Table of Contents
A talent management system is a software tool or web application used to help employers manage their workforce, assign tasks and monitor performance. There are numerous benefits of implementing such a system in your business but it may prove difficult for small businesses with limited resources.
The “best talent management companies” is a topic that is often discussed. There are many different types of talent management systems available in the market.
Talent management system software helps you manage the entire employee lifecycle— from recruiting to onboarding to performance management. For this guide, we looked at the most popular options and rising stars and decided to review BambooHR, BirdDogHR, and Namely. These companies covered the range for small businesses in terms of price and ability to grow with your business.
BambooHR is the best talent management system for small businesses.
BambooHR is the finest people management system for small firms because of its excellent recruiting and performance management capabilities, which are equally as strong as those offered by the competition but at a lesser cost. A 14-day free trial is also available.
BambooHR vs. BirdDogHR vs. Namely: A Talent Management System Comparison Table
BambooHR is the best talent management system for small businesses.
BambooHR was chosen as the best people management system software for small firms because of its low cost, free 14-day trial period, comprehensive recruiting capabilities, and simple performance management add-on module. Because of these four factors, it was named the best personnel management for small enterprises in 2017.
BambooHR was chosen as the best people management system software for small firms because of its low cost, free 14-day trial period, comprehensive recruiting capabilities, and simple performance management add-on module. Because of these four factors, it was named the best personnel management for small enterprises in 2017.
BambooHR does not scrimp on features, despite its reduced price. Its built-in recruitment, employee onboarding, and performance management systems were excellent, and the interface was simple to use in general.
BambooHR’s disadvantage is that, unlike Namely, it is not a complete HR solution, thus you’ll need additional software to supplement it (i.e. payroll). However, it is the most cost-effective personnel management system for small enterprises, and BambooHR plans to add benefits and payroll modules later this year, making it a comprehensive HR solution.
BirdDogHR is the best talent management system for growing businesses.
BirdDogHR was chosen as the best for expanding businesses because of its unique add-on capabilities, which, in addition to the standard people management system features, such as its comprehensive recruitment function, make it ideal for a fast developing company that has to scale up quickly.
BirdDogHR’s unique features list include an excellent learning management system that is available in 2 package sizes (40 courses & 100 courses that cover a range of topics), certifications tracking, and ad hoc automated reports that can be automatically emailed to the relevant team members. To me, this says that BirdDogHR is a great system for a company that has a lot of young employees who need training, or whose employee base needs some training elements for job diversification.
BirdDogHR’s distinctive features include a great learning management system that comes in two package sizes (40 courses and 100 courses covering a wide variety of subjects), certification tracking, and ad hoc automated reports that can be forwarded to the appropriate team members. To me, this indicates that BirdDogHR is an excellent solution for a firm with a large number of young workers in need of training, or for a company with a large staff base in need of certain training aspects for job diversification.
Visit BirdDogHR for more information.
For a complete HR solution, the best talent management system is: Namely
If you want a comprehensive HR solution, including people management, payroll, and benefits, we propose Namely. While this may seem counterintuitive, we believe that if your company is large enough to need talent management system software, you may also require these extra functions.
Full payroll processing, employee benefits, and a wonderful employee engagement function that is practically a company-wide Facebook feed are just a few of Namely’s unique features. Of course, Namely provides the same employee onboarding and Features of Performance Management as BambooHR and BirdDogHR, which is why it’s included in our buyer’s guide.
Full payroll processing, employee benefits, and a wonderful employee engagement function that is practically a company-wide Facebook feed are just a few of Namely’s unique features. Of course, Namely provides the same employee onboarding and Features of Performance Management as BambooHR and BirdDogHR, which is why it’s included in our buyer’s guide.
Pay a visit to Namely
BambooHR vs. BirdDogHR vs. Namely: A Comprehensive Comparison
Pricing
Because talent management solutions are designed for companies with 25 or more people, price may seem to be a little excessive at first. However, keep in mind that excellent personnel management software should save you time and money, both in terms of recruitment fees and the requirement for HR department workers to work with your workforce.
BambooHR had the most competitive price, followed by BirdDogHR and Namely in a tight battle. The cost of Namely and BirdDogHR is determined by your company’s size, although their minimum contracts are in the five digits. 
BambooHR had the most competitive price, followed by BirdDogHR and Namely in a tight battle. The cost of Namely and BirdDogHR is determined by your company’s size, although their minimum contracts are in the five digits.
