12 Best Employee Performance Management Software in 2024

Performance management is the lifeblood of any thriving organization. I’ve seen how it boosted productivity, aligned teams with company goals better, and fostered personal growth.

But sadly, many companies still rely on outdated methods or disparate tools.

There’s a growing trend toward using specialized software to streamline the process.

In this blog, I’ll help you explore the top performance management software that is essential in today’s dynamic work environment.

List of the Best Employee Performance Review Software 

To prepare this list of the best employee performance review software, I used my own knowledge, suggestions from friends, feedback on popular software review websites, and client testimonials. 

1. ProProfs Training Maker – Best for Employee Training 

ProProfs Training Maker is a fantastic tool that allows me to create and manage training courses seamlessly. What I love most is its real-time progress-tracking feature. It lets me closely monitor how my learners are doing, giving me valuable insights into their progress. 

You get insightful reports on individual and group progress, course completion, and learner engagement. These reports help you ensure that your learners are actively participating in your online training courses, identifying areas that may need improvement. 

ProProfs Training Maker integrates with surveys, quizzes, and polls to collect user feedback, which can be compiled into helpful reports. These reports not only gauge learner satisfaction but also pinpoint strong and weak areas in your training programs. This feedback can be used to personalize the learning experience based on learner preferences.

Watch:How to Analyze Training Course & Quiz Results

What You Will Like:

• Offers robust quiz and assessment tools that can be embedded within courses to engage learners and test their knowledge.
• Integrates with various third-party tools and applications, making it flexible for users to combine it with other systems.
• Provides prebuilt courses and templates that can save time for course creators and provide high-quality content.

What You May Not Like:

• The free plan is limited to 10 users only. Also, the plan does not include pre-built courses.
• While it’s user-friendly, users may need time to get acquainted with more advanced features.

Pricing:

Forever free for up to 10 learners. Paid plans start at $1.97/active learner/month for up to 10 learners. Unlimited courses. Unlimited admins. 

2. Bridge – Best for Performance Reviews 

Another employee performance management software I’d include in this list is Bridge LMS, which has proven to be excellent for performance reviews. 

It allows you to identify skill gaps, conduct valuable performance assessments, strengthen manager-employee relationships, align teams, and monitor goal progress all in one unified experience. 

With features like talent reviews, skill assessments, shared one-on-one meetings, goal alignment, and peer recognition, Bridge enhances the way we evaluate and nurture our team’s growth. It’s a tool that fosters learning, engagement, and communication in your company culture.

What You Will Like:

• The live training option allows you to conduct synchronous sessions with your learners via video conferencing or webinars.
• Has education metrics that can be incorporated into performance reviews, career development plans, and employee engagement surveys.
• Make smart recommendations based on your activity, such as suggesting courses, skills, or mentors that match your interests and goals. 

What You May Not Like:

• Lacks the ability to upload high-quality videos and answer quiz questions with a picture screen capture.
• The reporting options in Bridge are limited and do not allow users to create hierarchies beyond linear assignments.

Pricing:

Paid plans start at $4/user/month. Custom learning paths. Live training calendar 

3. Looop by 360Learning – Best for Direct Feedback Loop 

Looop by 360Learning is the ideal choice for creating a direct feedback loop in your Learning and Development (L&D) process. Unlike traditional learning platforms, Looop is designed to streamline communication and foster immediate, targeted responses. 

It facilitates a dynamic, real-time exchange between learners and instructors, enabling you to gauge what’s working and what needs improvement. This invaluable direct feedback loop ensures that your L&D efforts are continuously refined and tailored to your specific needs. 

With Looop, you’re not left in the dark, hoping for results; you’re actively engaged in a responsive, iterative process that leads to enhanced learning outcomes and drives performance improvement. It’s a great employee performance management software for those who seek impactful, data-driven L&D solutions.

What You Will Like:

• Encourages collaborative learning with features such as discussion forums, quizzes, and polls. 
• Looop provides a variety of tools for creating engaging content, such as videos, images, and interactive exercises. 
• Provides comprehensive analytics that allows administrators to track learner progress.

What You May Not Like:

• Looop does not offer a built-in authoring tool or a gamification engine.
• Looop is a relatively new LMS, so it does not have the same level of brand recognition or market share as some of the more established LMS.

