Categories   >   Performance Evaluation Systems
Last Reviewed: November 15th, 2024

Best Performance Evaluation Systems Of 2024

What are Performance Evaluation Systems?

Performance evaluation systems are the frameworks and software businesses use to assess employee performance. Think of them as a structured approach to ditching gut feelings and basing decisions on concrete data. These systems tackle subjectivity and inconsistency in evaluations, ensuring fairness and clear expectations for employees. Benefits include improved employee motivation, targeted development opportunities, and better-informed decisions about promotions and compensation. Key functionalities involve setting performance goals, providing regular feedback, and conducting formal reviews. Emerging features focus on continuous feedback models and self-service options for employees to track their progress. Performance evaluation systems are valuable for all organizations, but especially those with a focus on professional development and data-driven decision making. While some solutions might be complex to set up, the overall value proposition is undeniable. They empower businesses to create a culture of performance, cultivate engaged employees, and achieve strategic objectives.

What Are The Key Benefits of Performance Evaluation Systems?

  • Reduced Bias & Inconsistency
  • Clear Performance Expectations
  • Improved Employee Motivation
  • Targeted Development Opportunities
  • Data-Driven Performance Decisions
  • Fair & Transparent Evaluations
  • Enhanced Employee Engagement
  • Continuous Performance Feedback
  • Improved Employee Retention
  • Stronger Alignment with Business Goals
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Overall

Based on the latest available data collected by SelectHub for 44 solutions, we determined the following solutions are the best Performance Evaluation Systems overall:

Reflektive
Reflektive
Start Price
$7,500
Monthly
Company Size
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Why We Picked Reflektive

Reviews of Reflektive highlight its user-friendly interface, flexibility, and effectiveness in streamlining performance reviews and fostering a feedback-rich culture. One user enthusiastically described Reflektive as a "game-changer," praising its ability to simplify performance reviews and cultivate a more feedback-oriented environment. Another user lauded Reflektive as the most user-friendly performance management software they've encountered, emphasizing its ease of setup and use, along with its significant contribution to improving their performance management processes.

While Reflektive receives accolades for its strengths, users also point out areas for improvement. Some users note the absence of a feature for comparing performance across quarters without opening multiple tabs, as well as the lack of an autosave function. Additionally, occasional bugs in the Outlook app and minor issues with single sign-on have been reported. Despite these drawbacks, the overall sentiment toward Reflektive remains positive, with users consistently praising its ease of use, customizability, and ability to enhance performance management practices. The software's integration with Outlook, allowing users to give and receive feedback, prepare for check-ins, and update goals directly within their email client, is a standout feature that sets Reflektive apart from competitors like BetterUp.

Reflektive is well-suited for organizations of all sizes seeking to improve their performance management processes. Its user-friendly interface, flexibility, and effectiveness in facilitating feedback and goal setting make it a valuable tool for both small businesses and large enterprises. However, it's important to note that software capabilities and user experiences can evolve, so it's always a good idea to check for the latest information and reviews before making a decision.

Pros & Cons

  • User-Interface: The solution has a straightforward and streamlined user interface, according to 61% of users. It’s intuitive and facilitates easy navigation.
  • Goal Management: According to 85% of users who reviewed this pro, it has advanced goal management features to align user goals with the organizational goals.
  • Performance Management: About 80% of users who mentioned this pro said the solution has excellent performance management capabilities to facilitate employee engagement.
  • Better Collaboration and Feedback Management: Regarding this feature, approximately 100% of users said it encourages better collaboration with co-workers. It enables unbiased feedback delivery within the team.
  • Calibration Tools: Users have expressed a desire for more robust features to facilitate calibration meetings, specifically the ability to view and compare employee performance ratings side-by-side.
  • Goal Management: The platform's goal-setting functionality has been noted as an area for improvement, with users finding it somewhat cumbersome and lacking the flexibility needed for effective goal management.
  • Performance Review Process: Some users have found the performance review process to be rigid and lacking in customization options, making it difficult to tailor the system to their specific needs and preferences.

Key Features

  • Feedback Tools:  Facilitate a culture of continuous feedback. Write feedback in Outlook, Slack or Gmail and post it on the recognition wall for the whole team to read and use. Filter to see the information relevant to the users. View historical feedback and plug data directly into performance reviews. 
  • Goal Management: Set goals as public or private, view goal reports, use check-ins to pull up goals and talk about progress, recall real-time feedback for visibility and adjust goals as needed. 
  • Check-Ins: The check-in feature allows managers to construct questions for their employees to answer. It facilitates light conversations between managers and employees. 
  • Analytics and Reporting: Access data and visual reports by department, location and other sub-groups. Uncover biases, pinpoint achievements and view compensation information. 
  • Performance Reviews: Create performance reviews with anonymity settings and the option to customize question types. The system autosaves reviews and displays them in an intuitive format. It integrates with technologies such as BambooHR and Workday. 
  • 1:1 Meetings: Talk through Slack, email, Reflektive or mobile devices to set 1:1 agendas. Track conversations by date, follow-up on past items, use the system’s conversation starters and mark topics as discussed. Users can tie 1:1s back to goals and feedback. 
  • Employee Engagement: The employee engagement module provides anonymous surveys for employees to submit feedback on your organization. Gain access to HR insights with year-round surveys and polls. 
Betterworks
Betterworks
Start Price
$7
Per User, Monthly
Company Size
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Deployment
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Platform
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Why We Picked Betterworks

Betterworks receives praise for its user-friendly interface and intuitive goal-setting features. Users appreciate the platform's ability to align individual goals with broader company objectives, fostering a sense of purpose and direction. The software's feedback tools facilitate continuous performance conversations, promoting employee development and engagement. However, some users note that the mobile app's functionality is limited compared to the desktop version. Additionally, while Betterworks integrates with various HR systems, some users desire more extensive integration options.

Betterworks distinguishes itself through its emphasis on continuous performance management and employee engagement. The platform's features encourage regular feedback, goal setting, and progress tracking, creating a culture of ongoing development and improvement. This focus on employee-centric performance management sets Betterworks apart from traditional performance review systems that often rely on annual or bi-annual evaluations. Consequently, Betterworks is well-suited for organizations seeking to cultivate a culture of feedback, growth, and employee engagement. The platform's flexibility and customization options make it adaptable to various company sizes and industries, particularly those with a modern approach to performance management.

Pros & Cons

  • Goal Alignment: Aligns individual goals with broader company objectives, fostering a sense of purpose and direction among employees.
  • Continuous Feedback: Enables regular feedback exchanges between managers and employees, promoting ongoing development and improvement.
  • Performance Calibration: Facilitates objective performance assessments by mitigating bias through calibration sessions.
  • Development Plans: Supports the creation of personalized development plans to help employees enhance their skills and knowledge.
  • Calibration Issues: Some users have expressed concerns about potential biases during the calibration process, where managers discuss and adjust employee performance ratings to ensure fairness and consistency. Ensuring objectivity and mitigating bias in calibration sessions is crucial for maintaining trust and fairness in the performance management system.
  • Goal Management Challenges: Users have mentioned that setting and aligning goals within Betterworks can be cumbersome, particularly when dealing with intricate organizational structures or complex goal hierarchies. Streamlining the goal-setting process and providing clear guidance on goal alignment can enhance the user experience and promote effective goal management.
  • Limited Customization: Betterworks offers a range of features and functionalities, but some users have noted limitations in customizing the platform to meet their specific needs and preferences. Providing greater flexibility and customization options would empower organizations to tailor the platform to their unique performance management processes and requirements.