As a consequence, yearly prices are around:
- $1,188 per year for 12 or less workers
- Employees 13-49: $96 per year each employee = $1,248 for 13 people; $4,704 for 49 individuals
- 50-100 employees: $72/employee per year = $3,600 per year for 50 individuals; $7,200 per year for 100 people
- Employees with 101 or more: $67.20 per year per employee = $6,787.20 for 101 persons
BambooHR bills on a month-to-month basis and does not need a contract, which is a significant benefit over BirdDogHR and Namely’s commitment requirements.
BambooHR bills on a month-to-month basis and does not need a contract, which is a significant benefit over BirdDogHR and Namely’s commitment requirements.
BambooHR bills on a month-to-month basis and does not need a contract, which is a significant benefit over BirdDogHR and Namely’s commitment requirements.
Finally, BirdDogHR offers pricing that is similar to Specifically, if you sign a 3-year contract; if you do not, they are the most costly of our three people management solutions.
Namely: Namely, like BirdDogHR, was unwilling to provide me with many price specifics. My two main conclusions from pricing were as follows:
- The minimum annual cost is usually $15,000, however they may be somewhat flexible around it (no details on how the billing actually works though)
- The $5,000 setup cost is one-time only.
The $5,000 setup cost is one-time only.
Setup time is minimal.
Talent management system software is notorious for being difficult to set up due to its extensive feature set. Before they would provide an estimate and discuss implementations, all three organizations asked me to talk or email with reps multiple times.
BambooHR was the most straightforward to set up, followed by BirdDogHR. Specifically, it is the most difficult owing of its HR elements, such as payroll and benefits, which need additional processes.
In comparison to Namely and BirdogHR, BambooHR offers an extremely simple setup approach. The system is easy to set up on your own for free, or you can pay $200 for a fast start training course that includes homework and interactive teaching.
When compared to Namely and BirdDogHR, BambooHR’s deployment time estimate of 2-4 weeks is by far the quickest. The cost of installation is also less than both of our other mentioned solutions.
Here’s a snapshot of what BambooHR looks like once you’ve put it up:
Here’s a snapshot of what BambooHR looks like once you’ve put it up:
Here’s a snapshot of what BambooHR looks like once you’ve put it up:
In addition to the setup fees, there are a number of implementation fees. While one of these was waived since I was inquiring about the whole package, there are still considerable startup costs, making BambooHR the obvious financial winner.
When you log onto BirdDogHR’s dashboard, you’ll notice the following:
In order to see a live demonstration of the program, it was necessary to go through a three-step procedure, similar to BirdDogHR. This felt a little lengthy, particularly as there is no free trial of the program, so you can’t simply log in and play about to see how Namely works and whether it makes sense to you (like BambooHR does for two weeks).
In order to see a live demonstration of the program, it was necessary to go through a three-step procedure, similar to BirdDogHR. This felt a little lengthy, particularly as there is no free trial of the program, so you can’t simply log in and play about to see how Namely works and whether it makes sense to you (like BambooHR does for two weeks).
There is also a $5,000 startup cost, which isn’t bad given you’ll be receiving payroll and benefits software as well.
When you log onto Namely’s dashboard, you’ll notice the following:
Features for Recruiting
Recruiting expenses rise in tandem with your company’s growth, and they might be prohibitively costly if you have a high employee turnover rate or need technical ability. As a result, we determined that talent management system software should be assessed based on its capacity to efficiently recruit and monitor applicants.
While BirdDogHR’s recruiting system is the finest of the three, BambooHR’s approach is still sufficient for most small enterprises. Because it is entirely reliant on external systems, Namely is a distant third in this category.
BambooHR: BambooHR’s package includes both applicant tracking and recruiting software, which is the same as BirdDogHR’s. BambooHR’s system is comprehensive enough to replace any existing applicant tracking system or recruiting software, but it also integrates with a number of other systems (see below), so if you currently use one that you like, it may already be linked.
BambooHR’s recruitment and candidate tracking system works as follows:
- From inside the system, you may post job vacancies.
- Your job postings will then appear on Glassdoor and Indeed, as well as on social media sites like as Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus.
- The recruiting managers may then be added to each position. When an application is ready for viewing, hiring managers are “pinged” through email.
- You may also use the system to email applicants, record notes, and rate them using a star rating system. This keeps track of conversations and allows you to know where applicants are in the process at a glance.
- The technology allows you to arrange interviews.
- You may e-sign and save offer letters that you send to prospective new recruits.
BambooHR also saves candidate information so that, instance, if you were to replace another post that you filled six months ago, you could quickly review through the applications and top prospects from the previous round of recruiting.
