First published on Wednesday, August 6, 2025
Last updated on Wednesday, August 6, 2025
You’ve started a small business. And it’s a success! One day you’re on your own, and the next you’ve built a team. Suddenly, you’re the CEO, the HR department, finance person, safety coordinator, and everything in between. So how can you make people management simpler?
HR software is one way to ease the burden. But with different providers promising the earth, how do you choose? Read our no-nonsense guide to the questions you should be asking:
How much does it cost?
Great question. Price is always top of the list. Even if you’ve set a budget, consider what you’re getting for it. Your HR software should let you track absences, manage rotas, and securely store your documents. But what if it could help you get on top of health & safety compliance, provide legal documentation, and support staff wellbeing as well?
Find a provider who offers transparent pricing, optional add-ons, and no growth penalties. After all, you want your business to succeed, and so should your provider.
How many apps am I going to need?
One. Your HR platform should be integrated with your payroll, health & safety, e-learning and people management software. Your staff rotas don’t need to be on a spreadsheet or scribbled down and sent out on a WhatsApp. You shouldn’t need to flick between apps to log overtime – and nor should your teams.
Is it easy-to-use?
Always yes. Your HR software should be user-friendly on desktop and mobile. With remote staff, shift work or multiple locations, you can’t be everywhere at once. You should be up to date even if you’re on the beach, at the match or at home.
Think about how long the software will take to learn. What if different people want different things from it? Choose a platform that lets your employees easily add overtime or complete training. It should also help you access legal advice or report a near miss.
Is it really going to save time?
Yes, if you look for a simple platform, with flexible features. HR software should cover employee data management like holidays, absences, shifts and rotas, and give you secure data storage. And it should make it easy and quick. But there’s more your HR software can do, if you need it.
Want to know where your employees are? Think about clocking in and out software. Work in construction or catering? Find a provider that offers health & safety documentation, advice on compliance and e-learning courses. Struggling with payroll? Most HR providers offer payroll administration, but only some will manage the whole lot for you: payslips, deductions, HMRC reporting and processing.
But don’t pay for what you don’t need. Try to find a provider that will give you reliable, secure and time-saving people management software first, and will work with you to see what else you need.
What happens if I need help?
Everyone knows a helpdesk call can often make or break your day. Consider a provider that gives you 24/7 support, either over the phone with a UK-based advisor or with a chatbot that’s genuinely helpful – and written by a human!
What’s the BrightHR difference?
We want you to think about what you want from your HR software, how you’re going to use it, and where you want your business to go. If you need honest advice about that, give us a call.
Our competitors will give you software to manage HR yourself. That’s great if that’s what you need. But BrightHR go further:
Managed payroll: We run it, you approve it
24/7 advice: We research employment law, you get answers
Policy templates: We write them, you use them
Risk assessments: We provide templates, you stay compliant
Think back to why you wanted to look at HR providers. Do you dread Sunday’s rota spreadsheets? Fear Monday morning calls for sickness? Worry about spot checks for health & safety compliance?
If your current provider isn’t doing it for you and you’re thinking about a switch, we’ll give you a FREE live data migration*, dedicated onboarding and training, and a Switch Guarantee that you won’t pay twice on your old contract.*
Find out what BrightHR can do for you and book a free demo with us here.
*T&Cs Apply - https://www.brighthr.com/switch-hr-provider/#term