Key Features

  • Goals Alignment: Foster individual goal alignment with organization objectives and key results (OKRs) or the FAST goal methodology and quarterly progress reviews. It allows users to quickly view the most pertinent information and interact with goal progress on the activity stream. Integrations to Slack and other applications allow users to bring goal management into their workflow. 
  • Conversations, Feedback and Recognition: Automate goal alignment conversations, regular goal check-ins and career development conversations. Templates for each type of conversation are provided for managers and can be customized by department, job level and business objectives. Conversations can consist of free text and quantitative sources. Peer feedback may be requested or scheduled at any time.  
  • Calibration: Manage talent calibration and succession planning with an intuitive drag-and-drop box UI. Users can filter by department, level, job type, gender and more to provide up-to-date information concerning employee performance and development. 
  • Engagement: Betterworks acquired Hyphen, an employee voice and engagement platform, which has expanded system capabilities to provide automated surveys and polls. They can be configured to reach specific teams or the entire organization; time or event-based launch triggers allow you to customize frequency. The system enables users to create custom action plans based on real-time survey results. Polls help to identify emerging trends and create action plans quickly. 
  • Insights and Analytics: The system allows users to gather talent insights into engagement, career development and manager effectiveness. The input integrates with your HRIS to encourage a smooth flow of processes. 
Performance Pro
Performance Pro
Start Price
$2
Per Employee, Monthly
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked Performance Pro

Is Performance Pro a real performance "pro"? Performance Pro is a customizable and automated performance management platform that helps businesses manage talent. It offers features like performance reviews, compensation management, and succession planning. Users praise its user-friendliness and customizability, particularly the ability to tailor content libraries with competencies and tools for meaningful feedback and goal setting. This empowers employees to take ownership of their professional development and aligns goals with strategic objectives, boosting performance and achievement across the organization.

However, some users have pointed out limitations. They desire more robust reporting functionalities and integrations with other HR systems. Despite these drawbacks, Performance Pro stands out for its focus on driving employee development and aligning individual goals with organizational objectives. This makes it ideal for businesses prioritizing talent development and performance improvement. Its customizable features cater to various organizational needs and sizes, making it a versatile solution for businesses seeking to streamline performance management processes and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Pros & Cons

  • Streamlined Goal Setting: Performance Pro simplifies the process of setting goals and aligning them with organizational objectives, making it easier for managers and employees to track progress and measure success.
  • Enhanced Performance Reviews: The platform offers tools for conducting more effective performance reviews, including customizable templates, 360-degree feedback, and performance analytics, enabling managers to provide more meaningful feedback and development opportunities.
  • Improved Employee Engagement: Performance Pro fosters a culture of continuous feedback and development, which can lead to increased employee engagement and motivation.
  • Data-Driven Insights: The platform provides valuable data and insights into employee performance, allowing organizations to make more informed decisions about talent management.
  • Difficult to Use: Users have reported that the platform is not intuitive and requires extensive training to use effectively. This can lead to frustration and wasted time for HR staff and employees.
  • Limited Functionality: Some users have expressed disappointment with the limited functionality of Performance Pro, particularly in areas such as compensation management and succession planning. This can make it difficult for organizations to fully leverage the platform for their talent management needs.
  • Poor Customer Support: Several users have cited poor customer support as a major drawback of Performance Pro. They have reported long wait times, unhelpful responses, and a lack of follow-up from the support team.

Key Features

  • Performance Management:  
    • Pay For Performance: Grant monetary rewards as employees reach their goals using tools such as merit budget allocation, competitive salary data and automated merit increase modeling. 
    • Automation: Create multiple workflows to orchestrate evaluations, employee development and check-ins, customize definitions for ratings, competency and weightings and use single sign-on capabilities. 
    • Goal Management: Set workplace performance goals and track progress by receiving updates. Store and view goals in the goal library and repository. 
    • Feedback: Provide timely evaluations in between annual reviews using real-time feedback tools and 360 views. Keep up to date with reviews by receiving check-in reminders and notifications. 
  • Compensation Management:  
    • Market Data: Attract top talent with credible salary data, salary grades and ranges and a step-by-step job evaluation process. 
    • Equal Pay: Capitalize on external market data, professional compensation consultants and internal salary range benchmarking to identify equal pay for equal work. Use market adjustments to structure compensation based on internal and external market factors. 
    • Merit Pay Modeling: Produce and compare merit paying models based on performances based on company budgets, allocations to managers and automated merit and bonus approvals. 
    • Pay For Performance: Classify top performers and potential flight risks using in-depth analytical tools. Create discretionary merit plans and plans that recognize head contributors. 
    • Automation: Automate job evaluation and benchmarking, merit scenario planning and annual salary updates to reduce the need for manual compensation processes. 
  • Learning Management:  
    • Career Development Plan: Develop employee skills along suitable learning paths based on current and future positions. Tailor training with specific courses and use knowledge retention tools to test and apply what employees have learned. 
    • Learning Program: Kickstart new hires into the business with customizable vision, mission and organizational culture lessons and learning paths to develop fundamental skills on products and services. Use assignment and tracking tools for required and role-based classes. 
    • Learning Content: Choose from over 1,000 courses from a library and select them based on skill areas such as HR, IT, sales and more. Personalize learning with the integrated course authoring system. 
PerformYard
PerformYard
Start Price
$5
Per User, Monthly
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked PerformYard

Stepping into the realm of performance management software, PerformYard emerges as a compelling contender, capturing the attention of users with its user-friendly interface and adaptable framework. Reviews highlight its intuitive design, making it accessible even for those with limited technical expertise. This ease of use is a significant advantage, as it allows teams to quickly adopt and utilize the software without a steep learning curve.

PerformYard's flexibility further distinguishes it from competitors. The software's ability to conform to the unique requirements of diverse organizations empowers users to tailor it to their specific workflows and performance evaluation processes. This adaptability ensures that PerformYard seamlessly integrates into existing systems, rather than forcing organizations to conform to rigid software structures. Additionally, PerformYard offers a comprehensive suite of features encompassing goal setting, performance reviews, and compensation management, providing a holistic solution for performance management needs. Users particularly appreciate the goal-setting functionality, which facilitates clear communication and alignment between employees and managers.

While PerformYard receives widespread acclaim, some users note that certain reporting functions could be more intuitive. However, these minor drawbacks are overshadowed by the software's overall strengths. PerformYard is an ideal choice for organizations seeking a user-friendly, adaptable, and feature-rich performance management solution. Its intuitive design, flexibility, and comprehensive features make it suitable for businesses of all sizes and across various industries.