BambooHR also works with nine other firms in the industry, including:
- CATS
- iApplicant
- Newton
- JazzHR
- ApplicantPro
- HiringThing
- Jobvite
- Greenhouse
- COMPAS
Here’s a snapshot of the hiring dashboard from the free trial with several sample jobs:
BirdDogHR: Like BambooHR, BirdDogHR includes a comprehensive ATS and recruiting software suite in its plan. Their strategy consists of four parts:
- Company Website for Custom Careers (aka job posts embedded on your website with the code provided by BirdDogHR)
- Employee Recommendations
- Job Postings
- Integration of social media
To expand on the Job Postings included, while the names of the Job Postings were not disclosed, their reps told me that they “push out to all the usual free and small fee Job Postings” and include up to 350 of those in their systems. They also have paid options with several of the larger partners like LinkedIn. This is pretty similar to BambooHR, except it sounds like even more of an expansive reach, which can be a huge advantage if you have had a tough time recruiting for your small business.
The following is how BirdDogHR recruits and tracks applicants:
- From inside the system, you may post job vacancies.
- Your jobs will then post to Job Postings and your careers’ portal, plus any social media platforms you integrate to BirdDogHR. You can also send it to your employees to share with their networks.
- Then, from the hiring managers engaged to how prospects apply, you can tailor every aspect of the application process.
- In the system, you may email, arrange interviews, and rate applicants.
- You may also choose from a variety of assessment and background checks/drug screening alternatives, which are only available via BirdDogHR. This might make BirdDogHR a prominent choice for firms that need background checks, such as financial services.
Aside from the evaluations and background checks/drug screenings, BirdDogHR also provides certain add-on reporting aspects, such as Affirmative Action Planning and EEOC diversity monitoring, that may be turned on or off depending on your business size.
Aside from the evaluations and background checks/drug screenings, BirdDogHR also provides certain add-on reporting aspects, such as Affirmative Action Planning and EEOC diversity monitoring, that may be turned on or off depending on your business size.
In this arena, Namely works with nine firms, including:
- iCims
- JazzHR
- Jobvite
- Greenhouse
- Lever
- The Manager of the Applicant
- Workable
- Comeet
- JobScore
Namely has no plans to grow into recruitment and applicant monitoring; this might be a deal-breaker for businesses with high turnover or frequent recruiting requirements, in which case BambooHR or BirdDogHR would be a better match.
Features of Performance Management
Features of Performance Management
The performance management module was strong in all three software systems. They were all simple to operate and had similar characteristics.
BambooHR: BambooHR offers a performance management system as an add-on module for $1 per additional employee every month, making it the better value for money than BirdDogHR and Namely. Although their appearances are considerably different, BambooHR’s performance module is fairly comparable to both BirdDogHR’s and Namely’s.
BambooHR, as seen in the picture below, makes performance management simple to set up owing to a simple timeline function and other basic features.
You have the option to customize:
- Who is included in the module on performance management?
- Goals, peer feedback, and 360-degree evaluations may then be turned on or off (aka self and manager assessment)
- You may then establish a review schedule straight away.
The bottom section of the page (which isn’t visible in the photo) also allows you to create a broad template of organization-wide performance, which you can then adjust for each individual, which is comparable to the setup of both BirdDogHR and Namely.
If you currently use Bullseye Engagement or Performance Pro for your performance management, BambooHR can integrate with them as well.
Here’s an example of how you’d set up the various aspects of performance management for your team:
BirdDogHR: For no additional cost, BirdDogHR includes a comprehensive performance management tool. The following items are included in the module:
- Forms for managing performance in an infinite number of ways
- A competence database
- A grading system that may be customized
- The capacity to do 360-degree reviews
- Employees’ capacity to do self-reviews
- The authority to make new workers go through probationary periods.
- The “in” performance assessments these days are 9 box grid evaluations. They function as a visual representation of a person’s performance and are useful for comparing personnel.
We don’t have any screenshots of the BirdDogHR performance management part, but it seems to be just as simple to use as BambooHR. Their team was also eager to integrate performance feedback and training in the setup process for this module.
Namely: Like the other two softwares, Namely includes a full performance management system in its package. There is no additional charge for this product on top of the contract payments, and that is one of the reasons Namely was founded in the first place.
The performance management system at Namely comprises the following features:
- Employee profiles should be able to monitor abilities, experience, learning, and certifications.
- Any method of goal setting that allows you to monitor OKRs, KPIS, values, or whatever you choose to name them works!
