In the fast-paced digital era of 2024, your company’s success hinges not just on your strategy, but on the tools you wield.
Think about it.
You’ve got an all-star team, bursting with talent, ready to conquer any challenge. But without the right software to harness that talent, you’re leaving game-changing potential on the table.
Enter workforce planning software. It’s the unsung hero of the modern business world. This technology is your ticket to improving collaboration, scaling employee planning processes, and ensuring your team’s energy is laser-focused on tasks that truly matter.
As a manager or HR professional, pinpointing the right workforce planning software can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. There’s no shortage of options, each boasting unique features. But fear not. We’ve done the legwork for you.
Dive deep into this guide, and you’ll uncover the best workforce planning solutions of 2024. Whether you’re a growing startup or an established enterprise, these tools will supercharge your workforce planning.
What Should You Look for in Workforce Planning Software?
Navigating the sea of the best workforce planning tools is no small task. With the influx of options, how do you discern which one is the golden ticket for your organization?
Keep these key factors front and center to ensure you’re investing in a tool that genuinely elevates your workforce planning.
- User-friendliness: It’s all about intuition. Your strategic workforce planning software should be accessible and easy to grasp, even for those who aren’t tech-savvy. A steep learning curve? That’s a no-go
- Integration capabilities: Today’s businesses use a plethora of tools. Your planning software should play nice with others, effortlessly integrating with existing systems and platforms
- Scalability: As your organization grows, so do your needs. Opt for a solution that expands seamlessly with you, accommodating both your current and future demands
- Customizability: Every organization is unique. The best workforce planning tools are moldable, letting you tailor features to fit your specific requirements and processes
- Data analytics & Reporting: Numbers tell tales. Top-tier workforce planning tools will offer robust analytics, giving you the insights needed to make informed decisions
Remember, the best workforce planning software isn’t just about features—it’s about finding the right synergy between capability, usability, and adaptability.
The 10 Best Workforce Planning Software to Use in 2024
The moment of truth is here! After diving into the essentials of what makes workforce planning software stand out, it’s time to unveil the crème de la crème of 2024.
Whether you’re on the hunt for a powerhouse tool with all the bells and whistles or a sleek, straightforward solution, this list has got you covered. Let’s uncover which software can propel your organization to new heights this year, from groundbreaking innovations to trusted industry mainstays.
Onward to the top 10 best workforce planning tools!
1. ClickUp – Best Workforce Planning Tool
Meet ClickUp: not just another project management software, but your secret weapon in strategic workforce planning software that can also be used for performance management. Diverse in its capabilities, ClickUp shines in task and project management, precise time tracking, and cutting-edge data analytics.
Its unparalleled commitment to customization distinguishes ClickUp from the crowded arena of similar platforms. The software empowers users with a multitude of options for tailoring dashboard views and settings.
This means you don’t have to adapt to the software—instead, ClickUp morphs to perfectly fit your organization’s rhythm, optimizing workflows and ensuring peak performance from your team.
ClickUp’s human resource organization prowess is second to none. Its meticulously designed hierarchy structure—starting from Workspace and trickling down through Space, Folder, Lists, Tasks, and right to Subtasks—ensures every bit of your project finds its right spot.
This logical breakdown keeps your tasks neatly organized and bolsters manageability, making your work feel less like a maze and more like a well-laid-out blueprint.
With its intuitive interface, ClickUp brings to your fingertips the crucial data needed to enhance team communication, and management, and boost employee engagement. From task assignment to resource management, every feature you could wish for is housed under one digital roof.
ClickUp best features
- Attendance tracking with the hyper-customizable ClickUp Dashboards
- Work breakdown structure capabilities to tackle projects efficiently
- Assign tasks and manage resources in a single place
- Tailor your visualization with 15+ Views
- Dozens of integrations with your existing tech stack
- Handy GTD templates like the ClickUp Workforce Action Template make workforce management a breeze
ClickUp limitations
- Mobile apps don’t have the same functionalities as desktop versions
- Learning curve associated with the many available resources and features
ClickUp pricing
- Free Forever
- Unlimited: $7/month per user
- Business: $12/month per user
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
- ClickUp Brain is available on all paid plans for $5 per Workspace member per month
ClickUp ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (2,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (2,000+ reviews)
2. Runn
When it comes to the dynamic world of workforce planning, Runn emerges as a robust contender. At its core, Runn isn’t just about numbers; it’s about people. It seamlessly merges the nuances of workforce planning with the precision of project forecasting with employee data.
This means you’re not just allocating resources based on availability, but also on their unique strengths and capabilities.
Its dashboard provides real-time insights into your company’s profitability, making certain you’re not just working hard, but also working smart. As collaboration becomes more global and remote, Runn facilitates clarity, ensuring everyone, from executives to freelancers, understands their role in the bigger picture.
