Lemonade HR & Payroll: The Best HR & Payroll Software in the Philippines, 2023

(Compared to other competing HR Solutions in the PH Market)

By Casey E. 

at Xurpas Software

Prior to the pandemic, the work of human resources departments was already challenging. Now, almost two years after the Covid 19 crisis, human resources professionals in the Philippines are still concerned about the health of their staff members, are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork they have to complete, and are looking for ways to help those employees who have lost their jobs.

For those who are still on the job, HR professionals in the Philippines are making an effort to maintain their workers’ engagement, connection to coworkers, their motivation, and their productivity. It is the combination of all of these factors that allows businesses to survive in the new normal.

Nevertheless, the fact remains that organizations are being held back by processes that are inefficient and require manual labor. And at this point, it’s time to try out some upgrades. The ever-increasing sophistication of modern technology has made it possible for human resources to use specialized software to facilitate and simplify their work even during a remote set up.

       You’ve found the right place if you’re looking to buy a Human Resource Management System (HRMS) and Payroll System or maybe upgrade the one you already have. In this article, we will go over the need for HRMS/HRIS and payroll solutions, their functions, and we’ll introduce the best HR solution on the market, Lemonade HR & Payroll, plus take a look at its other competitors through a deep dive of features, offers, and pricing comparison. 

Let’s start!

First, in order to get a better understanding of your needs and what suits your team best, the very first thing we need to do is help you understand the functions of HR & Payroll.

Every provider is built differently and has its own unique features, all tailored to help a specific aspect of your business. Let’s first get a clearer picture of HR and Payroll’s distinctions and how they work:

Human Resources VS Payroll

Employee relations are managed under the umbrella of the Human Resources department. Payroll, on the other hand, is concerned with how workers are compensated for their efforts. Even though these two functional sides of an organization are distinct from one another and each play a unique role in the organization, they do work together on a number of activities that are essential to the organization’s overall success. These activities include: the integration of payroll and human resources, which can reduce the amount of paperwork, make it possible to automatically update information, and make it simpler to provide consolidated reports.

HR System (HRMS/HRIS)

The main function of HR systems/software, is to provide a comprehensive online platform for streamlining and optimizing routine HR operations. These include human resources’ primary function: recruitment, which entails advertising open positions and fostering interest among qualified candidates and monitoring new hires’ performance once they’ve been hired.

Human resources is also responsible for designing and implementing training programs and keeping staff on track by constantly reinforcing the company’s strategic objectives. When it comes to managing the people who work for an organization, human resources is concerned with bringing out the best in those who work there so that they can help the business succeed.

Plus, the HR team is also in charge of incentivizing workers by designing pay packages that may include bonuses at the end of the year and pay raises in the middle of the year. That brings us to the next essential function, which is: Payroll.

 Payroll System

Payroll refers to the process by which employees are paid their salaries. Payroll data, tax deposits, and reports all fall under the category of “functions,” which necessitates balancing and reconciling various data sets. Wage deductions, documentation, and factual accuracy in payroll are all the purview of the payroll department.

Like HR software, a payroll system is a business solution for managing, maintaining, and automating employee payments. It helps businesses automate the time-consuming and error-prone process of calculating and processing employee payroll.

Now get this:

An HR software is, in a nutshell, all about managing and taking care of the employees, while payroll software, or payroll management software, is a system for keeping track of employee salaries and other monetary benefits, as the name suggests.

And oh! As a helpful reminder, keep in mind that while many HR software suites include payroll processing as a standard feature, other HR software and payroll software exist independently. And yet, we think that a truly effective tool for your company should offer you the best of both worlds.

Now let’s get right down to business and discuss the best human resources and payroll software on the Philippine market right now

Leading HR & Payroll Systems in the Philippines in 2023

  1. Lemonade HR & Payroll

At the top of this list, proving to be the best and most powerful of all HR & Payroll systems, is Lemonade HR & Payroll. Here’s why:

Dubbed as “The COMPLETE HR & Payroll System for Filipino Organizations”, Lemonade HR is your go to all-in-one Human Resources and Payroll Solution that will assist your business in adapting to the modern working environment. On top of that, it also comes with its own communication, collaboration, and coordination tools, so you can do almost everything in one place!

Features you can get:

  Employee Record Management – allows you to keep, update, and maintain employee 201 files securely and view all of your employees’ historical records.

  Payroll – the comprehensive platform comes with a solution that gives you the power and freedom to automate payroll processes and even customize types of allowance and deductions.
 
  Recruitment – maintain an updated list of job hire candidates, and even personalize your interview notes so you can refer back to them at a later time.
 