- Self-evaluations
- Only the manager reads the reviews.
- Peer evaluations
- 360-degree evaluations
I don’t have any screenshots of Namely’s performance management module, as I don’t have any for BirdDogHR. For both managers and workers, Namely’s performance management looked to be as simple and straightforward as BirdDogHR and BambooHR.
Features Not Included
Our 3 talent management system software options all had excellent and unique Features Not Included that could make them a perfect fit for your small business. We highly recommend considering these features when making a talent management software choice.
BambooHR: BambooHR’s unique features are really driven by process and efficiency, which is their main premise to their entire system. These Features Not Included include:
- Charting of the organization is presented.
- BambooHR is bilingual, supporting seven languages, and employees may choose their preferred language.
- The firm assets page is where you may keep track of your company’s assets. If you supply computers or other technology to your staff, this is really handy.
- From how to offer a promotion to how to gain clearance for acquiring equipment, you may establish bespoke processes and approvals to save time on everything.
- They offer a fantastic reporting dashboard with the ability to build bespoke reports.
BambooHR’s added features would be ideal for a software firm or any firm that places a high priority on time, efficiency, and procedure. It’s a system that allows you to put things up and forget about them since they’ll operate on their own.
BirdDogHR: BirdDogHR has also has a few unique Features Not Included that work well for companies that need regular training – like a call center, large retailer, or manufacturing plant.
BirdDogHR’s Features Not Included include:
- Employee Onboarding— BirdDogHR offers comprehensive employee onboarding with document storage, replete with configurable processes.
- Ad Hoc Reporting—these may be tailored, scheduled, and distributed to anyone needs them through email.
- Learning Management System (LMS) is an add-on module with two levels: one with 40 online courses and the other with over 100. Learning management in BirdDogHR is a fantastic option for companies that need frequent training or job diversity.
- If you have staff who have licenses, you may program in their licenses and expiry dates, as well as reminders to renew them ahead of time.
Here’s an example of the employee onboarding procedures handled by BirdDogHR:
Namely: If you are a business looking for an all-in-one HR solution, the Features Not Included section is where Namely stands out over BambooHR and BirdDogHR. While the other two systems have useful Features Not Included, Namely instead has crucial features like payroll and benefits.
The notable Features Not Included of Namely are:
- Payroll Provider— Namely is a full-service payroll company that handles filings in all 50 states.
- Benefit Provider— Namely, as an independent insurance broker, is a full-service benefits enrollment company.
- Employee Engagement— Namely features a Facebook-style feed that can be personalized for each firm and is highly engaging for workers, including conversations, birthdays, and other types of postings.
- Employee Onboarding— Onboarding with Namely is a template-driven procedure that you can set and forget. For new staff, the system will operate itself.
Customer Service
Customer Service
BambooHR: BambooHR’s Customer Service has phone support, email support and live chat support available from 8am – 6pm MST, Mon-Fri. Even though they do not work on weekends, I found the Customer Service at BambooHR to be excellent. The reviews around the web say the same about their customer service: above & beyond at all costs to make the customer happy.
Customer Service
Customer Service
Namely: Namely gets an edge on both BirdDogHR and BambooHR with its 24/7 email and phone Customer Service. Neither of the other 2 systems is available 24 hours per day, every day. This could be a big advantage for you if you have a complex schedule or if you know you will also be using it for payroll and benefits.While we didn’t have any exposure to customer service, the ratings online of their customer service are very good, similar to the other two softwares. They are efficient, easy to work with, and resolve your issues quickly, according to various review websites. This is not surprising since the people who did my setup and demo were also professional, friendly, and quick to resolve anything I wanted to know.
Alternatives to Talent Management Software
While we can’t cover every piece of software available, we wanted to call attention to some of the other talent management system players:
What Is Talent Management Software and How Does It Work?
Applicant tracking, recruitment, HR features like onboarding, and performance management should all be covered by talent management system software, which should be an all-in-one solution for hiring, training, and keeping your staff.
This includes, for example:
- Job postings & career website
- System for tracking applications (ATS)
- Candidate ranking, notes, and interview schedule
- Onboarding new employees (once they are hired)
- Performance management & goal setting
- Compensation evaluation
- Promotions or strategies to increase performance
- Employee education
- Getting off the boat (once an employee quits or is fired)
Getting off the boat (once an employee quits or is fired)
Now we’re looking into personnel management system software to give a more advanced option for our bigger company readers with 25 or more workers that are fast expanding.