Runn best features
- Craft high-level schedules with ease
- Assign people to projects in mere seconds
- Monitor everybody’s schedules in one singular view without being overwhelmed
- Forecasts for capacity, projects, scenarios, and financials
Runn limitations
- Some reports and permission levels are either missing or restricted
- According to some users, planning for product development can be challenging
Runn pricing
- Free
- Pro: $8/person managed per month
- Enterprise: Contact sales
Runn ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.5/5 (1 review)
- Capterra: 4.8/5 (25 reviews)
3. Planful
Dive into Planful, and you’ll quickly discover why it’s a favorite workforce planning tool among forward-thinking HR and Management teams. This modern workforce planning software goes beyond mere task management for business leaders.
It’s all about connecting financial and operational data, resulting in a holistic view of your workforce process’ efficiency and employee productivity to help you reach your business goals.
With Planful, the emphasis is on continuous planning, which promotes agility and adaptability in the ever-changing business landscape. Its intuitive interface, coupled with powerful analytics, means decision-makers are always equipped with timely, actionable insights.
When planning meets performance, Planful is where they intersect in the workforce planning process.
Planful key features
- Connect HR, finance, and operations management for optimized workforce planning
- Offers insights, flexibility, and powerful what-if scenario planning
- Real-time comparisons of plan versus actuals with accurate workforce forecasting
Planful limitations
- Some users find it challenging to use
- Workforce planning can be tedious without direct integration with employee management software
- Performance issues arise when the dimensionality of models exceeds certain levels
Planful pricing
- Request personalized quote
Planful ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.3/5 (370 + reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5 (45 reviews)
4. Paymo
Meet Paymo: your all-in-one solution for a more streamlined workforce. Paymo prides itself on bringing simplicity to complex projects. Through its comprehensive suite of tools, businesses can track time, manage tasks, and invoice clients, all from one central hub.
This ensures that teams remain cohesive and aligned, irrespective of their geographical location.
What sets Paymo apart is its commitment to bridging the gap between work and remuneration. Providing a clear and transparent view of tasks, hours worked, and corresponding payments fosters a culture of accountability and recognition, making workforce management both efficient and rewarding.
Paymo key features
- Offers bulk-time editing for tasks and projects
- Allows unlimited invoices, estimates, and expenses
- Features like a team scheduler and built-in time tracking optimize workflows
Paymo limitations
- Limited integrations, only available with paid plans
- Users can create only up to three invoices in free plans
Paymo pricing
- Free
- Starter: $4.95/user per month
- Small Office: $9.95/user per month
- Business: $20.79/user per month
Paymo ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.5/5 (400+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (400+ reviews)
5. tamigo
Step into the realm of tamigo and experience workforce planning redefined. Designed with the retail and hospitality sectors in mind, tamigo understands the complexities and challenges of managing shifts and rosters in dynamic environments for business leaders.
Its core strength lies in its ability to forecast, aligning staffing needs with business demands. But it doesn’t stop at just planning; tamigo ensures effective communication, allowing staff to access schedules, swap shifts, and communicate preferences effortlessly.
The result? A harmonious blend of employee satisfaction and business optimization, ensuring the right people are in the right place, at the right time.
Tamingo best features
- Absence management and attendance tracking
- Access crucial KPIs like wage percentage, labor costs, and productivity to hit business goals
- Enables performance comparison at both national and international levels
- Minimizes manual processes and displays data effectively
Tamingo limitations
- Users report occasional technical glitches
- Some features on mobile devices don’t always perform optimally
Tamingo pricing
- Essential: $1.50 per user
- Standard: $3 per user
- Advanced: Custom pricing
- Premium: Custom pricing
Tamingo ratings and reviews
- G2: N/A
- Capterra: 4.2/5 (21 reviews)
6. Planday
Planday has cemented its reputation as a must-have for businesses seeking to revolutionize their scheduling processes. It goes beyond traditional workforce planning by giving employees a voice in the scheduling process. The platform is designed to empower, allowing staff to indicate availability, swap shifts, and even request time off.
This is a dream come true for managers, as Planday’s algorithms work tirelessly to ensure optimal staffing levels, balancing business needs with employee preferences.
Its real-time communication tools ensure everyone is on the same page, reducing scheduling conflicts and boosting overall morale.
Planday best features
- Enables staff to swap shifts, set availability, and use templates
- Connects with existing systems for real-time information
- Offers features like Punch Clock and payroll forecast software
Planday limitations
- Can be slow to load, especially with a high volume of shifts
- The interface is not very intuitive compared to other workforce planning tools
Planday pricing
- Starter: $2.99/user per month
- Plus: $4.99/user per month
- Pro: $6.99/user per month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Planday ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.5/5 (45+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5 (50+ reviews)
7. Anaplan
In the bustling world of enterprise planning, Anaplan stands tall. Renowned for its ability to connect data, people, and plans across your business, Anaplan transforms how enterprises make decisions in your workforce planning process. The platform is built on the philosophy that planning shouldn’t happen in silos in an interconnected world.
Whether you’re mapping out financial goals, supply chain logistics, or workforce strategies, Anaplan provides a unified view.
With its hyperblock technology, users can run virtually any workforce planning and modeling scenario, leading to decisions that are not just informed but also holistic across your workforce management processes.
