Onboarding Software Comparison: 9 Best Employee Onboarding Tools for Your Business

A study reports suggest, 1 in 5 joiners would never recommend the employer to his known circle at the end of the onboarding process. Remorse of joinees may snatch an opportunity from employers. Hence, nobody wants to take any chances with the onboarding process.

Dell, Melewi, Stack Overflow, etc. the list of multinational companies who are using remote onboarding software is long. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, companies are implementing tools for remote onboarding and also changing their recruitment strategies. 

In this blog, I shall share tips on how to choose the best remote onboarding applications. To help you further, I shall discuss the features, pros and cons of 9 onboarding solutions. Business owners and HR professionals will get a comparative analysis of these tools.

• What is an employee onboarding solution?
• How to choose the perfect employee onboarding tool in the market?
• 9 best onboarding tools for new hires
• Conclusion

What Is an Employee Onboarding Solution?

Remote onboarding software streamlines various processes of employee onboarding to ensure a smooth transition for both sides.

• Onboarding is a multi-dimensional process that involves making employees familiar with company policies or helping them to fill out paperwork like benefits and taxation. The best employee onboarding solutions help HR executives to manage such multi-dimensional tasks.
• Multi-dimensional processes are not uniform for all. They differ with departments, job roles and individuals. An ideal application should have customizable features. Admins should be able to customize steps accordingly.
• Onboarding is not the sole responsibility of the HR team. Instead, the legal department, the benefits manager and project leaders also have their respective onboarding functions. Hence, your onboarding app suite should allow multi-user access.

In fact, a study made by G2 in 2018 had 16% of respondents from HR teams agreeing that a solution capable of offering a seamless transition into the job roles, holds the key to successful onboarding.

How to Choose the Perfect Employee Onboarding Tool in the Market?

In the year 2016, the Human Capital Institute surveyed HR managers of reputed companies in the US to ascertain their biggest concerns with onboarding. Here’re the results:

• 44% said that it was infrequent hiring across different departments,
• 39% said that it was clashing priorities and 
• 36% said it was the inability to measure the effectiveness of onboarding processes.

Here’re the features you should tick off before investing in the best onboarding software solutions:

Curated, Well-Planned and Timely Content

BambooHR came up with a very interesting survey result. Most of the new employees prefer to have relevant, organized, and well-timed content along with on-the-job mentoring and training programs rather than a free food voucher on their day of joining. A software suite that offers information on their new job roles in a user-friendly manner, can give your company a more professional look.

Easy Integration and Scalability

If your new onboarding solution is just another add-on to the list of tech solutions you are using, it’s a bad investment. The best onboarding tools are scalable to the requirements of your company. They easily integrate to your existing ERP or some other framework.

User-Friendly Apps

The onboarding app suite can help you reduce the chances of preparing for another recruitment drive within the first 90 days of the last one. A simple solution that doesn’t unnecessarily prolong the onboarding process is what you need. A sleek interface, in-app training, and tooltips can leave an outstanding impression in the minds of new employees.

Electronic Forms

Online/ offline forms reduce the hassles of both the HR teams and joinees. It saves time. You can easily sort, find and edit them. Joinees don’t have to fill multiple copies of forms. Auto form filler and digital signature functionality are integral features of paperless onboarding systems.

Security Factors

You can keep documented compliance policies in your employee onboarding tools. It can help you to avoid compliance issues in the future. This is an added security layer against risk exposure. Also, you can easily track records in case of any investigation into HR practices.

Have a look at the onboarding software comparison in the next section.

9 Best Onboarding Tools for New Hires

1. Employee Onboarding Mobile App Solution from Tech Exactly

Features –

• Our app solution is easily customizable for optimum employee development. For the best results, you need a user-friendly, efficient, and engaging app that it serves as both a communication and training app in real time. Our corporate training, intranet solution fits the bill.
• Our employee onboarding solution comprises digital forms and A/V (audio/video) orientation content. Employees can fill out the forms depending on their priority. New employees need time to get accustomed to the work culture of their new office. Hence, when they see that they can fill up the onboarding forms at a convenient time, they feel relaxed. Such small but important steps can raise the rate of retention.
• Our mobile onboarding tool promotes professional development with the help of a flexible and multidimensional training module. Employees can participate in quiz contests and watch and compare their scores on leaderboards. The training gamification feature adds a fun element to the entire process and helps participants learn with a free mind. You can use this solution to include rewards and recognition or training certification programs.
• The features of the group and private chat further raise the performance level of our app suite. You can convey emergency messages right on time. This helps in project management in the best possible ways.