Final Thoughts
If your small firm is developing quickly, and you don’t anticipate it slowing down anytime soon, talent management system software is a terrific solution. The program may save you time on recruitment, performance management, and onboarding, as well as serve as a solid foundation for a small company HR department.
BambooHR is the best talent management system for small businesses.
BambooHR is the finest people management system for small firms because of its excellent recruiting and performance management capabilities, which are equally as strong as those offered by the competition but at a lesser cost. A 14-day free trial is also available.
BambooHR vs. BirdDogHR vs. Namely: A Talent Management System Comparison Table
BambooHR is the best talent management system for small businesses.
BambooHR was chosen as the best people management system software for small firms because of its low cost, free 14-day trial period, comprehensive recruiting capabilities, and simple performance management add-on module. Because of these four factors, it was named the best personnel management for small enterprises in 2017.
BambooHR was chosen as the best people management system software for small firms because of its low cost, free 14-day trial period, comprehensive recruiting capabilities, and simple performance management add-on module. Because of these four factors, it was named the best personnel management for small enterprises in 2017.
BambooHR does not scrimp on features, despite its reduced price. Its built-in recruitment, employee onboarding, and performance management systems were excellent, and the interface was simple to use in general.
BambooHR’s disadvantage is that, unlike Namely, it is not a complete HR solution, thus you’ll need additional software to supplement it (i.e. payroll). However, it is the most cost-effective personnel management system for small enterprises, and BambooHR plans to add benefits and payroll modules later this year, making it a comprehensive HR solution.
BirdDogHR is the best talent management system for growing businesses.
BirdDogHR was chosen as the best for expanding businesses because of its unique add-on capabilities, which, in addition to the standard people management system features, such as its comprehensive recruitment function, make it ideal for a fast developing company that has to scale up quickly.
BirdDogHR’s unique features list include an excellent learning management system that is available in 2 package sizes (40 courses & 100 courses that cover a range of topics), certifications tracking, and ad hoc automated reports that can be automatically emailed to the relevant team members. To me, this says that BirdDogHR is a great system for a company that has a lot of young employees who need training, or whose employee base needs some training elements for job diversification.
BirdDogHR’s distinctive features include a great learning management system that comes in two package sizes (40 courses and 100 courses covering a wide variety of subjects), certification tracking, and ad hoc automated reports that can be forwarded to the appropriate team members. To me, this indicates that BirdDogHR is an excellent solution for a firm with a large number of young workers in need of training, or for a company with a large staff base in need of certain training aspects for job diversification.
Visit BirdDogHR for more information.
For a complete HR solution, the best talent management system is: Namely
If you want a comprehensive HR solution, including people management, payroll, and benefits, we propose Namely. While this may seem counterintuitive, we believe that if your company is large enough to need talent management system software, you may also require these extra functions.
Full payroll processing, employee benefits, and a wonderful employee engagement function that is practically a company-wide Facebook feed are just a few of Namely’s unique features. Of course, Namely provides the same employee onboarding and Features of Performance Management as BambooHR and BirdDogHR, which is why it’s included in our buyer’s guide.
Full payroll processing, employee benefits, and a wonderful employee engagement function that is practically a company-wide Facebook feed are just a few of Namely’s unique features. Of course, Namely provides the same employee onboarding and Features of Performance Management as BambooHR and BirdDogHR, which is why it’s included in our buyer’s guide.
Pay a visit to Namely
BambooHR vs. BirdDogHR vs. Namely: A Comprehensive Comparison
Pricing
Because talent management solutions are designed for companies with 25 or more people, price may seem to be a little excessive at first. However, keep in mind that excellent personnel management software should save you time and money, both in terms of recruitment fees and the requirement for HR department workers to work with your workforce.
BambooHR had the most competitive price, followed by BirdDogHR and Namely in a tight battle. The cost of Namely and BirdDogHR is determined by your company’s size, although their minimum contracts are in the five digits.
BambooHR had the most competitive price, followed by BirdDogHR and Namely in a tight battle. The cost of Namely and BirdDogHR is determined by your company’s size, although their minimum contracts are in the five digits.
As a consequence, yearly prices are around:
- $1,188 per year for 12 or less workers
- Employees 13-49: $96 per year each employee = $1,248 for 13 people; $4,704 for 49 individuals
- 50-100 employees: $72/employee per year = $3,600 per year for 50 individuals; $7,200 per year for 100 people
- Employees with 101 or more: $67.20 per year per employee = $6,787.20 for 101 persons
BambooHR bills on a month-to-month basis and does not need a contract, which is a significant benefit over BirdDogHR and Namely’s commitment requirements.
