Regardless of what kind of business or organization you’re running, if you’re at the head of a team of people, then you need to be able to lead them. Not only does this mean ensuring that they have goals to meet and the tools to complete their work, but it also means taking care of their needs and your legal obligations to them.
This is where the right HR software suite can come in handy. Here, we’re going to look at a host of options at your disposal. The right HR software is all about choosing the suite that meets your specific needs, so let’s break down some of the best out there.
Unit4 – The Public Sector Solution
Many of the available HR suites out there speak to the needs of private businesses of all sizes and shapes. However, if you’re managing a local or regional public sector organization, your needs are going to be quite different indeed.
Unit4 is a public sector-driven solution that can help you manage your workforce, simplifying payroll and increasing talent engagement, development, and retention across the board. It also offers financial and accounting tools, making it a lot easier to manage the entire back-office needs of the organization from one suite.
Pros:
- Cloud/SaaS deployment eliminates the need for extensive infrastructure and improves scalability
- Its unique financial planning and analytics tools provide options for public scenario planning and what-if modeling.
- Shared platform solution to enhance collaboration with other authorities.
Cons:
- It can be complex for new users
- The system is scalable and configurable, but extensive customizations can cost more.
PeopleHR – A Highly Modular Small Business Solution
Although based in the UK, PeopleHR is designed for use (and is used widely) by small businesses in the US and across the globe, as well. With small businesses in mind, it aims to be affordable and also as transparent in its costs as possible, allowing users to pick only the functions that they need.
This includes features like onboarding, performance management, payroll, talent acquisition, and more. It’s an agile and lightweight option that’s able to handle core HR functions well for growing businesses, while keeping it as cost-effective as possible.
Pros:
- Highly predictable cost structure, no paying for unused features
- Designed to provide an easy user experience for HR staff and employees alike
- Mobile access and self-service reduce HR burden.
Cons:
- It does have some features that are more UK-centric, so it’s important to make sure it meets your own regulatory needs.
- Reporting and analytics are less advanced than some of the other options presented here.
Remote – The Remote/Hybrid-Friendly Option
The HR needs of smaller businesses might not be quite as extensive as those of other organizations, but they can still be complex and require specific solutions.
To that end, Remote is a global HR and payroll platform that offers a host of features that hire internationally or have remote/hybrid workforces. It also has built-in features for those who work with contractors, ensuring that all of your labor needs are met with precision.
Pros:
- Has good features for regulatory compliance across different countries.
- Employee self-service features make it require less admin in general.
- Transparent workflows and dashboards to make managing payroll and compliance in one suite.
Cons:
- Global features might be underutilized for businesses that only operate in one country or region.
- Not as customizable as some of the other tools mentioned here.
Sage People – Tools For The Companies On Their Way To Growth
A lot of businesses find themselves in the mid-point of scaling from a small business to a larger one, and how they manage that transition can determine the survival of their business.
Sage People helps to adapt and grow the HR needs of businesses that are on their way towards becoming medium-sized or international businesses, focusing on streamlining HR operations, improving employee engagement, managing talent, and gathering analytics for improved decision-making.
It’s worth noting that Sage also provides Sage HR, which is an HR software suite designed for small businesses with fewer than 200 employees.
Pros:
- User-friendly automation of HR tasks across the board, such as leave approvals and document alerts.
- Strong analytics help managers track metrics, performance reviews, and development plans
- Integrates with other Sage software solutions, such as their accounting software.
Cons:
- Cost tends to increase when adding more users, often non-linearly, making it more expensive as you grow.
- Doesn’t offer the same level of UI/UX polish as some of the other software suites mentioned here.
NetSuite SuitePeople – Scalable Features For Mid-To-Large Enterprises
At a certain point, small business software simply doesn’t work for the needs of a scaling business. Enterprise resource planning software like NetSuite SuitePeople is designed for businesses of more than 200 employees, managing workforce shift scheduling, hour tracking, wage calculation, and a host of other features.
It also merges HR with financial and operational data, as the three tend to get more and more intertwined the bigger your organization. As such, scalability is built in, allowing businesses to worry less about how an increasing headcount will affect their setup.
It’s also one of the more customizable suites out there, with a lot of room for additional modules to meet further needs, though these will come at a cost.
Pros:
- Having a single HR and finance tool reduces duplicate data, errors, and improves efficiency.
- Strong analytics for monitoring KPIs across the whole team
- Automation of tasks like leave requests and address changes frees up the HR team’s time.
Cons:
- Setup requires a lot of time and financial investment.
- Interface and workflows are significantly more complex than other tools, typically requiring dedicated HR users.
Which HR Suite Works Best For You?
When you’re looking to pick the best HR suite for your business, there’s a lot you should consider. The integrations it offers, user-friendliness, and employee experience are all important, but you should also think about whether it’s well-suited to your organization’s size, niche, industry, or sector.
Hopefully, the above recommendations point you in the right direction.
Article and permission to publish here provided as Contributed Content. Originally written for Supply Chain Game Changer and published on October 4, 2025.
Cover image provided by pexels.com.