You can also set up targeted training modules for specific departments or designations.

Pros –

• Tech Exactly’s onboarding mobile app solution is an easy-to-use, seamless corporate employee training and communication application, suitable for both on-site and remote work setups that you can expect from only a top digital onboarding solution.
• Businesses of all sizes can integrate it into their existing technology stack without conflict.
• You can scale our solution according to the needs of your business and pay for the functions that serve your purposes.

Cons –

• Our app solution is best suited for organizations with a distributed workforce. However, as remote working becomes the norm of the day, we have updated the remote work module of our solution and are continually carrying out R&D.
• Our mobile application suite has been completely developed for both Android and iOS, however, the web version is still under development.
• We believe every organization has its own unique onboarding process, therefore, we customize the app as per your requirements. Complexities of the customization process may vary accordingly. Hence, the development time may reach up to 2 months, at the most. 

2. Freshteam Onboarding Solution From Freshwork

Features –

• Freshwork’s onboarding software solution, Freshteam has made the monitoring process of orientation much easier. You can easily assign tasks like form fill-up, monitor the progress and also send reminders.
• You can easily coordinate with various stakeholders related to the onboarding process of a new employee. The coordination process gets easier with checklists. Based on departments or job roles, you can also create multiple checklists.
• The solution helps you to carry on an online knowledge transition. You can share documents with new employees even before they join the office. By getting the forms signed before the orientation day, the e-signature feature helps you to stay one step ahead.

Pros –

• Freshteam can integrate with job boards. You can source top candidates from job sites.
• Freshteam offers dedicated support to clients. The HR team and other stakeholders can contact the support team and clear doubts so as to conduct operations smoothly.
• Even the offboarding module of Freshteam is equally versatile. You can create multiple checklists. Re-assign the tasks of the employee who is leaving the organization to an employee(s) who will handle them. The module enables a smooth termination process.  

Cons –

• 1 to 999 is the range of ideal number of users which I think is not pretty exciting news for big companies.
• Many users have complained about unsatisfactory customer service which is crucial in time-sensitive cases.
• The absence of an assessment tool is another major drawback.
• Onboarding Mobile App Solution from Boardon

3. Onboarding Mobile App Solution from Boardon 

Features –

• Boardon’s onboarding solution from Boardon has added quality and user-friendliness to its mobile app suite with an easily managed admin interface.
• Customizable features make it easier for you to offer a world-class pre-boarding and onboarding experience to candidates. In addition, you can give a brand appearance to your company website with logos, names, and colors.
• You can set the checklists for time offs and approve them automatically.

Pros –

• Boardon app suite is a multi-tasking tool. For example, you can set up various onboarding tasks like creating invitation emails with suitable templates and sending them to targeted candidate pools. 
• The app also helps you to track the success of onboarding email campaigns with reports supported by statistics.
• The app suite permits you to upload different types of components like files, articles, games, and videos. 

Cons –

• HR management, particularly onboarding is a vast process. An automated workflow management solution helps HR executives to carry out their jobs in a smooth fashion. The responsibilities include an introduction to company culture, organizational structure, etc. More features will enrich the orientation workflow management tool of the Boardon solution.
• The absence of electronic forms is another drawback of Boardon.
• There is no facility for e-signatures as well.

4. Onboarding Solution from MindTickle

Features –

• MindTickle app suite by MindTickle is basically a sales workflow management software solution with an onboarding tool to appoint sales employees.
• MindTickle’s online onboarding tool for holding training sessions is designed to make microlearning a part of day-1. Don’t overwhelm joinees with ginormous information on the very first day. Neither will joinees retain the information nor will they get a ‘wow’ feeling about your company.
• HR and frontline managers can use group and private messaging facilities to close the knowledge and/or skill gap of new employees.

Pros –

• Microlearning process raises productivity in a given time.
• The app suite can also be used to begin and sustain adaptive learning.
• Training modules can be gamified as well to tickle the competitive spirit of humans and use it for knowledge/skill development. 

Cons –

• Since the primary focus of MindTickle is to simplify sales functions, onboarding features are very basic.
• It is not a self-service portal.
• The module tracking operation is not at all user-friendly.

5. Remote Employee Onboarding System from BizMerlinHR

Features –

• Workflows across all the departments that are closely linked to onboarding are different. Hence, the custom development feature of the BizMerlinHR module is quite effective.
• Location-wise and timezone-specific onboarding facilities raise the quality of remote onboarding. 
• You can quickly assign orientation meetings and organize training sessions via the self-access portal. 