BambooHR bills on a month-to-month basis and does not need a contract, which is a significant benefit over BirdDogHR and Namely’s commitment requirements.
BambooHR bills on a month-to-month basis and does not need a contract, which is a significant benefit over BirdDogHR and Namely’s commitment requirements.
Finally, BirdDogHR offers pricing that is similar to Specifically, if you sign a 3-year contract; if you do not, they are the most costly of our three people management solutions.
Namely: Namely, like BirdDogHR, was unwilling to provide me with many price specifics. My two main conclusions from pricing were as follows:
- The minimum annual cost is usually $15,000, however they may be somewhat flexible around it (no details on how the billing actually works though)
- The $5,000 setup cost is one-time only.
The $5,000 setup cost is one-time only.
Setup time is minimal.
Talent management system software is notorious for being difficult to set up due to its extensive feature set. Before they would provide an estimate and discuss implementations, all three organizations asked me to talk or email with reps multiple times.
BambooHR was the most straightforward to set up, followed by BirdDogHR. Specifically, it is the most difficult owing of its HR elements, such as payroll and benefits, which need additional processes.
In comparison to Namely and BirdogHR, BambooHR offers an extremely simple setup approach. The system is easy to set up on your own for free, or you can pay $200 for a fast start training course that includes homework and interactive teaching.
When compared to Namely and BirdDogHR, BambooHR’s deployment time estimate of 2-4 weeks is by far the quickest. The cost of installation is also less than both of our other mentioned solutions.
Here’s a snapshot of what BambooHR looks like once you’ve put it up:
Here’s a snapshot of what BambooHR looks like once you’ve put it up:
Here’s a snapshot of what BambooHR looks like once you’ve put it up:
In addition to the setup fees, there are a number of implementation fees. While one of these was waived since I was inquiring about the whole package, there are still considerable startup costs, making BambooHR the obvious financial winner.
When you log onto BirdDogHR’s dashboard, you’ll notice the following:
In order to see a live demonstration of the program, it was necessary to go through a three-step procedure, similar to BirdDogHR. This felt a little lengthy, particularly as there is no free trial of the program, so you can’t simply log in and play about to see how Namely works and whether it makes sense to you (like BambooHR does for two weeks).
In order to see a live demonstration of the program, it was necessary to go through a three-step procedure, similar to BirdDogHR. This felt a little lengthy, particularly as there is no free trial of the program, so you can’t simply log in and play about to see how Namely works and whether it makes sense to you (like BambooHR does for two weeks).
There is also a $5,000 startup cost, which isn’t bad given you’ll be receiving payroll and benefits software as well.
When you log onto Namely’s dashboard, you’ll notice the following:
Features for Recruiting
Recruiting expenses rise in tandem with your company’s growth, and they might be prohibitively costly if you have a high employee turnover rate or need technical ability. As a result, we determined that talent management system software should be assessed based on its capacity to efficiently recruit and monitor applicants.
While BirdDogHR’s recruiting system is the finest of the three, BambooHR’s approach is still sufficient for most small enterprises. Because it is entirely reliant on external systems, Namely is a distant third in this category.
BambooHR: BambooHR’s package includes both applicant tracking and recruiting software, which is the same as BirdDogHR’s. BambooHR’s system is comprehensive enough to replace any existing applicant tracking system or recruiting software, but it also integrates with a number of other systems (see below), so if you currently use one that you like, it may already be linked.
BambooHR’s recruitment and candidate tracking system works as follows:
- From inside the system, you may post job vacancies.
- Your job postings will then appear on Glassdoor and Indeed, as well as on social media sites like as Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus.
- The recruiting managers may then be added to each position. When an application is ready for viewing, hiring managers are “pinged” through email.
- You may also use the system to email applicants, record notes, and rate them using a star rating system. This keeps track of conversations and allows you to know where applicants are in the process at a glance.
- The technology allows you to arrange interviews.
- You may e-sign and save offer letters that you send to prospective new recruits.
BambooHR also saves candidate information so that, instance, if you were to replace another post that you filled six months ago, you could quickly review through the applications and top prospects from the previous round of recruiting.