Pros & Cons

  • Usability: The solution is easy to use, according to 100% of users. It’s easy to navigate with icons and a concise dashboard.
  • Customer Support: According to 100% of users who reviewed this pro, the customer support team is responsive and knowledgeable. The team provides excellent training and guidance to the users.
  • Performance Management: About 100% of users who mentioned this pro said it has excellent performance management capabilities. The ability to provide timely reviews and feedback about employee performance is outstanding.
  • Goal Management: Regarding this feature, approximately 84% of users said that creating, tracking and managing goals is straightforward. Users can produce measurable and consistent goals for the employees that can be customized and updated at any time according to the business needs.
  • Calibration: Users have expressed frustration with the calibration tools, finding them to be cumbersome and lacking the desired level of intuitiveness for effectively managing performance reviews.
  • Integrations: The platform's integration capabilities with other HR and business systems have been a point of contention for some users, as they may require additional configuration or customization to achieve seamless data flow.
  • Reporting: Users have noted limitations in the reporting functionality, particularly in generating customized reports or accessing granular data for in-depth performance analysis.

Key Features

  • Performance Reviews: Allows users to customize performance reviews with a variety of question types to choose from. Set a cadence for review cycles and enable email reminders. A live progress dashboard provides an overview so that users can track review progress and check on participation levels. Performance reviews may incorporate 360s, input from people across the organization, as well as external input.  
  • Goal Management: Break down goals based on their owner, expectation, timeline and contributions with the visual goal cascade feature. These classifications help with assigning responsibilities and breaking the goal into separate, actionable steps. Individual goals have a repository for updates, feedback and collaboration. Users can link goals to reviews. 
  • Continuous Feedback: Provide recognition for employees on the activity stream, provide 1:1 feedback that can be shared with employees’ managers and follow-up with them throughout their time at the organization. Users can inform managers about employee performance with a full track record of their team that can be filtered by date, contributor and type. Users can write private performance notes. 
  • Reporting: Automatically generate reports and visualizations for goals and review data. Reporting also includes review cycle dashboards, a stacked bar chart, performance values nine-box grid, segmented reports, performance trends and custom form reports. 
  • General HR: Access a couple of general HR features such as onboarding workflows, document storage, company directory, enterprise security, activity logs and employee data. 
  • Automation: Leverage automation for email reminders, single sign-on implementation, E-Signature capabilities and more. All employee data is automatically collected, encrypted and stored within the system. Managers can distribute reviews with one click as well as export them to PDF. 
  • Integrations: ntegrates with ADP, BambooHR, Slack, G Suite, Office 365, Okta and OneLogin. These integrations provide synchronicity of business processes, mitigating the need to log into several applications every morning. 
Performance Culture
Performance Culture
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Key Features

  • Performance Analysis: Employees can provide managers with a perspective of their performance review through self-assessment. Managers can access employee information in a centralized location to improve the quality of performance feedback. 
  • 360-Degree Feedback: Access valuable insights about management, teams and employee performance with both peer and external feedback. Summary reports for all types of feedback also available. 
  • Check-Ins: Adjust check-in cycles and access reports for check-ins to analyze the quality of check-ins. 
  • Recognition: Appreciate high-performing employees and share recognition on the organization dashboard. Access an employees’ recognition for the entire year on their performance review. 
  • Goals: Manage OKRs and monitor individual, team, department and organizational goals with activity logs and integrated check-ins. 
  • Reporting: Analyze performance reports for employees, teams and managers to recognize and reward high-performing employees, which helps improve employee engagement. Track at-risk or near completion goals as well. 
  • Surveys: Track employee engagement and analyze workplace satisfaction to increase retention with surveys and filtered reports. 
  • Content Library: Build and track learning processes while gaining efficiency with reminders and reporting. 
  • Integrations: Integrate seamlessly using API and SFTP with platforms like ADP, Kronos, BambooHR and more. 
15Five
15Five
Start Price
$6
Per User, Monthly
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked 15Five

Navigating the sea of performance management software can feel overwhelming, but 15Five emerges as a compelling option with a range of features designed to streamline the employee evaluation process. Let's dive into how users over the past year have weighed in on 15Five's strengths, weaknesses, and unique offerings.

15Five receives consistent praise for its user-friendly interface, making it accessible for both managers and employees. The platform's versatility shines through its ability to adapt to various organizational needs, whether it's setting goals, tracking OKRs, or facilitating regular check-ins. Users appreciate the seamless integration with popular HRIS tools like ADP and Workday, as well as productivity apps such as Slack and Microsoft Teams. Affordability is another advantage, with pricing plans that cater to businesses of all sizes. However, some users note that the initial setup can be time-consuming, and mastering all the features may require a learning curve.

In comparison to competitors like Lattice and BambooHR, 15Five stands out with its emphasis on continuous feedback and employee engagement. Features like "High Fives" for peer recognition and pulse surveys for gauging sentiment contribute to a culture of open communication and appreciation. The platform's focus on objectives and key results (OKRs) aligns individual goals with broader company objectives, fostering a sense of purpose and direction. 15Five is particularly well-suited for organizations that prioritize regular feedback, goal alignment, and employee engagement. Its intuitive design and comprehensive features make it a valuable tool for businesses seeking to cultivate a thriving and high-performing workforce.

Pros & Cons

  • Promotes Regular Feedback: The platform encourages consistent communication between managers and their team members through features like weekly check-ins and pulse surveys, which helps to identify and address issues promptly.
  • Streamlines Performance Reviews: 15Five simplifies the performance review process by providing tools for goal setting, progress tracking, and feedback delivery, making it more efficient and less time-consuming for both managers and employees.
  • Enhances Employee Engagement: The platform's focus on continuous feedback and recognition helps employees feel valued and connected to their work, leading to increased engagement and motivation.
  • Provides Valuable Insights: 15Five offers reporting and analytics features that give managers insights into team performance, engagement levels, and potential areas for improvement.
  • Supports Goal Alignment: The platform allows for clear goal setting and tracking, ensuring that individual and team goals are aligned with overall company objectives.
  • Limited Customization: The platform's rigid structure might not accommodate the diverse needs of all organizations, especially those with unique performance review processes or industry-specific requirements.
  • Learning Curve: Users accustomed to traditional performance management systems might find 15Five's approach and interface to be unfamiliar, requiring additional time and effort to adapt.
  • Integrations: The platform's compatibility with existing HR and payroll systems could be a concern for organizations seeking seamless data integration and workflow automation.