Pricing:

Paid plans start at $299/month. Up to 50 users. Best for small businesses. 

4. Cornerstone OnDemand – Best for Goal Alignment 

Cornerstone’s enterprise performance management software focuses on goal alignment, and it has been instrumental in our organization’s success. The ability to connect employee goals with business outcomes is a game-changer. 

This employee evaluation software offers flexibility, allowing us to tailor our performance management process to our unique needs. We’ve nurtured a culture of feedback and more effective coaching conversations between employees and managers, resulting in improved performance.

One remarkable feature is the goal alignment system, enabling employees, managers, and administrators to set action-oriented tasks and track results effortlessly. This promotes accountability and keeps everyone aligned with the organization’s objectives. 

What You Will Like:

• A modern and customizable LMS that supports multimedia learning and responsive design.
• Has strong reporting capabilities that help with compliance and analytics.
• It is a global product that can support multiple languages and cultures.

What You May Not Like:

• It does not integrate as well with other HCM systems as some of its competitors.
• Some users have reported performance issues with Cornerstone OnDemand, especially when using the platform with large datasets.

Pricing:

Paid plans start at $6/user/month. Performance management. Learner engagement.

5. Leapsome – Best for Automated Review Cycles 

Leapsome’s performance management tool, with a focus on automated review cycles, is a game-changer for our organization. It streamlines the entire review process, making it easy to set up and complete while providing substantial benefits to all stakeholders. 

The notable feature is the automated review cycles. Leapsome lets us create templates and timelines that can be reused across cycles and set to recur independently. This saves us valuable time and ensures that no review is overlooked. Invitations, notifications, and reminders keep all participants on track.

The cycle dashboards provide an at-a-glance view of the review status, helping us keep everything in one place. With automated reminders, participants are nudged to complete their reviews, ensuring a smooth and efficient process.

What You Will Like:

• The platform offers unbiased and fair reviews by providing quick access to peer reviews, past feedback, and goal performance.
• The 1:1 meeting notes allow managers to write comprehensive and constructive reviews focused on employee development.
• With automated reminders, participants are nudged to complete their reviews, ensuring a smooth and efficient process.

What You May Not Like:

• Certain features of Leapsome, such as OKRs, are not as effective as they are marketed to be.
• The tool does not offer many API integrations, making integrating with other HR and productivity tools difficult.

Pricing:

Paid plans start at $8/month. Flexible templates. Review automation. 

6. Zavvy – Best for 360-Degree Feedback

One of the best employee performance management tools I would recommend is Zavvy. It simplifies the entire feedback system, allowing us to assess leadership, performance, and career progression efficiently. The ability to create custom feedback systems tailored to our specific needs has been invaluable.

One of the most impressive features is the automation of feedback cycles. No more spreadsheets sent back and forth, as Zavvy handles it all seamlessly. It saves time for both people managers and peers, ensuring that constructive feedback is given without the usual hassles.

Zavvy also ensures that feedback is not wasted. The data-driven insights it provides enable more meaningful conversations and drive performance, engagement, and development. It’s all presented in one central place for transparent and fair evaluations.

What You Will Like:

• Uses AI to analyze employee data and provide insights into their performance. 
• Allows employees to receive feedback on a continuous basis rather than just once a year.
• Zavvy can help employees to create personalized development plans based on their feedback and goals. 

What You May Not Like:

• Zavvy is missing some features that are available in other performance management platforms, such as category deletion and filtering options.
• While Zavvy automates many aspects of performance management, there is still some manual work required, such as creating and distributing feedback surveys.

Pricing:

Paid plans start at $4/employee/month. Goals and OKRs. 5+ feedback survey templates. 

7. Trakstar Perform – Best for Customizing Performance Reviews

Another HR performance management software I would recommend is Trakstar Perform which empowers training managers to optimize employee development. This comprehensive tool offers personalized training plans and robust performance reports. 

The software empowers you to tailor reviews for both teams and individual employees, aligning their goals and competencies with their specific roles. Trakstar ensures that the performance review process remains efficient and organized by displaying outstanding review action items and sending automated email reminders to raters. 

It’s a valuable asset for any training manager seeking to enhance training programs, improve workforce development, and drive overall organizational success.