BambooHR also works with nine other firms in the industry, including:
- CATS
- iApplicant
- Newton
- JazzHR
- ApplicantPro
- HiringThing
- Jobvite
- Greenhouse
- COMPAS
Here’s a snapshot of the hiring dashboard from the free trial with several sample jobs:
BirdDogHR: Like BambooHR, BirdDogHR includes a comprehensive ATS and recruiting software suite in its plan. Their strategy consists of four parts:
- Company Website for Custom Careers (aka job posts embedded on your website with the code provided by BirdDogHR)
- Employee Recommendations
- Job Postings
- Integration of social media
To expand on the Job Postings included, while the names of the Job Postings were not disclosed, their reps told me that they “push out to all the usual free and small fee Job Postings” and include up to 350 of those in their systems. They also have paid options with several of the larger partners like LinkedIn. This is pretty similar to BambooHR, except it sounds like even more of an expansive reach, which can be a huge advantage if you have had a tough time recruiting for your small business.
The following is how BirdDogHR recruits and tracks applicants:
- From inside the system, you may post job vacancies.
- Your jobs will then post to Job Postings and your careers’ portal, plus any social media platforms you integrate to BirdDogHR. You can also send it to your employees to share with their networks.
- Then, from the hiring managers engaged to how prospects apply, you can tailor every aspect of the application process.
- In the system, you may email, arrange interviews, and rate applicants.
- You may also choose from a variety of assessment and background checks/drug screening alternatives, which are only available via BirdDogHR. This might make BirdDogHR a prominent choice for firms that need background checks, such as financial services.
Aside from the evaluations and background checks/drug screenings, BirdDogHR also provides certain add-on reporting aspects, such as Affirmative Action Planning and EEOC diversity monitoring, that may be turned on or off depending on your business size.
Aside from the evaluations and background checks/drug screenings, BirdDogHR also provides certain add-on reporting aspects, such as Affirmative Action Planning and EEOC diversity monitoring, that may be turned on or off depending on your business size.
In this arena, Namely works with nine firms, including:
- iCims
- JazzHR
- Jobvite
- Greenhouse
- Lever
- The Manager of the Applicant
- Workable
- Comeet
- JobScore
Namely has no plans to grow into recruitment and applicant monitoring; this might be a deal-breaker for businesses with high turnover or frequent recruiting requirements, in which case BambooHR or BirdDogHR would be a better match.
Features of Performance Management
Features of Performance Management
The performance management module was strong in all three software systems. They were all simple to operate and had similar characteristics.
BambooHR: BambooHR offers a performance management system as an add-on module for $1 per additional employee every month, making it the better value for money than BirdDogHR and Namely. Although their appearances are considerably different, BambooHR’s performance module is fairly comparable to both BirdDogHR’s and Namely’s.
BambooHR, as seen in the picture below, makes performance management simple to set up owing to a simple timeline function and other basic features.
You have the option to customize:
- Who is included in the module on performance management?
- Goals, peer feedback, and 360-degree evaluations may then be turned on or off (aka self and manager assessment)
- You may then establish a review schedule straight away.
The bottom section of the page (which isn’t visible in the photo) also allows you to create a broad template of organization-wide performance, which you can then adjust for each individual, which is comparable to the setup of both BirdDogHR and Namely.
If you currently use Bullseye Engagement or Performance Pro for your performance management, BambooHR can integrate with them as well.
Here’s an example of how you’d set up the various aspects of performance management for your team:
BirdDogHR: For no additional cost, BirdDogHR includes a comprehensive performance management tool. The following items are included in the module:
- Forms for managing performance in an infinite number of ways
- A competence database
- A grading system that may be customized
- The capacity to do 360-degree reviews
- Employees’ capacity to do self-reviews
- The authority to make new workers go through probationary periods.
- The “in” performance assessments these days are 9 box grid evaluations. They function as a visual representation of a person’s performance and are useful for comparing personnel.
We don’t have any screenshots of the BirdDogHR performance management part, but it seems to be just as simple to use as BambooHR. Their team was also eager to integrate performance feedback and training in the setup process for this module.
Namely: Like the other two softwares, Namely includes a full performance management system in its package. There is no additional charge for this product on top of the contract payments, and that is one of the reasons Namely was founded in the first place.
The performance management system at Namely comprises the following features:
- Employee profiles should be able to monitor abilities, experience, learning, and certifications.
- Any method of goal setting that allows you to monitor OKRs, KPIS, values, or whatever you choose to name them works!
- Self-evaluations
- Only the manager reads the reviews.
- Peer evaluations
- 360-degree evaluations
I don’t have any screenshots of Namely’s performance management module, as I don’t have any for BirdDogHR. For both managers and workers, Namely’s performance management looked to be as simple and straightforward as BirdDogHR and BambooHR.
Features Not Included
Our 3 talent management system software options all had excellent and unique Features Not Included that could make them a perfect fit for your small business. We highly recommend considering these features when making a talent management software choice.
