research and Insights

Small Business HR & Payroll Resource Center

Looking for the right HR software for your small business? Here you’ll find valuable best practices, guidance, and tools for making the most informed decisions on the best people solutions to grow your business. Learn how you can streamline your HR and payroll processes, find and keep top talent, build a great workplace, and why you should make a change.

research and Insights
UKG HR and payroll software on a laptop and mobile display

Small business HR software: Time to thrive

We understand that managing your people and growing your business are top priorities for your small to mid-size organization. But between evolving technology such as AI, the critical need to attract and retain talent, and budget constraints, your path forward may seem unclear — or even overwhelming. ​

​The good news is that, with the right HR software, you can meet these challenges — and thrive. ​

Featured small business resources 

We’ve curated the following top resources based on what small businesses like yours say they have found the most helpful for learning how to better manage their people and build great workplaces.

Streamline HR and payroll processes

Lighten the day-to-day workload and free your HR teams to focus on business-critical tasks — and learn how the right payroll solution can benefit your small business

THE AI PLAYBOOK FOR SMALLER HR TEAMS

Learn about AI, its benefits for smaller HR teams, and how to apply it to streamline processes, improve the employee experience, and meet your business goals.

Two business women in an office space, discussing strategy

HR Decision-Making in Small to Mid-Sized Businesses

In this new survey-based report from the HR Research Institute, explore the best recommendations for applying strategic HR to boost success for your smaller business.

Find and keep best-fit talent

You need the best people to succeed. Make it easy for your team to attract and retain them.

Image of Top Talent

RETAINING TOP TALENT DURING A LABOR SHORTAGE

Discover five approaches organizations can take to improve the work environment and encourage employee retention when there’s a labor shortage.

 Two business people are standing in an office space, smiling and shaking hands.

THE UKG RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PLAYBOOK FOR SMALLER HR TEAMS

Learn how HR and payroll technology helps organizations attract top talent, streamline recruiting and onboarding, and create a culture where people want to work.

Build a great workplace

Become an employer of choice and build a culture where people love coming to work.

THE UKG + GREAT PLACE TO WORK CULTURE PLAYBOOK

Get a clear plan for building a people-centric culture of trust and belonging for all and understand how it benefits your people and your business.

Image of male and female co-workers engaged in conversation

Why a Strong Culture Matters for Your Smaller Business

Standing out from the competition means you need to build a culture of trust and belonging that successfully attracts and retains top talent. Here’s how the right HR technology can help.

Why you should make a change

Implementing new HR software now could be the best business decision you make all year.

The Cost of Doing Nothing: Impacts on HR and Your People

Inaction can have costly consequences down the road. Learn how to evaluate your payroll operations and avoid the risks of non-compliance.

Payroll:  Making the Case for Change

Payroll: Making the Case for Change

See how to gain the insight, evidence, and support you need to make a persuasive case with decision makers for a modern HR and payroll technology solution.

UKG Ready Suite

UKG Ready

Give your smaller HR team the power to make a big difference

UKG Ready® is the all-in-one HR, payroll, talent, and time platform that provides the technology tools to create a great place to work for all. Ready empowers your people with a modern user experience that makes their day-to-day easier and more productive — and streamlines processes through deep, automated compliance and payroll functionality designed to scale and grow with your organization.

Frequently asked questions

Which specific features should I look for in an HR and payroll software solution? 

Although the best HR and payroll software features for your organization will depend on your unique needs and circumstances, there are some basic features you will want to look for, including:

  • An all-in-one platform to reduce errors, improve efficiencies, and provide your teams with a single source of truth
  • Automated payroll to reduce the time and effort required to process payroll 
  • Employee self-service that allows employees to access their own payroll information, such as pay stubs and tax forms, to minimize the time your team needs to spend answering questions 
  • Benefits management to aid in the administration of such benefits as health insurance and retirement plans 
  • Compensation management for all aspects of employee compensation, including salaries, bonuses, and raises 
  • Compliance management to ensure your company stays compliant with all relevant laws and regulations 
  • Integration with third-party business software solutions that allows your new solution to work seamlessly with your existing platforms
What are the best ways to get employees on board with new software?

The key to successful new software implementation is communication. Keep your people informed about the changes, provide plenty of training, and be open to feedback to help ensure a smooth transition.

  • Maintain transparency: This will help build trust and acceptance among your people at all levels. Clearly communicate the benefits of the new solution for both the organization and the employees, such as efficiency, accuracy, and self-service. Establish support options such as FAQs and knowledge bases and ensure employees know where to find them easily. 
  • Provide training: Learning what’s new is important, but employees also need to start using the system as soon as possible, which requires training and behavior change. In addition to your internal change management efforts, the software vendor you choose should have learning or training functions within their product to help your employees get up to speed quickly. 
  • Understand the needs of your different employee groups: Each employee group, from non-exempt employees to managers, has different reasons for using your new HR and payroll software. Understanding what each person will need to do differently will help you develop training options for each group to navigate the change more easily.
What kind of support should I expect from an HR and payroll software vendor?

These may vary from vendor to vendor, but here are some basic and advanced support options you should expect from whomever you choose: 

Basic support: 

  • Multiple support contact options such as phone, email, live chat, and online ticketing systems for convenient communication 
  • Knowledgeable representatives with a deep understanding of the software and HR and payroll regulations 
  • Fast response times to your inquiries, with defined timeframes for resolutions 
  • Knowledge Base and FAQs with information, tutorials, and answers to common questions 

Advanced support: 

  • Dedicated account manager who serves as a single point of contact and can provide personalized support 
  • Onboarding and training assistance with software implementation, data migration, and user training 
  • Compliance guidance for navigating complex HR and payroll regulations 
  • Integration assistance with other business systems for streamlined data flow

 

 

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