review
Workday \| Best For Financial Management	Full Review
7Shifts \| Best For Labor Cost Forecasting	Full Review
When I work \| Best For Shift Swapping	Full Review
Findmyshift \| Best For Compliance Management	Full Review
Dayforce HCM \| Best For Employee Self-Service	Full Review
Paycom \| Best For Mobile Accessibility	Full Review
UKG Ready \| Best For Onboarding and Offboarding	Full Review
Bitrix24 \| Best For Workflow Automation	Full Review
Jibble \| Best For Timesheet Management	Full Review

Workforce management solutions help with making schedules, tracking time, managing performance, and ensuring everyone follows the rules. They’re handy for predicting how many staff you’ll need, keeping tabs on who is present for work, and making sure you’re following labor laws.

When businesses look for workforce management tools, they care about how easy they are to use, how reliable they are, and whether they come with good support services.

Using these tools can help businesses be more productive by making schedules simpler, automating routine jobs, and letting employees handle things like tracking their time or asking for time off themselves.

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What are Workforce Management Solutions?

Workforce management solutions are software that helps make managing employees easier.

They use advanced technology for data analysis to automate tasks such as scheduling shifts, tracking time, managing performance, and ensuring compliance with rules.

Why is Workforce Management Solution Important for Business?

Workforce Management Solutions (WFM) are essential tools for businesses wanting to work more efficiently and effectively. They automate important tasks like making schedules and tracking time, freeing up time for companies to focus on their main goals.

WFM platforms also keep customers happy with user-friendly interfaces and reliable support. By simplifying scheduling and automating tasks, businesses can be more productive, letting employees focus on important work.

Using WFM software leads to benefits like improved efficiency, cost savings, and happier employees, all contributing to business growth and success. That’s why WFM solutions are crucial for modern business strategies.

How to Choose the Right Workforce Management Solution?

Workforce Management

Here is the complete guide to choosing the right workforce management solution for your business.

1. Consider Your Business Need

When choosing a system to manage your staff, think about what your business needs.

Consider the number of employees, how complex your schedules are, and any challenges you face. Also, think about industry rules, remote work possibilities, and how much customization you need.

Once you know what you need, finding the right solution for your business is easier.

2. Software Features

Find a workforce management system that has all the tools your business needs. Check if it can keep track of when employees work, generate reports automatically, help improve how well employees perform, and make sure everything follows the rules.

Look at each option to see if it can solve your company’s biggest problems and make your employees more productive.

3. Read Product Review

Before you decide, check out what others say about the workforce management tool you’re considering. Look for comments about how easy it is to use, how helpful the customer service is, and whether users are generally happy with the software.

4. Easy to Use

Pick a workforce management tool that is easy for both managers and employees to understand and use. Make sure it has a simple design and is easy to find your way around, so people can start using it without needing lots of training.

Look for personalized home screens, the ability to use it on your phone, and helpful guides to make it easier for everyone to get on board.

5. Integration Option

Choose a tool for managing your workforce that can easily link up with your existing HR systems, payroll software, and other business apps.

Integration features ensure that information remains consistent across all platforms and eliminates the need for manual data entry. This saves time and reduces errors.

Seek solutions with powerful connections to other apps and compatibility with popular add-ons to analyze your work and make it more automated.

6. Able to Grow With Future Business Requirements

Choose a workforce management tool that can grow with your business as it expands and changes. Look for pricing plans that can be adjusted and features that can be expanded easily, allowing you to add more users, modules, or functions as necessary.

Check how often the company updates and improves its product to make sure it stays useful for your business in the future.

Additional Points To Consider 💡

▶️ When selecting the right workforce management solution for your business, it’s essential to consider scalability and how well it aligns with your HR software needs.

▶️ Opt for a cloud-based platform that promotes employee engagement and productivity through features like messaging, PTO management, and streamlined approvals.

▶️ Ensure the software prioritizes employee experience with user-friendly interfaces and notifications for important updates.

▶️ Look for HR management metrics and performance reviews to gauge effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. A time clock and absence management feature should reduce time-consuming tasks while offering flexibility for remote teams.

▶️ Explore software solutions with a focus on time management and a positive user experience to enhance workforce management platform efficiency.

▶️ Additionally, seek options that offer a free plan for trial and integration capabilities with HRIS systems for seamless onboarding of new hires and data consistency.