BambooHR: BambooHR’s unique features are really driven by process and efficiency, which is their main premise to their entire system. These Features Not Included include:
- Charting of the organization is presented.
- BambooHR is bilingual, supporting seven languages, and employees may choose their preferred language.
- The firm assets page is where you may keep track of your company’s assets. If you supply computers or other technology to your staff, this is really handy.
- From how to offer a promotion to how to gain clearance for acquiring equipment, you may establish bespoke processes and approvals to save time on everything.
- They offer a fantastic reporting dashboard with the ability to build bespoke reports.
BambooHR’s added features would be ideal for a software firm or any firm that places a high priority on time, efficiency, and procedure. It’s a system that allows you to put things up and forget about them since they’ll operate on their own.
BirdDogHR: BirdDogHR has also has a few unique Features Not Included that work well for companies that need regular training – like a call center, large retailer, or manufacturing plant.
BirdDogHR’s Features Not Included include:
- Employee Onboarding— BirdDogHR offers comprehensive employee onboarding with document storage, replete with configurable processes.
- Ad Hoc Reporting—these may be tailored, scheduled, and distributed to anyone needs them through email.
- Learning Management System (LMS) is an add-on module with two levels: one with 40 online courses and the other with over 100. Learning management in BirdDogHR is a fantastic option for companies that need frequent training or job diversity.
- If you have staff who have licenses, you may program in their licenses and expiry dates, as well as reminders to renew them ahead of time.
Here’s an example of the employee onboarding procedures handled by BirdDogHR:
Namely: If you are a business looking for an all-in-one HR solution, the Features Not Included section is where Namely stands out over BambooHR and BirdDogHR. While the other two systems have useful Features Not Included, Namely instead has crucial features like payroll and benefits.
The notable Features Not Included of Namely are:
- Payroll Provider— Namely is a full-service payroll company that handles filings in all 50 states.
- Benefit Provider— Namely, as an independent insurance broker, is a full-service benefits enrollment company.
- Employee Engagement— Namely features a Facebook-style feed that can be personalized for each firm and is highly engaging for workers, including conversations, birthdays, and other types of postings.
- Employee Onboarding— Onboarding with Namely is a template-driven procedure that you can set and forget. For new staff, the system will operate itself.
Customer Service
Customer Service
BambooHR: BambooHR’s Customer Service has phone support, email support and live chat support available from 8am – 6pm MST, Mon-Fri. Even though they do not work on weekends, I found the Customer Service at BambooHR to be excellent. The reviews around the web say the same about their customer service: above & beyond at all costs to make the customer happy.
Customer Service
Customer Service
Namely: Namely gets an edge on both BirdDogHR and BambooHR with its 24/7 email and phone Customer Service. Neither of the other 2 systems is available 24 hours per day, every day. This could be a big advantage for you if you have a complex schedule or if you know you will also be using it for payroll and benefits.While we didn’t have any exposure to customer service, the ratings online of their customer service are very good, similar to the other two softwares. They are efficient, easy to work with, and resolve your issues quickly, according to various review websites. This is not surprising since the people who did my setup and demo were also professional, friendly, and quick to resolve anything I wanted to know.
Alternatives to Talent Management Software
While we can’t cover every piece of software available, we wanted to call attention to some of the other talent management system players:
What Is Talent Management Software and How Does It Work?
Applicant tracking, recruitment, HR features like onboarding, and performance management should all be covered by talent management system software, which should be an all-in-one solution for hiring, training, and keeping your staff.
This includes, for example:
- Job postings & career website
- System for tracking applications (ATS)
- Candidate ranking, notes, and interview schedule
- Onboarding new employees (once they are hired)
- Performance management & goal setting
- Compensation evaluation
- Promotions or strategies to increase performance
- Employee education
- Getting off the boat (once an employee quits or is fired)
Getting off the boat (once an employee quits or is fired)
Now we’re looking into personnel management system software to give a more advanced option for our bigger company readers with 25 or more workers that are fast expanding.
Final Thoughts
If your small firm is developing quickly, and you don’t anticipate it slowing down anytime soon, talent management system software is a terrific solution. The program may save you time on recruitment, performance management, and onboarding, as well as serve as a solid foundation for a small company HR department.
The “effective talent management system” is a tool that can help small businesses find their best employees. The tool also helps to build a culture of collaboration and transparency.
Related Tags
- talent management systems
- talent management tools
- talent management vendors
- talent management program
- workday talent management