  Employee Engagement – built-in tools like instant messaging and video conferencing help maintain high levels of employee engagement. It also functions as a human resources help desk, so you can provide better support to your staff.
 
  Employee Well-being and Safety – protect the Health and Safety of Your Employees with Features Like the COVID-19 Health Monitoring System.
 
  Timekeeping & Leave Management – gives you the ability to manage your employees’ shifts and clock in and out from wherever and whenever you want, as well as request and approve leave with the click of a button.
 
  Video Meetings – you can easily organize a meeting with a team member, colleague, your team, or the entire department.
 
  Instant Messaging – use the instant messaging feature to connect with your staff and keep the discussion going.
 
  Group Calendar – make use of the Group Calendar to set up and keep track of all company-wide events, such as one-on-one meetings, team meetings, events, and training.
 
  File Sharing & Collaboration – you can keep track of all the files you need to distribute to your team members with the help of File Sharing and Collaboration.
 
  Document Templates – you’re all covered with all of your note-taking needs, whether it’s for an onboarding/offboarding process, an interview, or a meeting. Make use of the premade templates to save time and effort.

  1.  GreatDay HR

GreatDay HR is a cloud-based HR software in the Philippines that helps you manage payroll, taxes, attendance, leave requests, and reimbursements. Since 1999, GreatDay HR, formerly SunFish DataOn Philippines, Inc., has provided HRIS and Payroll platforms to businesses in need of automating their HR procedures.

Features you can get:

  Employee database – displays employees’ complete and up-to-date employment data and other relevant information.
 
  Time Tracking – create and update custom shift schedules for each employee.
 
  Payroll – provides accurate and time-saving payroll management with automated payroll calculations. This ensures employees are paid on time despite cut-offs.
 
  Recruitment – a recruitment module that allows for hiring to fully on-boarding of your new employees.
 
  Video Messaging – GreatDay Meet simplifies video conferencing allowing for webinars, employee interviews, and client meetings.
 
  Instant Messaging – chat features that make it easier for fellow employees to communicate about work-related matters.  

  Performance Management – allows you to measure the productivity of your team’s performance using the GreatDay HR application.

  1. Sprout Solutions

Sprout Solutions is a company that helps businesses improve and automate their HR and payroll processes. Their system can handle everything from keeping track of time to paying people and also lets companies manage all of their HR processes, like digital 201 files, in one place. Sprout HR also gives valuable analytics that help high-level decision-makers make better choices.

Features you can get:

  Employee Database – access, automation, and customization of HR reports and HR forms are all made possible by the secure digital storage of employee profiles.
 
  Payroll – Sprout Payroll automates payroll, government contributions, and report generation in the cloud, reducing human error.
 
  Timekeeping – includes a web bundle and mobile app, and supports six different clock-in/clock-out methods, as well as real-time monitoring of timekeeping and attendance.
 
  Leaves – using Sprout HR, you can easily request time off whenever it’s most convenient for you.
 
  Recruitment – Sprout’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a paid add-on that works with Sprout HR to simplify the recruitment life cycle.

  1. HReasily

HR easily offers low-cost products that are simple to use and streamline HR work processes such as payroll processing, document digitization employment contracts, and staff management systems, among other things, while still maintaining a focus on customer service.

Features you can get:

  Employee database – you can efficiently administer employee databases, create work schedules and employment timelines, and add appraisal forms.
 
  Payroll – you can focus on what really matters instead of spending hours on manual calculations and filing thanks to automated payroll processing software.
 
  Time and Attendance – complete time and attendance records can be automatically transferred to the payroll system, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual calculations and processing.
 
  Leave/Claims – The leave system is flexible and accessible on any device, it integrates with payroll, allowing custom, multi-currency claims anytime, anywhere.

  1.  Finn

Finn streamlines the process of continuously following up to ensure that timesheet approvals are submitted on time. Finn wants you to get rid of follow-ups, eliminate disputes, and makes sure that everything is automated. In a sense, Finn has gotten all the necessary supervisor approvals before the payroll deadline (even if it has to chase people who are on leave).

Features you can get:

  Time and Attendance – Finn is a browser-based timeclock that employees can use to clock in and out of their shifts. Employees can record their start and end times using a computer or cell phone browser.
  HRIS – ensures compliance by keeping accurate employee records, full biodata, hiring process, actual employment, and performance details like KPIs and memos. Allows you to create custom fields and sections for your 201 file.
 
  Payroll – is a one-click process after timesheets have been approved and any necessary notes have been uploaded. And if there are any problems with timekeeping or payroll, they will be highlighted in a narration report sent to you via machine learning.
 