▶️ Choose a solution that evolves with your business, offering updates and enhancements to meet future requirements and support growth effectively.

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Top 20 Best Workforce Management Solutions

Here are the top 20 workforce management solutions picks 👇

1. Buddy Punch | Best Workforce Management Software

Buddy Punch Interface

Buddy Punch is a versatile workforce management solution used by businesses of all sizes and industries. It simplifies time tracking, scheduling, and attendance management with its user-friendly interface and accessible features.

Compared to manual methods, Buddy Punch offers automation, reducing errors and saving time. Its strong reporting and analytics provide valuable insights for better decision-making.

Affordable and scalable, Buddy Punch stands out as an efficient solution for optimizing workforce management processes.

1. Attendance Tracking

Buddy Punch is better at tracking attendance, offering a user-friendly interface for employees to clock in and out. With real-time updates, managers can easily monitor attendance and address differences directly.

Simple Clock In and Clock Out

The system also provides detailed reports on employee attendance patterns, helping businesses identify trends and make informed decisions to optimize workforce efficiency.

2. Calendar Management

Buddy Punch makes it easy for employees to see their schedules and upcoming shifts in one place. Managers can easily create and change schedules based on when employees can work and what the business needs.

In-Built Calendar To Track Time-Off Requests

The calendar also works with email and phone apps to help everyone on the team stay in touch and coordinate well.

3. Employee Management

With Buddy Punch, businesses can easily keep track of their employees’ information, like contact details, job roles, and performance records, all in one safe place. The system makes it simpler to handle tasks like bringing in new employees and letting go of ones who are leaving.

It also gives managers useful information about how productive and engaged their employees are.

4. Employee Scheduling

Buddy Punch helps managers to create and share schedules. It considers when employees can work, what they’re good at, and work rules to make schedules work well.

Drag & Drop Scheduling

Workers can also check their schedules online, which helps avoid mix-ups and keeps everyone informed.

5. Vacation and Leave Tracking

Buddy Punch makes it easy for employees to ask for time off. Managers can check and say yes or no right on the platform. This helps everyone see what’s happening and who’s responsible.

Upcoming Request: Request Time Off example

Plus, the system keeps track of how much time off everyone has, so businesses follow the rules and don’t double-book anyone.

6. Time Off Management

With Buddy Punch, companies can make managing time off easier by automatically approving requests and tracking how much leave employees have left.

Time Off

The system tells managers when requests are waiting and makes sure they reply quickly to avoid causing problems with work.

7. Timesheet Management

Buddy Punch helps workers keep track of their hours accurately. It calculates total hours, including extra hours and breaks, to follow work rules.

Collect Employee Timesheets Without Chasing Up

Employers can easily check and agree to time records, reducing mistakes and making sure pay is correct.

8. Reporting and Analytics

Buddy Punch offers strong tools for reporting and analyzing information, helping businesses understand trends and how well their workforce is doing.

Managers can make their own reports about things like when employees work, their schedules, and how productive they are. These reports can show what areas need to get better and help managers use facts to decide how to manage their workforce better.

Buddy Punch’s Online Reviews

As of the writing date, Buddy Punch has 4.8 out of 5 stars and 950 reviews on Capterra.

Buddy Punch on Capterra

Below, we’ll list just a few reviews that speak to Buddy Punch’s ease of use and great customer support service. (Click here to explore the full list of reviews.)

“We needed a new solution for timekeeping and Buddy Punch came through! Onboarding and integration was so easy. Once I figured out all the setting options, it’s really easy to customize to exactly what you need. Employees love using it because it’s so straight forward to use.”
Click here to read the full review

“BuddyPunch has been very helpful and I am glad my organization made the switch from our previous tracker to BuddyPunch. As mentioned earlier, the ease of use of BuddyPunch is what separates it from a lot of competitors.”
Click here to read the full review

“Easy to clock in from anywhere and still manage how much time you’ve worked in a day. Easily tells you when you’ve gone past 8hrs, and also great for seeing when your team members are clocked in or out.”
Click here to read the full review

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If you feel that Buddy Punch might be the right fit for your business, sign up for a 14 day free trial (no credit card needed). You can also book a one-on-one demo or view a pre-recorded demo video.