Anaplan best features
- Uses proprietary technology for real-time employee performance and forecasting
- Helps identify talent gaps, model scenarios, and assess financial impacts
- Connects key data points for a holistic perspective of the business
Anaplan limitations
- Complexity: If not built carefully, Anaplan can become too intricate and inflexible compared to other planning software
- It’s not a plug-and-play solution; it requires capable resources for maximum utilization
Anaplan pricing
- Contact for personalized pricing
Anaplan ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.6/5 (295 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (20+ reviews)
8. MYOB
MYOB is more than just software—it’s a commitment to optimizing the business backbone. While it’s often recognized for its accounting solutions, MYOB also offers a powerful suite for effective workforce management and planning software solutions.
It understands that payroll, HR, and rostering are deeply interconnected in the contemporary business landscape. Hence, it offers an integrated approach, ensuring that employee management is not just about hours logged, but also about benefits, training, and overall growth.
With cloud-based solutions, businesses can rest assured that they have real-time data at their fingertips, making workforce planning efficient, compliant, and strategic.
MYOB best features
- Connects with over 350 popular apps to streamline workforce planning
- Combines onboarding, rostering, timesheets, and payroll templates
- Syncs with timesheets for precise pay runs across the workforce planning process
MYOB limitations
- Might be excessive for those seeking a simple workforce planning tool
- According to users, timesheets occasionally do not synchronize correctly, affecting wages
MYOB pricing
- Payroll Only: $10/month (for up to four employees)
- Lite: $15/month
- Business: $25.50/month
- AccoutingRight Plus: $68/month
- AccountingRight Premier: $85/month
MYOB ratings and reviews
- G2: 3.5/5 (25+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5 (35+ reviews)
9. ActivTrak
At the intersection of productivity and employee well-being, you’ll find ActiveTrak. In an era where remote work is becoming the norm, ActiveTrak provides invaluable insights into employee activities, ensuring that businesses maintain high productivity levels without compromising on well-being.
But it’s not just a monitoring tool—it’s an ally in fostering a healthy work environment.
By understanding patterns, managers can identify potential burnout, offer timely interventions, or even recognize top performers. ActivTrak transforms raw data into actionable insights, bridging the gap between workforce efficiency and employee satisfaction.
ActivTrak best features
- Offers tailored reports for swift employee behavior analysis to find skills gaps or inform talent management teams with HR data to locate areas of team improvement
- Easy-to-navigate dashboard displaying vital metrics
- Features responsive customer support and behavior-based employee coaching
- Allows real-time team monitoring via the Team Pulse feature
ActivTrak limitations
- The feature-rich software can be overwhelming for new users
- Lacks a solid mobile application compared to the best workforce planning software
- Customers might find the installation process intricate
ActivTrak pricing
- Free
- Essentials: $10/month per user yearly
- Professional: $17/month per user yearly
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
ActivTrak ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (200+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (500+ reviews)
10. WorkDay
WorkDay is often hailed as the gold standard in HR software, and for good reason. It offers an all-encompassing solution, encompassing everything from payroll and finance to talent management and analytics.
What sets WorkDay apart is its machine learning-driven insights, which allow businesses to anticipate trends, make data-driven decisions, and tailor strategies to individual employee needs.
Its design ensures that whether you’re an HR professional or an employee seeking information, the platform caters to you. In the realm of workforce planning software, WorkDay adaptive planning solutions are a testament to how technology can humanize processes, placing people at the heart of every strategy.
WorkDay best features
- Offers products tailored for various industries
- Built for large teams with frequent changes and data-heavy processes
- Provides self-service options through personal portals
WorkDay limitations
- Might not be affordable for small businesses
- Users report a dated interface that can be difficult to navigate
- Implementation can be lengthy for larger corporations
WorkDay pricing
- Contact for pricing
WorkDay ratings and reviews
- G2: 4/5 (1,290+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5 (980+ reviews)
Check out these WorkDay alternatives!
ClickUp Stands Above The Rest for Workforce Planning Systems
When navigating the myriad of options in the workforce planning software universe, it’s crucial to invest in a tool that not only streamlines operations but is also tailored to the unique needs of your team.
ClickUp’s emphasis on customization ensures that teams don’t have to adjust their workflow to fit the software, but rather the other way around. This is a critical advantage, especially in the ever-evolving world of business, where adaptability is key.
Beyond this, the logical hierarchy it provides—from workspace down to subtasks—guarantees that every aspect of a project has its dedicated space, ensuring maximum clarity and organization. But what truly sets ClickUp apart is its comprehensive nature.
Whether it’s task management, time tracking, data analytics, or any other crucial function, ClickUp has it covered. With seamless integrations, it offers a harmonious experience that bridges the gap between different facets of your tech stack.
So, as you weigh the pros and cons of each software, remember that the ultimate goal is to enhance collaboration, optimize operations, and scale management processes effectively. In this regard, ClickUp undeniably emerges as the premier choice for strategic workforce planning in 2024 and beyond.
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