What You Will Like:

• Users can create custom performance review templates, goals, and feedback forms.
• Provides a variety of reports that can help organizations track employee performance and make informed decisions about compensation and development.
• With its 360-degree feedback capability, you can assess training effectiveness and tailor programs to individual needs. 

What You May Not Like:

• Limited customization options for some features, such as email notifications or review cycles.
• There’s a steep learning curve for some users who are not familiar with the software or its terminology.

Pricing:

Paid plans start at $249/month. Single Sign On. Course module workflow. 

8. D2L Brightspace  – Best for Determining ROI 

Being in the training industry for some years now, I know that measuring ROI in performance management is crucial as it quantifies the impact of investments in training and development. That’s why I use D2L Brightspace’s Performance+. 

Performance+ enables me to measure ROI effectively. It provides up-to-the-minute reports and visuals that clarify the effectiveness of our courses and learner programs. It also predicts learner performance, helping me take timely actions to keep them on track.

With Performance+, I can access course and learner data, gaining insights into performance patterns. The tool offers a range of features, such as custom reports, data refreshers, and report scheduling. It also aids in uncovering learner patterns and creating adaptive learning paths.

What You Will Like:

• Has tools for content creation, classroom discussion, learner assessment, and mobile accessibility.
• Provides granular personalization and analytics insights to enhance the learning experience and outcomes.
• Has a new IntegrationHub that allows users to explore and access a wide range of partner solutions that can be easily integrated with the platform.

What You May Not Like:

• Does not have enough communication tools or options for online collaboration and interaction.
• Some users also had issues with specific integrations, such as Zoom or Google Drive, that affected their communication and workflow.

Pricing:

The vendor hasn’t shared any pricing information

9. Kallidus  – Best for Creating Flexible Reviews 

Now, I want to include Kallidus in this list as it focuses on building flexible reviews, a critical aspect of performance management. This software provides a unique approach to reviews that drive future success. 

This employee performance management system promotes short, regular conversations throughout the year, eliminating the need for lengthy form-filling. This approach allows for agile adjustments to objectives, ensuring they remain up-to-date and aligned with the evolving needs of the organization.

The flexibility offered by this tool empowers managers to encourage short conversations and track progress continuously. This means that performance discussions can happen on an ongoing basis rather than being confined to annual or semi-annual meetings.

What You Will Like:

• Powerful classroom system admin, a powerful reporting tool, and a robust platform. 
• Has a user-friendly interface, a customizable feedback system, and a gamified approach to motivating employees.
• It has a layout that is easy to use and mobile-friendly. It also integrates with other platforms, such as LinkedIn and Indeed. 

What You May Not Like:

• Lacks certain features that are important to them, such as the ability to impersonate other users and the Business Objects interface. 
• The impersonate feature is not as robust as it could be, making it difficult for administrators to troubleshoot user issues. 

Pricing:

Paid plans start at $10,000/year. Customization. Data migration.

10. Engagedly – Best for Talent Analytics 

As someone in the learning & training space, I’ve come to appreciate the critical role that skill assessment plays in performance management. With its AI-powered talent analytics tool, Engagedly has been an invaluable asset in this journey.

The power of data-driven decision-making is evident as Engagedly provides a comprehensive overview of our employees’ performance, skills, objectives, and accomplishments. It has eliminated the stress of incomplete data, allowing our HR teams to make informed decisions regarding our workforce.

Customizable performance metrics have allowed us to link goals to performance reviews, aligning individual aspirations with organizational objectives. Moreover, the on-the-go access feature enables real-time updates and progress tracking, promoting agility and flexibility in our performance management practices.

What You Will Like:

• You can automate the performance review process and track individual and team progress.
• You can create a culture of recognition and engagement with the praise wall and gamification elements.
• Engagedly is designed to be user-friendly, even for those with limited technical experience. 

What You May Not Like:

• The dashboard information is sometimes inaccurate or outdated.
• Some features are not very user-friendly or flexible, such as the multi-rater or survey modules.

Pricing:

Paid plans start at $9/member/month. Cascading goals. Performance appraisal.

11. PerformYard – Best for Quarterly Conversations 

PerformYard is a corporate performance management software designed to enhance feedback and review processes within organizations. Although I haven’t personally tried it, it appears to be a valuable resource for businesses seeking to streamline their employee evaluation procedures.

