6 Top Open Source HR Software for Small Business
Small businesses have to make use of the tools at their disposal to stay in the game. For any business, the most important resource to manage is the workforce.
The good news is that the global market offers plenty of options – guaranteeing that small businesses aren’t left behind in the competition for talent.
Human resources have always been a big part of a successful business. But the importance of good HR has grown due to globalisation. Competition for talent has heated up, not least because the modern workplace has changed so much. Today’s top talent is not tied to a location – working is made possible from around the world and this means companies have to attract the right people to stay in the game.
Employee management is important because employees are what truly make your business. No matter how good your product is, ultimately the success lies in how well those employees are able to execute your service and product development. A good HR strategy will be able to not only attract the right talent but also ensure you retain your workforce by keeping them educated and motivated.
HR software plays a key role in workforce management. These make it easier to:
- Recruit the right talent
- Support new and old employees
- Manage the workforce in terms of schedules and payrolls
- Develop and nurture talent
For small businesses, finding good HR software often comes down to price. The good news is that there are plenty of solutions out there that are open source – this means the cost of using the software is minimum or non-existent.
Here are six key HR software options to keep in mind when looking to boost your workforce management:
One-stop solutions
HR software can be either specialised or focus on solving a range of HR management issues at once. One-stop solutions can be a good idea because they help narrow down the amount of software your HR department has to use. Good open-source solutions do exist, for example, you could check out systems like Sentrifugo or Kredily. These often offer functions like:
- Leave management
- Candidate interview management
- Attendance and shift scheduling
- Employee self-service
Time management
In terms of the more specialised HR software, time management is a key. You need to be able to sort out scheduling, especially if your business operates in shifts. Furthermore, the modern employee wants a lot of flexibility in terms of work hours and that is where good time management software can help. In terms of good open source options, you can turn into software like iHRIS that can help with employee management.
Benefit and payroll management
Naturally, you can’t just focus on scheduling the work shifts. Happy employees are those that get paid and looked after. For this, good payroll and benefit management software is important. You can find open source options that are free. But there are also great low-cost solutions that come with certain free features. For example, Bayzat’s free HR software offers great payroll management and has certain paid features that make HR management easier for small business.
Candidate recruitment
Every now and then a small business will have to find new employees. A good recruitment solution can make application tracking and processing a lot easier. There are plenty of great open source solutions that focus specifically on talent recruitment and management. These allow small businesses to review candidates and organise things like interviews. Furthermore, many also support good onboarding strategies.
Performance management
When you find the right talent, you will need to make sure they perform well. Good performance management software can help boost productivity by analysing and adjusting behaviour. You are more able to find schedules that support specific workers, identify their strengths and help them improve their talent. Open source HR software like Baraza HCM has some great management in terms of performance management but there are lots of good options out there for free or for a small cost.
Self-service
While self-service is not really a standalone HR software, it’s a feature you need to have in your open source solutions. Employee self-service not only cuts down the time HR personnel has to manage but also improves employee satisfaction. It makes your HR management more transparent and authentic. Employees are part of the management process, having tools to ensure they can influence and utilise their own data.
When it comes to HR software, small businesses have a lot of good options available. More software solutions these days are either open source or they focus on providing small businesses with affordable and scalable solutions. If you want to improve your company’s workforce management, then make sure to add the above six HR software solutions to your toolbox.