Pros –

• In this age of high competition, prompt and useful customer service makes a huge difference. BizMerlinHR claims to offer 24*7 live support. 
• Both electronic forms and e-signature facilities are available with BizMerlinHR.
• With BizMerlinHR you can manage documents, tasks, and training sessions, all three, with equal efficiency.   

Cons –

• For the mid to large-sized enterprises, BizMerlinHR is cost-effective but it is not so for small-sized companies.
• It seems that BizMerlinHR should put a bit more emphasis on user reviews. Running a survey might help quite a lot. For example, when I searched for information related to onboarding: sales enablement via BizMerlinHR, I got no results.
• Clearly mentioned starting prices would have been better.

6. Onboarding Solution Workday HCM

Features –

• The cloud-based Workday HCM employee onboarding system from Workday adds a layer of security for the end users.
• Workday HCM is an ideal tool for orientation workflow management.
• Senior HR executives can organize different sorts of training sessions for participants like in-person, webinars, documentation, and live online sessions.

Pros –

• This solution can cater to businesses of all sizes.
• In this rapidly changing world of Human Resources, Workday HCM helps you to plan, organize and manage training sessions. Highly efficient and updated HR teams are assets of companies. Workday HCM helps you to have productive HR teams. 
• Users can also fill up electronic forms on a Workday HCM portal.

Cons –

• Though users can fill up electronic forms, they cannot sign them because of the absence of an e-signature facility.
• The absence of a self-service portal is another drawback of Workday HCM.
• Though the onboarding solution by Workday can efficiently handle orientation workflow management, it is not so cool in matters of document/ task/ job description management.

7. Paylocity Onboarding Software

Features –

• Paylocity app by Paylocity is a good onboarding workflow management tool. You can automate steps like making the checklists ready for preparing the workstation, uploading training modules, sending invitations for introductory meetings, etc.
• The biggest advantage of using Paylocity onboarding software is to manage the human capital of companies, particularly to organize and manage their payroll systems.
• This web-based solution is also an excellent time tracker portal.

Pros –

• Paylocity can cater to businesses of all sizes.
• The solution helps you to hold training sessions for new employees.
• Users can fill up electronic forms at their own convenience. They can save and again begin from thereon.

Cons –

• This is another software tool that offers you the benefits of an electronic form without supplementing it with the e-signature facility.
• This is not a self-service portal.
• Paylocity is not great at task management as well.

8. SuccessFactors HCM Suite: An Onboarding and HRM Solution

Features –

• SuccessFactors HCM suite by SAP is a standalone, integrated HCM solution.
• The app suite also uses the benefits of cloud computing. It offers robust security. You can scale its use as per the services you require and pay accordingly.
• Admins can manage recruitment, onboarding, payroll, performance assessment, planning and execution from the dashboard.

Pros –

• SuccessFactors HCM suite is primarily known for managing human capital of a company.
• The HCM suite caters to small, medium and big companies.
• The solution assists you to recruit top talents from the available pool of candidates.

Cons

• No electronic form or e-signature facility is available with SuccessFactors HCM suite.
• It doesn’t operate as an orientation workflow management system.
• Benefits of a job description management system are not there.

9. VAIRKKO Suite: Onboarding Solution and LMS

Features –

• VAIRKKO Suite by VAIRKKO Technology is a high-end Human Resource Management (HRM) and Learning Management System (LMS) that you can execute from a single platform.
• VAIRKKO Suite serves a big and diverse category of industries like manufacturing, construction, transportation, communication, etc.
• VAIRKKO Suite is a comprehensive payroll management system.

Pros –

• You don’t have to pay for the entire suite. Pay for only those modules that serve your requirements.
• VAIRKKO Suite is an excellent orientation workflow management system.
• You can upload electronic forms to the portal.

Cons –

• Users can fully leverage the benefits of electronic forms if they can also sign them electronically but unfortunately, VAIRKKO Suite doesn’t include the e-signature facility.
• This is not a self-service portal.
• You cannot manage documents or tasks with VAIRKKO Suite.          

Conclusion

Amazon, Google, and Facebook will continue to work from home in the coming months. Remote working is going to stay at least until the beginning of the next year. A multipurpose employee onboarding system will help a joinee to get a head start.
Choose one of the best employee onboarding apps like the one from Tech Exactly to get the desired results at the most competitive price. To get our SaaS, contact us.