In small businesses, things like "HR" are often just the process of you, the owner or manager, dealing with employees, payroll, and all of the related issues. Where multi-billion-dollar corporations can implement and integrate full-service HR and payroll teams, the small business is limited on resources and funds, which makes it difficult to take care of everything that needs attention.

But you're only one person—you can't possibly do it all.

Luckily, you don't have to. Today, there are hundreds of apps and software platforms geared toward HR and payroll, including things like recruiting, employee management, time management and payroll processing, and more. You can automate and streamline everything from recruiting and onboarding to ongoing employee monitoring and support, and even exit and post-exit solutions for those parting ways with your business.

So, what's the best way to go? Some people look for an inclusive HR suite that provides tools for a little of everything. Others collect the best apps for payroll processing, recruiting, and people management separately and integrate them to create the perfect fit. Honestly, the right solution is what's right for your company.

In the list below, we'll take a look at some of the best human resources apps on the market today, including their features and tools, costs, and other things you should know. That way, you'll have a much easier time narrowing your options and choosing the app that works best for you.

What's in a human resources app?

Of course, with so many options out there and so many people who are thinking about these tools for the first time, it wouldn't be right if we didn't first talk about what all these apps can do. More importantly, what about all of the features that you should be looking for? It's hard to choose the right tool when you're not even sure what "right" means.

No worries, though, because in the list below, you'll find all of the best attributes of a good HR app to help you make a smarter decision for your small business needs. Bear in mind that you may not need all of these, but it's better to know what's out there and what features are offered in the various apps available today.

Recruiting Tools: A good human resources solution will include tools for hiring and onboarding, including tools to assist with screening applicants and taking on new hires, handling training and scheduling, and more. While you could choose a separate recruiting app just for this task, most small businesses don't have a big enough need to warrant the hassle. At the very least, you'll want a solid Applicant Tracking System to save you the hassles of keeping tabs on all the candidates.

Time and Schedule Management: Keeping track of employees means tracking their hours and keeping tabs on the schedule. HR apps give you a lot of great scheduling and time management tools, including features like expense reporting, billable hours tracking, and more. Plus, you'll find solutions that can integrate with employee-facing portals for easy schedule requests and changes, too.

Payroll: Again, this is one area where some people prefer a totally separate solution. If that's the case, that's fine. However, some of the best human resources apps have simple, functional payroll solutions built right in and that can help you streamline things even further. As a small business, getting more for your money is always a plus and will give you more leftover after payroll, too. Payroll features could (and maybe should) include the option for benefits administration and other related elements, but that might vary from one platform to the next.

Compliance Management: There are a lot of legalities and compliance issues to deal with in the human resources realm. Today's HRIS (Human Resource Information System) solutions are designed with compliance in mind, so when you choose the most reputable products, you'll be able to trust that they follow the rules for compliance and can help with things like processing overtime, handling tax compliance, and more.

Custom Roles and Permissions: Human resources tools will allow you to assign different levels of access to all users, as well as certain permissions or limit access for a specific task. If you are going to have more than one person interacting with your HR software, you'll want to look at solutions that include these features. Being able to assign roles and limit access gives you total control over this sensitive information.

Again, there are any number of features that you could find valuable in modern human resources apps. However, the ones here are the most critical for you to maximize the value of this investment. You might want to look around at the best tools and apps out there to see what each offers and figure out which best fits your business. Fortunately, the list below will give you a head start on learning about today's best human resources tools and solutions.

In the meantime, consider getting back even more of your time by enlisting the assistance of our virtual receptionists here at Smith.ai. You can use our lead intake and appointment scheduling services to help with recruiting and onboarding and partner with us to create the perfect solution for all of your mission-critical business needs.

First, though, check out the best human resources apps on the market for 2021 and beyond.

BambooHR

BambooHR offers an online software solution that can be customized and scaled to the needs of small to mid-sized businesses. This cloud-based platform provides a robust HRIS with applicant tracking, time tracking, employee engagement and satisfaction, benefits administration and payroll processing, and more. You'll even find rich workforce data analytics to keep an eye on everything from the best perspectives.

BambooHR offers multiple levels of access and assigned user roles so that any HR team member or other employee can help with the hiring process or employee management. The integrated platform streamlines everything about human resources from recruiting to orientation and their career with your company. You can customize so many features and even manage inactive employees.