Key Features

  • Engagement Surveys: Measure employee growth, productivity and satisfaction with accurate quantitative surveys. Choose from 30 templates with more than 100 question options to craft a survey that fits any company or employee group. 
  • Science-Backed Performance Growth: Uncover insightful data-driven strategies with the platform’s Full Potential Index, a measurement of a maximized employee, group and company. Extrapolate trends and employee insights to create strategies for quantifiable growth on the Full Potential Index. 
  • Supportive Engagement: Offer feedback and celebration with digital High Fives. Establish a public or private recognition strategy for remote and on-site employees, or send an external High Five beyond company scope. 
    • Feedback Opportunities: Increase communication with check-ins and allow employees to raise concerns as well as celebrate successes. 
  • Improved Assessments: Bypass traditional self- and- manager assessments with the Best-Self Review. Focus on strengths and growth areas with quarterly or semi-annually distributed Competency Assessments. 
  • Feedback Initiation: Allow employees to send digital requests to administrators. Specify the type and timing of actionable feedback with positive, constructive and mixed prompts. 
  • Weekly Check-Ins: Schedule two-step, 15-minute check-ins to be completed weekly by employees. Take action with in-app follow-ups, performance reviews, future agendas and at-risk tracking. 
  • Individual Focus: Organize guided 1-on-1s between employees and administrators with templates, talking points and action items to be covered together. Record notes and create OKR action items as managers facilitate discussions. 
Performly Talent
Performly Talent
Start Price
$4
Per User, Monthly
Company Size
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Deployment
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Platform
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Why We Picked Performly Talent

Reviews for Performly Talent over the past year reveal a user base that generally praises its ease of use and its effectiveness in fostering a culture of continuous feedback. Many users, particularly in fast-growing startups and SMBs, appreciate how Performly Talent streamlines the performance management process with features like automated reminders and goal tracking. This allows managers to ditch annual review dread and instead have more frequent, focused conversations with employees, which reviewers note leads to higher morale and engagement. Performly Talent's user-friendly interface is also a hit, with many comparing it favorably to competitors that can feel clunky and complex.

However, some reviewers highlight limitations that may be dealbreakers for certain companies. Performly Talent's customization options are somewhat limited, which can be frustrating for organizations with unique workflows or complex review processes. For instance, a company with a multi-layered review structure requiring input from various stakeholders might find Performly Talent inflexible. Additionally, while Performly Talent offers a mobile app, some users report it lacks the full functionality of the desktop version. This can be a pain point for employees or managers who prefer on-the-go access to performance management tools. Finally, Performly Talent seems to cater best to small and medium-sized businesses. Large enterprises with massive workforces may find its features and reporting capabilities inadequate for handling a high volume of employee data.

In conclusion, Performly Talent shines for startups, SMBs, and any organization seeking a user-friendly and affordable performance management solution. Its focus on continuous feedback and streamlined workflows fosters a more engaged workforce. However, companies with highly customized review processes or very large employee populations might be better suited for a more scalable and feature-rich enterprise solution.

Pros & Cons

  • Streamlines Performance Management: Performly Talent automates tasks like scheduling reviews and collecting feedback, freeing up valuable time for managers and employees. This allows for more frequent check-ins and focused development conversations, leading to a more engaged workforce.
  • Boosts Employee Engagement: Performly Talent facilitates a culture of continuous feedback through features like goal setting and recognition tools. Employees appreciate regular recognition and the ability to track their progress, resulting in higher morale and motivation.
  • Improves Data-Driven Decision Making: Performly Talent tracks performance metrics and generates reports that provide insights into strengths, weaknesses, and development areas. This data can be used to tailor training programs, adjust resource allocation, and make informed choices to benefit both employees and the company.
  • Limited Customization: While user-friendly, Performly Talent's customization options can feel restrictive. This may limit its effectiveness for organizations with unique workflows or complex performance review processes. Imagine a company with a multi-step review process requiring manager and peer approvals. Performly Talent might lack the flexibility to accommodate this specific structure.
  • Focus on SMB Needs: Performly Talent excels for small and medium-sized businesses. However, larger enterprises with extensive workforces may find its features insufficient to manage a high volume of employees. Think of a multinational corporation with thousands of employees spread across the globe. Performly Talent's reporting and data capabilities might struggle to handle such a large scale effectively.
  • Limited Mobile Functionality: While there is a mobile app, some users report it lacks full feature parity compared to the desktop version. This can be frustrating for employees or managers who prefer to access performance management tools on the go. Imagine a manager who wants to provide quick feedback during a client visit but finds the mobile app limited in functionality.

Key Features

  • Goal Setting & Tracking: Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals for individuals and teams. Track progress visually and receive automated reminders to ensure everyone stays on target. Imagine a marketing team setting a goal to increase website traffic by 20% in Q2 – Performly Talent can help them track their progress week-over-week and identify any adjustments needed.
  • 360-Degree Feedback: Gather feedback from managers, peers, subordinates, and even clients to get a holistic view of an employee's performance. This multi-source feedback approach provides a well-rounded perspective and fosters a culture of development.
  • Performance Reviews: Facilitate efficient performance reviews with customizable templates and automated workflows. Managers can easily document achievements, provide feedback, and set development goals – all within the Performly Talent platform.
  • Feedback Management: Encourage a continuous feedback loop by allowing employees to request and receive feedback anytime. This fosters a growth mindset and helps employees understand their strengths and weaknesses on an ongoing basis.
  • Development Plans: Create personalized development plans based on individual performance reviews and feedback. These plans can include specific training courses, mentorship opportunities, or stretch assignments to help employees reach their full potential.
  • Reporting & Analytics: Generate comprehensive reports that provide insights into individual and team performance. These reports can be used to identify trends, track progress towards goals, and make data-driven decisions about talent development.
  • Recognition & Rewards: Recognize and reward employee achievements to boost morale and keep them engaged. Performly Talent allows for public or private recognition, as well as integration with reward programs.
  • Mobile App: Access key Performly Talent features on the go with the mobile app. Employees can review their goals, provide feedback, and stay up-to-date on their performance anytime, anywhere.
  • Integrations: Integrate Performly Talent with your existing HRIS (Human Resource Information System) and other business tools to streamline workflows and centralize employee data.
SuccessFactors
SuccessFactors
Start Price
$10
Per User, Monthly
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked SuccessFactors

SuccessFactors provides full integration with all HR modules and can connect to other SAP solutions, such as finance to materials. With extensive customization, integration and analytics, it can be of great use for planning, developing and implementing HR strategies.

According to our analysts, SAP SuccessFactors scores a 79, leading in applicant tracking and recruiting, document management, and succession management.

It includes AI-assisted screening, LinkedIn applicant prospecting, automated tax documents, succession planning, offline course access and employee lifecycle tracking, helping HR cover core tasks today and plan for the future.

It’s gotten praise for its strong support team, which is responsive and customer-focused, although users sometimes experience delays in resolving issues. The platform excels as a comprehensive HR solution, integrating various functions into a single system that streamlines processes and reduces costs.

While there's a learning curve for most, the majority found it worth the work to centralize all things HR, especially with its AI capabilities. Recent updates have improved the UI design, though some users indicate growing pains with release-related glitches and complex integrations.

SAP SuccessFactors pricing starts at $10 per user per month with a free trial.

SuccessFactors makes recruitment easier with tools for job postings, tracking candidates, evaluating resumes and managing interviews. Its AI-assisted screening matches candidates to job requirements more efficiently.