  Performance Management – serves like an employee dashboard where you can put up news about the business, events honoring employees, and policy updates in a social media-style timeline.

  1. Filipay

Filipay is a scalable Time Management, Human Resources, and Payroll processing solution, a flexible solution for managing workflow operations. Filipay includes multi-work schedules and leave management schedules. The HR modules offer self-service onboarding and disciplinary actions. Dynamic payroll processing module fits organizations of all sizes.

Features you can get:

  Employee database – this system allows admins and supervisors to easily track employee productivity and use this feature to retrieve 201 employee files. Provides access to your employees’ salary information, including government statutory contributions, allowances, etc.
 
  Internal Messaging – is designed to make communication within the organization simple and straightforward. It allows for confidential communication between certain staff members.
 
  Payroll – you can create a payroll ledger in your accounting software to record employee salaries and taxes withheld from each payslip. Filipay solutions ensure payroll compliance and accurate, on-time processing. It also provides back office/current and resigned employee transparency, pay stubs are accessible anytime, anywhere.
 
  Leave and time management – allows you to manage company leave types, adjust  flexible  schedules, and is capable of tracking and capturing accurate employee timesheets.
 
  Employee Self Service Portal – Filipay enables remote access to payslips, attendance, support tickets, and leave requests. With filipay’s anytime, anywhere access to payslips, it is now possible to provide transparency from the back office to current and former employees.

Hmmm. It seems like information overload, does it?

To wrap things up, here is a comparison table that includes a brief summary of each HR and payroll system:

      Lemonade HR is clearly in the lead when it comes to providing all the necessary features in a single subscription plan, with no additional fees or additional cost for a feature because everything is included within a packaged price. While GreatDay HR comes second best, also offering as many basic features you’d need except for its own document templates, file sharing and collaboration. Recruitment is also not a free feature, but you need to pay an additional monthly fee to get it.

       On the contrary, other vendors like Sprout, HR Easily, Finn and Filipay all provide the two basic features, which are employee database and payroll. However, some of the features that would be most helpful to you are either additional costs or are not really serviced by their systems yet. All the same, these HR & Payroll services are reliable, have built trust with regular customers, and are making a name for themselves in the industry.

 PRICING

      Cost obviously plays an important factor, let’s look into the cheapest alternative first. The ability of a software to fulfill all requirements at a price that is both affordable and manageable is one of the criteria that we consider to be an absolute necessity when selecting software.

The table below shows data that has been gathered through research and fact checking in comparing the listed software providers:

        As seen in the comparison table above, Lemonade HR offers a package catering to either 50 or 100 users per subscription. While this is more pricey than GreatDay HR’s 60 peso per employee offer, you’d still get the full set of features with Lemonade HR for only 4,950 or 9,950 with up to 100 employees.

       Sprout HR is on the pricier side, with a huge cost of 20,000 pesos for 50 employees and an additional implementation fee. Meanwhile, HREasily provides a full suite that includes the bare essentials, making it more expensive than both Lemonade HR and GreatDay HR.

        The remaining two, Finn and Filipay, appear to offer their modules for less than 50 pesos, but you will only receive the most basic features, such as employee database, payroll and attendance, and nothing else.

 Final thoughts:

       There have been significant changes in the nature of the future of work and the implications this has for human resource professionals over the past 15 years. After Covid-19, the playing field was changed.

       In today’s fast-paced business world, HR managers often put in long hours developing and enforcing policies and procedures designed to safeguard employees and ensure the continued success of their organizations. In the wake of staff reductions, such as furloughs and layoffs, they must deal with the fallout.

       The majority of employees have grown accustomed to working remotely. They are developing strategies for a healthy workplace, for emergency communication, and for keeping the business running smoothly even in the event of an emergency.

       All things considered, it’s important to remember that effective HR & Payroll software unites human resources and financial management functions into a single unified system. Aside from providing solutions that work well together, the best HR and payroll software should also provide affordable plans, user-friendly online tools, and a low initial investment.

Grabe a Lemonade today!

       It’s becoming increasingly clear that Lemonade HR & Payroll is the best all-in-one human resource management and payroll management solution available today. It has a wide range of useful features, was developed with a focus on employees, and is very reasonably priced.

       In light of these challenges, Lemonade HR & Payroll was designed from the ground up to provide HR professionals with a central hub for collaboration and the distribution of best practices.

       Why not consider giving Lemonade HR & Payroll a try if your organization is prepared to invest in a powerful human resources management system that can help you grow to new heights, survive in the new normal, and thrive in the years to come.