2. Zoho Workerly

Zoho Workerly is a tool to help temporary staffing agencies manage their workers, assignments, and clients more easily.

It has different tools to help agencies keep track of their workers, the jobs they’re assigned to, and their relationships with clients.

Key Features

As of the writing date of this post, Zoho Workely has 4.6 out of 5 stars and 70 reviews on Capterra.

“The scheduling features are fantastic and intuitive. The calendar view is a great way to organize your temp workers”
Click here for a full review.

3. Asana

Asana is a popular tool for managing projects. It helps teams work together better by organizing tasks and projects. With Asana, teams can easily communicate, collaborate, and keep track of what needs to be done.

Key Features

Currently Asanat has 4.5 out of 5 stars and 12467 reviews on Capterra.

“The ability to collaborate with colleagues on tasks is also a great way of keeping track of progress and notifying all members of progress.”
Click here for a full review.

4. Quickbooks

QuickBooks is a widely used software made by Intuit. It helps small and medium-sized businesses handle their money well.

It has many tools to make accounting easier, like tracking expenses and sending invoices.

Key Features

As of the writing date of this post, Quickbooks has 4.3 out of 5 stars and 6448 reviews on Capterra.

“I appreciate the ability to use it anywhere, on any computer. And QuickBooks is the best for my personal business.”
Click here for a full review.

5. ADP Workforce Now

ADP Workforce Now is an online system for managing people in a company. It helps handle employee information, pay them, and organize work schedules. It gives businesses many tools to manage employees easily.

Key Features

Currently, ADP Workforce Now has 6411 reviews and 4.4 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“I use ADP on a daily basis to help administer payroll for thousands of employees. There’s a reason it’s so popular; it’s very user friendly and has a pleasant and logically put together interface.”
Click here for a full review.

6. Clockify

Clockify is a tool that helps you keep track of how much time you spend on different tasks and projects. It’s useful for both individuals and teams to manage their time effectively.

Key Features

Currently, Clockify has 4796 reviews and 4.7 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“Smooth efficient path to track time by tags, add projects, and get an overview of how employees are pending their time.”
Click here to read the full review.

7. ClickUp

ClickUp is a widely-used tool that helps teams work together better. It’s like a big digital board where everyone can see what needs to be done, who’s doing it, and when it’s due.

It’s useful for keeping track of tasks and getting work done on different projects.

Key Features

As of the writing date, ClickUp has 4038 reviews and 4.7 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“Automations are also super easy to set up. When switching from Trello, the migration experience was super easy.”
Click here to read the full review.

8. Rippling

Rippling is a big software tool for HR (Human Resources) that makes HR and IT tasks easier. It does a lot of things to help businesses manage their workers.

It puts all employee information in one place, helps automate tasks, and makes sure companies follow the rules.

Key Features

As of now, Rippling has 3036 reviews and 4.9 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“We have only been using Rippling for about a month but so far are very impressed. Our implementation manager was so excellent – answered all our questions quickly and clearly.”
Click here for full review.

9. BambooHR

BambooHR is software for managing people at work. It helps businesses handle HR tasks like keeping track of employee information and making HR processes easier. It has many tools to help companies to manage HR tasks better.

Key Features

As of the writing date,BambooHR has 2763 reviews and 4.6 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“It’s quite nice to have a central hub for most of the information I need as an employee of a growing company. It has a nice user interface and all seems pretty intuitive to operate.”
Click here for a full review.

10. ClockShark

ClockShark is an online tool for tracking employee hours and organizing schedules. It’s made for businesses with mobile workers and those in maintenance and repair.

It helps manage time, create schedules, and boost employee productivity.

Key Features

Currently, ClockShark has 1892 reviews and 4.8 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“We are very pleased with this product. It is a lot better than the T-Sheets we had before and the cost is about the same.”
Click here for a full review.

11. Hubstaff

Hubstaff is a tool that helps keep track of time and productivity. It’s mainly for teams that work remotely or freelancers.

It has different tools to help businesses manage their remote workers and see how much time they spend on tasks and projects.

Key Features

As of now, Hubstaff has 1462 reviews and 4.6 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“On my last job for a transportation company, we used this tool, it is an amazing app, I love the intelligent way it is designed. Actually it helped us on organizing work and on tracking via JPS.”
Click here for a full review.