The onboarding module speeds up the process for new hires by automating paperwork, setting up training and ensuring a smoother transition into the company. Overall, SuccessFactors helps identify and nurture internal talent for future leadership roles, creating a smooth succession plan and minimizing the impact of turnover.

Pros & Cons

  • Support Quality: The support team is highly regarded for its responsiveness and customer service. It’s praised for being helpful and treating customers well, although there can be occasional wait times for resolution.
  • One-Stop-Shop for HR: Most users appreciate the system's ability to integrate various HR functions into a single platform, which can streamline processes and reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO).
  • Goal Setting Flexibility: The learning module is seen as robust and flexible, making it easy to set and manage goals. Users can select from a library of goals or add their own, which facilitates effective goal setting and tracking.
  • Recruitment Management: According to most users, the recruitment module eases the entire process, including job postings, candidate selection, resume evaluation, interview scheduling and offer management. The applicant tracking and AI-assisted screening features were noted for improving time to hire.
  • Getting Started: Many find SAP SuccessFactors complex, especially for new users. The system is described as intricate and sophisticated, leading to a steep initial learning curve.
  • Reporting Woes: Users find the reporting options pretty restricted, with not much room to customize dashboards and reports. This lack of flexibility makes it tough to tailor reports to fit specific needs.
  • User Experience and Interface: The user interface (UI) has received mixed feedback. Some users feel it's outdated and clunky, with hiccups like confusing time-off calculations and cumbersome goal-setting processes.
  • Updates: While the support team is effective at troubleshooting integration issues, some users have experienced release-related breakdowns. On the flip side, other users noted recent updates have improved the UI, making it easier to navigate with new icons and better drill-downs.

Key Features

  • Joule: Use a virtual assistant to guide employees through the feedback process with easy-to-follow steps and prompts. Joule lets employees update their info right away (like location and working hours) without bouncing around multiple screens. It also streamlines promotion requests by guiding managers through the process and setting effective dates.
  • Automatic Tax Document Generation: Generate essential tax documents automatically, reducing administrative workload and ensuring compliance with tax regulations.
  • Payroll: Simplify payroll with automated pay calculations while ensuring compliance with both local and international rules to function globally. Plus, the self-service option lets employees easily access their information.
  • Time and Attendance Management: Automate time-consuming tasks like calculating hours worked and managing absences to make scheduling more efficient.
  • Recruiting and Onboarding: Create profiles, apply for jobs and track applications through a career portal. Employees can share openings and earn rewards for referrals. Recruiters can manage interviews based on candidate availability and location and provide a personalized onboarding experience.
  • Learning and Development: Use the earning management system (LMS) for all your learning needs, from succession planning to career development. It handles assessments, offline courses, training schedules, and tracking employee progress and course completion.
  • Performance and Compensation: Track employee performance to find top talent while providing feedback to help your team set and achieve goals. Reward employees with compensation programs and keep your numbers in line with budget modeling.
  • Workforce Planning: Modeling and analysis features provide insight into financials and scenario-based outcomes. Allocate resources effectively with budget planning, anticipate staffing requirements with workforce forecasting and reduce schedule conflicts with alerts.
  • Personalized Recommendations: The benefits plan recommendation tool offers a personalized ranking of benefits plans, providing employees with tailored recommendations to better meet their specific needs.
  • HR Analytics: Understand your company's data with insights on performance, turnover, diversity and more. Benchmark against peers and analyze HR data in detail. Use dashboards and reports to identify issues and spot trends.
Oracle HCM Cloud
Oracle HCM Cloud
Start Price
$4
Per Employee, Monthly
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Deployment
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Platform
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Why We Picked Oracle HCM Cloud

According to our data, Oracle HCM Cloud leads in succession management, reporting, applicant tracking, and recruiting and payroll management.

Oracle HCM Cloud is tailored to meet diverse human capital management needs across various industries for businesses of all sizes. Users commonly appreciate its seamless integration capabilities and user-friendly mobile access. The platform's robust management features ensure reliable maintenance and security for data privacy.

However, initial setup can be challenging, requiring a learning curve for new users. Feedback from users highlights areas such as referral tracking, interview feedback workflows and job offer processes that lack customization options.

Additionally, some users have noted limitations in the reporting functionality, suggesting room for improvement in data analysis capabilities.

Oracle HCM Cloud operates on a pricing model starting from $4 per employee per month, making it accessible for varying business sizes. It offers a free trial for prospective users to explore before committing.

Training resources include live online sessions, videos and webinars. It also has comprehensive support options such as email, phone, chat, FAQs, forums, a help desk, knowledge base and a ticketing system. 24/7 live support ensures assistance is available whenever needed.

Industries commonly leveraging Oracle HCM Cloud include technology, finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail sectors, benefiting from its scalable solutions and tailored industry-specific functionalities.

Oracle HCM is well-regarded for its user-friendly interface, effective integration of HR functions, and strong customer support. It provides significant benefits in streamlining HR processes and enhancing data reliability.

In contrast, it struggles with customization, mobile application robustness and user communication. The quarterly release cycle can also be a hurdle for some organizations, though it typically becomes more manageable over time.

Organizations with robust in-house IT capabilities are particularly well-positioned to deploy and manage Oracle HCM Cloud effectively, maximizing its potential benefits for their HR management needs.

Pros & Cons

  • Usability: Oracle HCM is praised for its intuitive and visually appealing user interface, which makes it easy for beginners to learn and navigate. The system’s workflows streamline processes, enhancing productivity and minimizing non-value-added work.
  • Functionality and Integration: The tool excels in integrating various HR functions into a single platform, offering good connectivity and the ability to define and execute global templates. This integration supports enhanced analytics, real-time reporting and a unified HR experience across different countries.
  • Customer Support: The sales and technical teams are noted for their people-oriented approach and strong support. Oracle HCM has improved its customer engagement model and actively works to understand and respond to customer feedback.
  • Flexibility and Adaptability: The product's extensible configuration allows it to adapt to an organization’s specific needs, making it easier to tailor the application.
  • Customization Limits: While the system is generally flexible, it has limitations in areas such as user rights management and the ability to introduce new ideas to Oracle Development. There’s room for improvement in how user rights and areas of responsibility are managed.
  • Communication Inconsistency: There is a noted inconsistency in user communication within the app. For example, email notifications and other communication features vary in sophistication, affecting the overall customer experience.
  • Quarterly Releases: The frequency of updates (four times a year) is viewed as too frequent by some users, creating challenges in managing and implementing these updates effectively. While initially challenging, users generally adapt over time.