Plus, it's available on iOS and Android and has subscription-based pricing that is dependent upon the number of employees at your company. Pricing is done by custom quote only.

monday.com

monday.com is a leading tool for collaboration and communication. It offers a clear view of the recruitment process and hiring situation, as well as a total 360-degree view of employee performance and profiles. Managers can provide feedback, set goals, and more. Plus, it's all in a centralized hub that's easy to access with custom permissions and access options available.

With monday.com, small businesses win because they can create their own custom workflow from a selection of tools for project management, marketing, software development and IT, operations, sales and CRM, task management, creative services, and HR and recruitment. Plus, there are over 200 existing workflows that can be used, or you can create your own.

The platform lets you start with a free trial and the Basic plan is just $8 per seat per month, or you can upgrade to the pro plan for just $16 per month per user.

Workable

Workable is a dedicated recruiting tool that's designed to help streamline and accelerate the hiring process for many small businesses that need a better way. The interface is simple to use, and it can be customized in several different ways to ensure that it delivers what you need. You'll be able to post to more than 200 job sites with a single click and collaborative tools allow you to hire as a team, collect feedback, and more.

Workable automates several processes, from scheduling to approvals, and it ensures that you always have the tools that you need by integrating with several of the tools that you already use. You'll be up and running in minutes and a mobile app makes sure that you always have access to your recruiting solutions on the go. There are features for video interviews, texting solutions, and more.

For the basic Paygo plan when you only have occasional hiring needs, you'll spend $99 per job per month for the tool. Other solutions are available by custom quote.

Zoho Recruit + Zoho People

Zoho has an entire suite of small business management tools that are designed to help you streamline everyday operations. For the sake of focusing on all of the great integrations, we're going to explore both of its HR tools together. They have one for recruiting and one for HR management for employees that are already on board. The tools both feature plenty of great automation and make the entire recruiting and HR management process simple.

Zoho People automates all kinds of HR processes, from payroll to authorizations and time off, and so much more. Zoho Recruit is a dedicated applicant tracking system (ATS) with all-in-one features to take your recruiting to the next level by automating and streamlining everyday tasks. Schedule interviews, screen applicants, and more, all from an easy-to-use app.

Zoho Recruit starts at just $25 per month per user and comes with a free trial. Zoho People offers an Essential package for $1.25 per user per month or a Professional Plan for just $2 per user per month.

Breezy HR

Breezy HR is a simple visual recruiting tool that includes a robust applicant tracking system, along with plenty of other tools and resources. Annual plans include two free months, so it might be a good idea to sign up for a year. It has features for multiple candidates and positions, one-click job posting tools, and more. You will find background screening integration, candidate automations, and customizable pipeline stages so that you can create the perfect hiring process from start to finish.

With Breezy HR, you also get a candidate-facing branded career site along with email and calendar integration, self-scheduling for interviews, and iOS and Android apps for easy mobile access. It integrates with Slack and other tools that you use every day and comes with real-time analytics and a robust reporting tool to make sure that you're always in the loop and your HR is always running smoothly. Premium plans include things like assessments, candidate comparison tools, nurture campaigns, and advanced recruiting tools for those who need them.

Pricing for Breezy HR starts at just $143 for the startup plan. If you just need to hire one position here or there, there's a free forever Bootstrap plan available, too.

It's about streamlining, and it's about time

As you can see, the platforms above offer a lot of different solutions. They are designed to make everything from posting jobs to making sure people get paid simpler, more efficient, and faster than ever before. They all have their own features to consider, but there's something on that list for just about everyone. Remember to choose tools that focus on the features that you want, whether that's geared toward recruiting or existing employee management, or even an integrated solution for both.

Once you've streamlined your human resources operations, find out how the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai can help you streamline the rest of your mission-critical services as one of your best resources in human form. Our team of experts knows what it takes to handle all kinds of call answering, messaging, and other administrative needs so that you don't have to do it all or do it all alone.

If you're looking for help managing your HR and recruiting processes, or even if you just want to find out how else we might be able to assist with streamlining your operations, reach out to us today. With the tools on this list, you'll be able to make sure that your HR is efficient, compliant, and goes off without a hitch. And, when you partner with us, you can ensure that of the tasks that we handle, too.

Schedule your Live Chat consultation today to discuss how our 24/7 live website chat, after-hours call answering, and lead intake and appointment scheduling services can help your business further automate and streamline human resources and hiring, as well as the day-to-day operations of your company in general. You'll also find us at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.