12. Workday

Workday is online software that helps businesses manage staff, money, and other tasks. It makes it easier to handle things like HR, paying staff, and managing talent.

You can access it from anywhere with an internet connection.

Key Features

As of the writing date, Workday has 1343 reviews and 4.5 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“I love Workday because it’s very user friendly and you have the ability to do almost anything because it has so many features.”
Click here for a full review.

13. 7Shifts

7Shifts is an online tool made for restaurants to organize their staff schedules and manage employees.

It helps restaurant managers make schedules easily, talk better with their staff, and save money on labor.

Key Features

As of now, 7Shifts has 1162 reviews and 4.7 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“We like the ability to communicate quickly and easily with employees. Our employees like how easy it was to use and how much information they had at their fingertips.“
Click here for a full review.

14. When I Work

When I Work is a tool for managing employees’ schedules, communication, and attendance in businesses. It helps employers organize their workforce and lets employees check their schedules, ask for time off, and talk with their team all in one place.

Key Features

As of the writing date, When I Work has 1078 reviews and 4.5 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“When I Work is such a great scheduling solution for almost any business with more than one employee. It offers tons of great features at reasonable prices compared to some of their competitors.”
Click here for a full review.

15. Findmyshift

Findmyshift is a software that helps businesses handle staff schedules, track time, and communicate with employees. It helps make schedules, swap shifts, track work hours, and talk to staff.

Key Features

As of now, Findmyshift has 985 reviews and 4.7 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“A well designed rota system which allows for complex planning and ease of communication with staff. Excellent technical support, with queries quickly responded to in a friendly and helpful manner.”
Click here for a full review.

16. Dayforce HCM

Dayforce HCM (Human Capital Management) is an online tool by Ceridian, a company that helps manage people and their work.

It helps pay employees, organize schedules, manage talent, and keep employees happy and involved.

Key Features

As of the writing date, Dayforce HCM has 952 reviews and 4.3 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“Over all it has been great. We have had great experiences especially with the Ceridian support team.”
Click here for a full review.

17. Paycom

Paycom is an online software for managing people at work. It helps businesses handle tasks hiring, paying employees, and keeping them happy.

It provides many tools to make these tasks easier for businesses.

Key Features

Currently,Paycom has 873 reviews and 4.4 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“All of employees are benefiting from Paycom, we have heard lots of happy and excited comments. On the company side, it is saving time in all aspects.”
Click here for a full review.

18. UKG Ready

UKG Ready is a complete system for managing people at work. It helps keep track of employees and make sure everything runs smoothly.

It has lots of different tools to help businesses handle their workers better.

Key Features

As of the writing date, UKG Ready has 869 reviews and 4.1 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“This software is user friendly and helps my company to streamline the HR tasks. The price of the software is very affordable and the customer service is also great.”
Click here for a full review.

19. Bitrix24

Bitrix24 is a big toolbox for businesses. It helps them manage customers, projects, and tasks, talk to each other, and work together.

It’s like having all these tools in one place. You can use Bitrix24 online or install it on your own computer.

Key Features

As of the writing date, Bitrix24 has 828 reviews and 4.2 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“We choose Bitrix for our compnay’s CRM solution but I found that there are many more features which are useful for us. I love how we can manage leads from different sources on same platform.”
Click here for a full review.

20. Jibble

Jibble is a tool that helps businesses keep track of when their employees work and manage attendance.

It has many features to make sure employees’ time is recorded accurately and to help businesses see how productive their employees are.

Key Features

Currently, Jibble has 827 reviews and 4.9 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

“Great easy to use software that you can amend to suit your business. The Facial recognition is really good and very easy.”
Click here for a full review.

What Are The Different Components Of Workforce Management Solutions?

Workforce Management Solutions

Here’s a complete list of components that workforce management software must have.

1. Employee Scheduling

Employee scheduling helps businesses assign shifts and tasks to their employees in a smart way. These systems make scheduling easier by considering when employees are free, what skills they have, and the labor laws about working hours.

2. Time Tracking

Time tracking tools help businesses keep tabs on when employees start and finish work and take breaks. They use electronic methods to reduce mistakes and ensure compliance with labor laws.

These solutions allow employees to clock in and out, generate timesheets automatically, and link with payroll systems. This helps businesses pay their employees accurately, monitor productivity, and grasp labor costs.