Key Features

  • Global Human Resources: The software streamlines global, local, and industry-specific needs, driving efficiency across cultures and countries. It offers work-life solutions, an HR help desk, a workforce directory, strategic planning, modeling, predictions, and payroll and benefits management.
  • Employee Information: Employees can manage their personal information, benefit enrollments, absences and leaves, as well as view reimbursement slips and total compensation.
  • Worker Lifecycle: This feature supports end-to-end employee management — hiring, management and termination — keeping applicable legislation and global practices in view.
  • Rule-Driven Processing: The suite helps manage unions, collective labor, worker agreements and policies while staying compliant.
  • Talent Management: The talent management cloud empowers talent lifecycle stages so employers can hire the right people, nurture growth and employee development, manage succession, and more.
  • AI Apps: Artificial intelligence and data-driven functionalities improve the candidate pool quality, increase employee engagement, decrease time to hire and optimize organizational processes.
  • Advanced HCM Controls: This function helps control exception workflows, automate analysis to comply with privacy regulations like GDPR and prevent payroll errors.
  • Workforce Management: Workforce management solutions help talent managers build an agile workforce through effortless time and labor tracking, time calculation, cost control, and managed compliance risks.
NEOGOV
NEOGOV
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Why We Picked NEOGOV

Recent user reviews from the past year suggest that while not flawless, NEOGOV generally hits the mark. Customers rave about its user-friendly interface, making complex HR tasks like onboarding and performance management a breeze. One user, a Human Resources Assistant Director with over two years of experience using the software, praised NEOGOV for its intuitive design, stating that it streamlined their HR processes and eliminated the need for multiple platforms. This ease of use is a key differentiator for NEOGOV, as many competing products are often bogged down by clunky interfaces and convoluted workflows.

However, some users have voiced concerns about NEOGOV's customer support, citing inconsistent experiences and occasional delays in response times. Additionally, a few users have reported the need to find workarounds within the payroll module to ensure accurate information, which can be a pain point for organizations that rely on seamless payroll processing. Despite these hiccups, NEOGOV's strengths in user experience, comprehensive features, and focus on the public sector make it a solid choice for government HR departments looking to streamline their operations and improve efficiency.

Think of it like this: NEOGOV is like a well-organized filing cabinet that makes finding the right document a breeze, but occasionally, you might need to call a helpful colleague to locate a misplaced file. Overall, NEOGOV is best suited for government agencies and public sector organizations seeking a user-friendly and feature-rich HR solution tailored to their specific needs, particularly those who prioritize ease of use and streamlined workflows over lightning-fast customer support.

Pros & Cons

  • User-Friendly Interface: NEOGOV is recognized for its intuitive design, making it easy for HR professionals to navigate and perform tasks efficiently.
  • Streamlined HR Processes: The software centralizes and automates various HR functions, such as recruiting, onboarding, and performance management, reducing manual effort and improving overall efficiency.
  • Comprehensive Features: NEOGOV offers a wide range of features, including applicant tracking, payroll, time and attendance, and benefits administration, catering to the diverse needs of government HR departments.
  • Robust Analytics and Reporting: The software provides insightful data and reporting capabilities, enabling HR professionals to make data-driven decisions and track key metrics.
  • Public Sector Expertise: NEOGOV is specifically designed for the public sector, ensuring compliance with industry regulations and addressing the unique requirements of government organizations.
  • Customer Support Challenges: Some users have reported inconsistent experiences with the responsiveness and effectiveness of NEOGOV's customer support team.
  • Payroll Accuracy Issues: A subset of users have found it necessary to implement workarounds within the payroll module to ensure accurate calculation of wages and deductions.

Key Features

  • Candidate Scoring: Screens candidates automatically. After screening, testing and interview, it produces weighted scores based on customizable criteria to show hiring managers which applicants are the strongest. 
  • ATS Reporting: Offers over 90 reports, ranging from standard and advanced to ad-hoc. Dashboards provide real-time data to stay on top of metrics like job health. Also analyzes recruitment timelines. 
  • Background Checks: Integrates with vendors such as AssureHire, CIC Credit, Verified First, Alliance 2020, Checkr and others to run a variety of background checks. Includes EEOC and FCRA requirements to support compliant hiring. 
  • Integration With GovernmentJobs.com: Connect with the most-used job board for the public sector, gaining access to nearly 40 million candidate profiles. Integration with Insight helps manage the hiring pipeline from one location to easily manage job listings and let applicants self-schedule interviews. 
  • E-Forms: Build workflows with processes that can be started manually or automatically. Provides notifications and reminders. Employees can follow the status of their forms via the self-service portal. 
  • Document Management: Stores all forms created during each employee’s time with the company, making records accessible from a central, online location. 
  • Self-Service Portal: Allows employees to view pay stubs, request PTO and edit personal information. Actions requiring manager approval automatically trigger the approval process. 
  • Continuous Feedback: Includes: 
    •  Continuous communication, whether for goal-tracking, feedback or any other need. 
    •  Scheduled check-ins and tools like journal entries that make it easy to review performance and rate employees. 
    •  Performance improvement plans, which can be documented at every step. 
  • Sector-Specific Learning Courses: Offers a catalog of off-the-shelf courses specific to the public sector, including Human Capital, Health and Safety, Public Works, and Law Enforcement. 
  • Learning Management: Offers: 
    •  Several course options: build-your-own courses, over 400 premade courses from the library and third-party content thanks to SCORM compatibility. 
    •  A mobile-friendly interface, certifications and course grouping for organization. 
    •  Tools to monitor course completion and learner progress. 
    •  Reports for compliance purposes. 
  • Core HR: Provides an employee database for data management, along with benefits administration. Seamlessly connects with the payroll and time and attendance solutions. 
  • Payroll: Supports common requirements such as overtime, 9/80 time rules, retropays, meal penalty and future dating. Supports compliance with laws that impact payroll. Can be integrated with accounting software or any general ledger used at a company. 
  • Time and Attendance: Structure shifts and schedules based on business needs. Mobile time entry tools and time clocks connect with digital timesheets to easily record clock-in and clock-out data, eliminating manual errors to ensure accurate payroll. 

COMPARE THE BEST Performance Evaluation Systems

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All Performance Evaluation Systems (44 found)

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Lattice

by Lattice
Lattice
Lattice is an end-to-end cloud-based performance management platform. It automates performance reviews, optimizes goal management and facilitates regularly scheduled performance-related communications. It leverages analytics and reporting capabilities to produce actionable insights that can be used to enhance performance management processes. It also provides customization options so users can tailor their performance management processes to satisfy their business requirements.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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UltiPro

by Ultimate Software
UltiPro
UltiPro (now known as UKG Pro), cloud-based HRIS software from Ultimate Software, brings together core HR, talent management and payroll into a unified HCM suite. Allows users different levels of access that can be customized based on business needs. In addition to these capabilities, the software is equipped with a robust set of business intelligence and predictive analytics tools. Powered by AI and machine learning, they provide data insights to drive intelligent decisions.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Request with no obligation:
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Kronos Workforce Ready

by Kronos Incorporated
Kronos Workforce Ready
Kronos Workforce Ready (now known as UKG Ready) is a cloud-based HRM software designed to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes, across all industries. Users have access to a broad range of features and additional integrations to complete a variety of core human resources tasks. Facilitating management of both full- and part-time employees as well as hourly or salaried employees, it is customizable to meet the specific needs of any business. Users have the option to start with the full deployment of modules or begin with a single module and build from there.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
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Request with no obligation:
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Kronos Workforce Central

by Kronos Incorporated
Kronos Workforce Central
Kronos Workforce Central is a full-service suite designed to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes, regardless of industry. Based in the cloud, it is fully scalable — giving users the flexibility to use the most important functionalities on the go, no matter how big the organization grows. With its numerous capabilities, managers can automate and streamline many core HR tasks. It facilitates the management of an entire team, driving employee engagement and bolstering business processes.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
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Buyer's Guide

A Performance Evaluation System Is All About Assessing Employee Performance To Improve Productivity and Contribution Towards Organizational Goals

By Saniya Farokhi, Technical Content Writer at SelectHub

Performance Evaluation System BG Intro

We understand the pains of the HR battlefield. The performance management process can mean days of drowning in endless spreadsheets, battling manual processes and enduring mind-numbing evaluation data. If that sounds familiar, it's time to upgrade your strategy by implementing a performance evaluation system to revolutionize your organization.

