The Best HRMS…. and Why There Is No Such Thing

There are currently a large number of HRMS software vendors delivering a variety of HRMS applications for companies large and small. Many of these claim to offer the most robust, flexible or cost effective solution. How can you discover which is the best HRMS to implement? Which will deliver the most value in the future? For better or for worse, the answer is: it depends! There is no one-size-fits-all “best” HRMS. Finding the best HRMS for your company depends on the context, so it’s a matter of finding the software that meets your company’s needs.

If you are a large multi-national or Fortune 500 Company, a global solution that can accommodate large employee populations may your best HRMS solution. Limited system downtime may be crucial. However, a small company with a limited international footprint may prefer the more specialized services of a local provider and will be less concerned over system downtime or outages.

A global company will be more interested in an HRMS vendor who offers built-in global functionality, while a smaller company may consider such functionality to be a lower priority. For example, if your company does business in France, your French HR will usually need to track the training activities of employees. This is necessary in order to produce the 2483 French training report for the government. If you have no French locations, this global functionality is of little or no regard for your company. The best HRMS has suddenly become location-dependent.

A Perilous Quest

Company culture or expected system users is also something to consider when identifying your perfect HRMS solution. A mobile workforce or a tech company will expect more online and mobile functionality, while a more traditional industry such as manufacturing may find an on-premise installation more appealing.

If a company has requirements such as online expenses, travel requests, etc., then the HRMS needs to offer similar functionality online, such as entering and approving performance reviews with automated workflow and reminders. In a manufacturing environment where employees do not have access to a PC, online performance reviews may not be relevant, but instead the HRMS needs to interface employee demographic and training data to the workforce planning system to ensure that the appropriately skilled workers can be assigned to the right shifts and tasks.

These examples have focussed on company-to-company differences, but the quest for the best HRMS becomes even more perilous when you consider the differences of requirements among departments, managers and users.

As you can see, there are many variables to consider to be able to choose the ‘best’ HRMS, but understanding your requirements and available HRMS options is a first step on your HRMS selection journey.