Managers can also see how many hours employees work in real time, enabling better resource allocation for smoother operations.

3. Labor Forecasting

Labor forecasting helps businesses predict how many workers they’ll need in the future. They use past data and industry trends to plan staffing levels effectively. This prevents them from having too few workers and helps save money.

4. Performance Management

Performance management tools help businesses keep track of how well employees are doing. They set goals, track progress, and give feedback to improve performance. These tools also facilitate meetings, ensure everyone’s goals match, and provide learning opportunities.

By organizing information and using computers, companies can identify top performers, address issues, and create a productive workplace.

5. Safety and Quality Compliance

Workforce management solutions help businesses ensure compliance with safety and quality regulations.

6. Resources and Tools

Workforce management solutions make it easier for businesses to handle their employees. They offer tools like self-service portals for employees to update their details and ask for time off, communication tools for smooth teamwork, and dashboards to monitor important data.

These solutions can also link with other HR systems and external apps for added functionality.

7. Vacation and Leave Management

The vacation and leave management features in workforce software help workers ask for time off, and managers approve it easily. With these tools, employees can request time off online, and managers can quickly approve or deny it.

This helps companies save time on paperwork, prevent scheduling conflicts, and ensure everyone follows the rules about taking time off. Also, these tools help managers see when employees are available to work so they can plan shifts better and maintain high productivity.

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Benefits of Workforce Management Systems

Here is a complete list of benefits provided by workforce management systems.

Benefits of Workforce Management Software
1. Employee Attendance Tracking	Track employee attendance accurately and efficiently to improve productivity and minimize absenteeism.
2. Cost Control	Save money by effectively managing employee work hours, overtime, and leave.
3. Payroll Accuracy	Ensure precise and timely payroll processing by automating calculations based on actual work hours.
4. Improved Productivity	Streamline tasks like shift scheduling and time-off management to enhance organizational efficiency.
5. Employee Management	Facilitate smooth communication and decision-making by centralizing employee information and performance data.
6. Smarter and Flexible Schedules	Create optimized schedules based on historical data and employee preferences for better operational outcomes.
7. Valuable Insights	Gain actionable insights into employee performance and trends to drive informed decision-making and improvement.
8. Access Anywhere	Access work-related information and tools remotely from any device with internet connectivity for enhanced collaboration and decision-making.
9. Strategic Planning	Utilize employee data for strategic planning, ensuring the right talent is available for future business needs.
10. Enhanced Employee Satisfaction	Empower employees with control over their schedules and time-off requests, fostering a positive work environment and motivation.
11. Less Chance of Errors	Minimize errors and ensure compliance by automating tasks such as payroll processing and rule enforcement.

How Do I Know My Workforce Management Software is Secure?

Concerned about the security of your employee management software, particularly on mobile devices? It’s essential to ensure operational efficiency while addressing pain points related to data security.

Look for solutions that prioritize profitability and retention through robust workforce planning and optimization features tailored to your specific needs.

Moreover, consider platforms that enable data-driven decisions, utilizing KPIs to measure performance per employee.

Opting for a secure HR solution delivered through SaaS ensures scalability and compliance with regulations like GDPR. By implementing access controls and identity verification methods, you can mitigate risks and safeguard sensitive information effectively.

Regular software updates and proactive security measures are crucial to staying ahead of emerging threats and maintaining a secure environment.

Choose a provider with a proven track record of addressing security concerns promptly, providing peace of mind in knowing your workforce management software is safeguarded against unauthorized access and potential breaches.

Which Businesses Use Workforce Management Systems?

Many businesses use workforce management systems to organize employees and ensure they work effectively. These systems are used in various industries, such as retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and hospitality.

Even small businesses looking to improve efficiency and productivity can benefit from them.

Small to medium-sized businesses experiencing growth and hiring more employees find these systems helpful for scheduling and task assignments.

Tech companies use these systems to stay ahead by making sure they have the right amount of staff and keeping their employees happy. Service-based businesses, like consulting firms or customer service centers, also use these systems to manage their employees well.

For companies with remote or field workers, these systems help in tracking work hours, creating schedules, and facilitating communication, even over long distances.

Eric Czerwonka

About the author

As a prior multiple-location business owner, Eric knows all about time collection, scheduling, and everything in-between. From best practices, stories, and business experience, he’ll keep you up to date on the latest trends.