In this guide, we'll uncover the hidden gems of these systems, reveal the tricks of the trade and help you navigate various features to find the perfect fit for your unique needs. Let's begin!

Executive Summary

  • A performance management system effectively measures and monitors employee performance in alignment with strategic goals and objectives.
  • Key features include goal setting and tracking, continuous feedback and recognition and performance analytics.
  • Employee evaluation reports help managers make informed succession planning, promotional and appraisal decisions.
  • Starting internal conversations and asking key questions to vendors helps uncover unique needs that guide the software selection process.
What This Guide Covers:

What Is a Performance Evaluation System?

A performance evaluation system is an HR tool that provides equitable performance measurement frameworks to accurately measure employee contributions and aid bias-free appraisal documents. Functions like goal setting, feedback management and progress insights help managers and HR align individual performance with organizational objectives.

Primary Benefits

With the right performance evaluation solution, you can empower your HR teams to do what they do best and empower your leaders to make optimal workforce decisions. Here’s how:

Performance Evaluation System Benefits

Improves Internal Efficiency

Implementing performance evaluation software lets you ditch the paperwork, automate processes and reclaim your time. Streamlines evaluation workflows and use built-in frameworks to manage vast data, track individualistic progress and reduce time-consuming administrative tasks.

Allow managers to focus on meaningful conversations and development initiatives rather than spending precious time and effort manually navigating spreadsheets upon spreadsheets.

Supports Data-Backed Decisions

Manual calculations and subjective interpretations can hinder fair and timely performance evaluations. You can’t afford to play Russian roulette with performance evaluations when high-stakes promotional and appraisal decisions depend on the results.

The solution: objective and insightful.

In a recent article, Harvard Business Review revealed that meaningful data is the key to unlocking improvement areas, calculating engagement levels, and unveiling top performers.

With performance evaluation solutions centered around data-rich evaluations and accurate insights, you can kick bias to the curb and skyrocket result accuracy.

Leverage these tools to mitigate bias and improve result accuracy, empowering and motivating employees instead of criticizing them.

Enhances Collaboration

Teamwork is a lot like building a Jenga tower. Communication and team harmony are the building blocks that take your company to new heights.

According to a recent Deloitte study, high-performing organizations use technology to embed performance and development activities into workflows. Incorporating features such as real-time feedback, goal-setting and progress tracking fosters a culture of transparency and accountability, leading to better working relationships and improved productivity.

The right performance evaluation system transforms that teetering tower of miscommunication and disarray into a solid, unshakeable teamwork structure.

Key Features & Functionality

Performance Metrics Tracking

Track and measure relevant performance KPIs and OKRs based on jobs, employees, targets and projects. Objectively assess individual performance and provide data-driven insights into employee productivity and effectiveness.
Feedback Management

Collect feedback from multiple sources, including managers, peers and colleagues, on an ongoing basis. Develop structured feedback frameworks to support employee growth, identify key improvement areas and acknowledge top performance.
Evaluation Forms

Create standardized templates or questionnaires to evaluate employee performance. Allow managers, peers and subordinates to rate employees on various performance dimensions. Ensure consistency and fairness in the evaluation process by providing equitable measurements to assess performance.
One-On-One Reviews

Schedule individual meetings between managers and employees to discuss performance, share feedback and set collaborative goals. Encourage consistent and constructive growth dialogues that tap into employees' strengths, challenges, career aspirations and expectations from employers.
Goal-Setting Management

Improve accountability and ensure employees know what to work towards by setting clear benchmarks. Develop personalized development paths and include goals that align individualistic aspirations with broader organizational goals.
Workflow Automation

Streamline time-consuming tasks like sending reminders, collecting feedback, scheduling check-in meetings and generating reports. Set feedback forms to recur and auto-send evaluation forms at critical touchpoints.
Integrations

Connect the system with performance management software to seamlessly exchange employee data across systems.

Create a robust software ecosystem by integrating existing HR systems, employee recognition tools and learning management systems (LMS) to enhance internal processes.
Performance Evaluation System Categories

Software Comparison Strategy

Performance evaluation solutions come in all shapes and sizes. So, making the optimal buying decisions depends on how well a solution addresses your company-specific requirements.

Use the following steps to evaluate your options thoroughly:

1. Define Company Needs and Goals

Knowing what you need will help you narrow down your options. First, understand what your company wants to achieve with a performance evaluation system. Consider the following key factors and clearly define your expectations and goals for the system:

  • Company size
  • Number of employees
  • Workforce type
  • Performance goals
  • Current performance evaluation strategy
  • Industry, and any unique challenges.

Your chosen system must cater to the above-mentioned factors. For example, consider a system with extensive internal communication tools and customizable evaluation forms if your company oversees multiple projects that include cross-functional teams.

Real-time progress tracking, one-on-one reviews and consistent feedback tools are helpful if the goal is creating a culture of ongoing feedback.

Tip: Involve HR folks, managers and employees when conducting an internal analysis to uncover points and weaknesses in internal processes.

2. Identify Key Features

Next, determine the key features and functionalities important for your performance evaluation process and map how system capabilities can address your company’s unique goals and challenges.

Consider elements such as goal setting and tracking, continuous feedback and communication, performance analytics, employee development planning and integration capabilities with other HR systems.

Tip: Refer to this guide to identify the top features needed in an ideal system. Rank features based on their importance to your organization and use them as a benchmark when evaluating vendors.

3. Research Potential Vendors

We’ll reveal our top picks soon, but it’s good practice to do some research for yourself. Look for vendors that specialize in performance management software and have a good reputation in the market.

Consider the following sources for your software search:

  • Online Reviews: Check out online reviews to know the pros and cons of using solutions based on past customer insights.
  • Vendor Websites: Explore vendor websites to learn about their products and services.
  • Social Circles: Ask for recommendations from colleagues and industry peers about the systems they use.
  • Existing Solutions: If you have an existing performance management system, now’s the time to check with your vendor regarding the extent of their performance evaluation tools.

Tip: Look for case studies or testimonials from competitors and other companies to uncover vendors with experience in your industry.

4. Shortlist Options

Next, create a vendor shortlist based on how well their performance evaluation systems align with your defined needs and goals. Assess features, functionalities and overall fit for your organization.