PerformYard offers custom quarterly conversations integrated into the review cycle, ensuring employees receive meaningful feedback. Key features include centralized scheduling for reviews, sign-offs, and follow-ups, making it easier to manage performance assessments. 

The platform also allows managers and employees to record conversation highlights, action items, and progress all in one place. Furthermore, it facilitates goal alignment, offering a single source of truth for goals.

What You Will Like:

• You can customize the tool to suit your business needs and preferences.
• Offers automation and scheduling features that save you time and hassle. 
• PerformYard enables you to align your corporate, departmental, team, and individual goals and track your progress and achievements.

What You May Not Like:

• Some users have reported problems with logging in, uploading files, or saving changes. 
• The tool does not have gamification, social recognition, or learning management features. 

Pricing:

Paid plans range between $5 to $10/person/month. Automatic performance review. Dedicated customer success manager. 

12. Workday – Best for Talent Optimization 

With a suite of powerful capabilities, Workday offers us a comprehensive view of our organization’s talent, fundamentally transforming the way we make decisions to boost productivity and align our employees’ career goals with our company’s mission.

What’s particularly exciting about using this tool in my role are its key capabilities: skills management, career development planning, goal management, performance enablement, and talent visibility. These features are instrumental in creating a more agile, skills-focused organization. 

What I find more appealing about this performance management software is that it encourages our team members to see their career paths from a fresh perspective while providing me with tools to facilitate transparent and continuous communication. 

What You Will Like:

• Allows users to tailor the software to their specific needs and preferences, such as creating custom reports, workflows, dashboards, etc.
• Has a strong performance management functionality that helps users set goals, track progress, and provide feedback. 
• Integrates with various business applications, such as Salesforce, Slack, Zoom, and more. 

What You May Not Like:

• Workday can be challenging to implement and deploy, especially for large and complex organizations. 
• It may take some time and training to master all the capabilities and options that Workday offers.

Pricing:

Paid plans start at $99/user/month. Benefits administration. Time tracking. 

Which Employee Performance Management Software Should You Choose?

When choosing the right employee performance management software, consider factors such as progress tracking, feedback collection, and real-time communication. 

With these in mind, I recommend the top three options:

Option A: ProProfs Training Maker

ProProfs Training Maker excels in real-time progress tracking and personalized learning experiences, providing valuable insights into learner performance.

Option B: Bridge LMS

Bridge LMS offers a unified experience for performance reviews, talent development, and goal monitoring, fostering engagement and communication within your organization.

Option C: Looop by 360Learning

Looop by 360Learning creates a direct feedback loop, streamlining communication and refining Learning and Development efforts for data-driven, impactful results.

In my opinion, ProProfs Training Maker emerges as the top choice in employee performance management software due to its exceptional real-time progress tracking, personalized learning experiences, and comprehensive feedback collection. Its USPs include the ability to closely monitor learner performance, provide insightful reports, and offer a dynamic, engaging training environment. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is employee performance management software?

Employee Performance Management Software is a digital tool designed to help organizations assess, monitor, and enhance the performance of their employees. It streamlines various processes related to performance evaluations, feedback, and goal setting.

What do performance management solutions do?

Employee performance management solutions streamline and automate performance evaluation processes. It enables setting performance goals, tracking progress, providing feedback, and identifying areas for improvement.

How can businesses benefit from using performance management software?

Businesses can benefit from this software by improving employee productivity, enhancing communication, aligning individual goals with organizational objectives, and simplifying performance appraisals. It also helps in data-driven decision-making.

How shall I choose the right performance management software?

To choose the right employee performance management software, businesses should consider factors like their specific needs, scalability, user-friendliness, integration capabilities, and cost. They should also assess if the software aligns with their performance management philosophy.

What features should I look for in performance management software?

Key features to look for in employee performance management software include real-time progress tracking, feedback collection, goal setting and tracking, reporting and analytics, and integration with other HR systems.

Is it possible to customize the software based on business needs?

Yes, many employee performance management software solutions offer customization options. You can tailor the software to match your organization’s performance management processes, objectives, and specific industry requirements. Customization ensures that the software aligns with your business needs and practices.