Consider factors such as scalability, customization options, ease of use, and the vendor's track record.

Tip: Request product demos or trials to gain hands-on experience and involve end-users in the evaluation process to gather feedback on usability.

Also, create a checklist to compare each vendor's system and see how well they align with your requirements.

5. Consider Implementation and Support

Lastly, consider the practical aspects of implementing the performance evaluation solution.

Assess the implementation process, the level of support vendors offer, and associated costs for implementation, training and ongoing maintenance.

Also, inquire about data security measures to protect employee information.

  • Ease of Use: Learning curve associated with each alternative.
  • IT Considerations: Compatibility with existing systems and the requirements for a stand-alone system.
  • Security and Privacy: Data security practices offered by the vendor and quality certifications.

Tip: Consider reading our article on the lean selection methodology, in which we cover nine critical steps to finding the best software for your organization.

Cost & Pricing Considerations

Once you know your requirements, it’s time to determine the financial impact of implementing a new system.

You’ll incur the following common costs:

  • Implementation Costs: The initial setup and system deployment include installation, configuration and data migration expenses.
  • Purchasing or Licensing Costs: These costs can include one-time payments or ongoing subscription fees.
  • Training and Support: Expenses for training employees and managers on how to use the system effectively.
  • Maintenance and Upgrades: Ongoing costs for system maintenance, updates and potential future upgrades.

In addition to the costs mentioned above, you might incur additional expenses to address your unique software requirements:

  • Number of Users: The higher the number of administrative users navigating the system, the higher the costs.
  • Customization Costs: Additional costs involve adding features or modules to align the off-the-shelf software with your organization's specifications.
  • Data Management and Storage: Expenses for managing, storing and securing the employee data. If you’re an enterprise, you’ll likely require additional storage to manage vast employee databases, in which case, costs will escalate.
  • Integrations: Vendors can charge extra to connect third-party integration apps and systems with their solution.

The Most Popular Performance Evaluation Systems

Ultimately, the best software depends on how well the system capabilities match your performance management goals. Consider the following popular succession planning software to put things in perspective:

Lattice

Lattice is a cloud-based performance management system focusing on continuous performance improvement and enhanced collaboration with a user-friendly interface. The system streamlines review cycles and goals management and combines employee recognition into performance management.

The people analytics capabilities assist in creating accurate and objective evaluations.

Features: Additional features included in the performance evaluation plan are competency matrices, growth plans, competency-based review questions, check-in and performance management integration and competency libraries.

Pricing: The Grow module costs an additional $4 per person/month in addition to the Performance Management + OKRs & Goals module, which costs $11 per user/month.

Free Trial: You can test Lattice’s features through a limited free trial period.

Free Version: Not available.

Lattice

Lattice’s intuitive dashboard provides a holistic view of team progress, goal completion and feedback requests. Source.

15Five

15Five is a performance management suite that offers cloud-based tools to engage employees and process complex performance evaluation data. The system provides customizable surveys for different organizational levels to collect well-rounded employee performance data and feedback.

Employee insights and integrated feedback act as action items during one-on-one reviews.

Features: This plan includes goal setting with OKRs capability, chart view management, naming customization, insights and analytics, single sign-on and Jira and Salesforce integrations.

Pricing: The full suite costs $14 per person/month. The performance evaluation module, Focus, costs $8 per user monthly.

Free Trial: 14-day free trial is available to test the system.

Free Version: Doesn’t offer a free plan.

15Five

15Five’s competency assessments evaluate employees based on scientific criteria. Source.

Betterworks

Betterworks is a cloud-based end-to-end performance management suite with flexible goal-setting and OKRs management tools. Set strategic targets and benchmarks to accurately evaluate employee performance across teams and jobs. The system uses robust goal-setting and progress-tracking features in workflows to collect accurate data.

Features: Feedback and performance conversations, employee recognition, goal setting, HR and manager insights and integration capabilities.

Pricing: Request a price quote on the vendor's website.

Free Trial: Free trial isn’t available.

Free Version: Doesn’t offer a free plan.

Betterworks

Betterworks provides actionable performance insights on the analytics dashboard. Source.

 

 

Questions To Ask

Ask yourself these guiding questions to better understand your company’s requirements:

  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of our current performance evaluation process?
  • What are the specific issues we want to address with a system?
  • What are the key performance metrics that we want to track?
  • How can a performance evaluation solution help improve our team collaboration and communication?
  • What features do we need the most and how do they align with our budget and other business priorities?

Performance Evaluation System Key Questions

Asking potential vendors ey questions helps uncover the pros and cons of using their system:

  • What features and functionalities does your software offer?
  • Can I customize the system to my organization's unique performance evaluation processes?
  • What level of technical support and training do you provide?
  • How does your software handle data security and privacy?
  • Do you have any global compliance and quality assurance certifications?
  • Are there any success stories associated with your platform?

Next Steps

Here’s the final verdict: accurate and bias-free performance evaluation is the superhero businesses need to eradicate questionable judgments from performance reviews. Performance evaluation software brings objective metrics, real-time feedback, and data-driven insights to the table, effectively reducing bias and favoritism.

All that’s left to do is use this guide as a resource and start exploring software options. Don't forget to leverage our free comparison report to identify and evaluate your options. Best of luck!

Product Comparisons

Additional Resources

About The Contributors

The following expert team members are responsible for creating, reviewing, and fact checking the accuracy of this content.

Saniya
By Saniya Farokhi
Technical Content Writer
Saniya was a Technical Content Writer at SelectHub. With an MBA in Marketing, she found her calling in the world of digital marketing and technical content writing. Her work spanned HR-centric systems like talent management, recruitment and performance management to robust software like ERP and manufacturing systems. When the day winds down, she enjoys taking long walks with her dog or indulging in her artistic side by swapping her keyboard for a pencil. She finds solace in watching the sunset over the beach and appreciates the little things in life.
See Full Bio
Aayushi Kishor
Technical Research By Aayushi Kishor Sharma
Senior Analyst
Aayushi Kishor Sharma has been part of SelectHub since 2021, working on categories like HR, EHR and Marketing, for which she also earned an MBA. A self-described "social butterfly," she loves meeting people, exploring and trying new things.
See Full Bio
Jaisri
Technical Review By Jaisri Narasimman
Principal Analyst
A graduate of NTU Singapore, Jaisri Narasimman honed her data mining and curation skills during her post-graduate education, focusing on developing strategies to help businesses make the most of their data. In her role at SelectHub, her research spans categories like HR, CRM and EHR.
See Full Bio
Joe
Edited By Joe Evans
Content Editor
Joe Evans is an Editor and Senior Market Analyst at SelectHub. A seasoned professional wordsmith, he has a bachelor's degree in journalism and electronic media and a decade of professional expertise in crafting top-tier digital content for niche online brands. He leads his small yet formidable team in producing helpful, compelling content in vital categories like HR, payroll, talent management, performance management, marketing automation home health, MES. When not editing and writing, he enjoys sports, quality time with family and dogs, and remains constantly in pursuit of something new and interesting to read or listen to.
See Full Bio