Primarily, 15Five is performance management software that is meant to be a supplement for human resource (HR) teams, managers and employees to achieve success individually and as a whole. The best employee management software typically includes features to help with one-on-one meetings, performance reviews and employee growth, but not all do.
At Forbes Advisor, we recognized 15Five on our list of the best talent management software because it focuses on employee engagement and growth. Through its many manager- and employee-led features, 15Five can help you foster a positive work environment.
Pros
Use 15Five’s engagement surveys to take the pulse of employees’ and teams’ view of your current workplace vibe. After everyone answers questions related to trust, authenticity, purpose and role clarity, to name a few, you’ll be able to get a clear view of what everyone thinks about your company. With these insights, you can then create objectives and key results (OKRs) to improve workplace culture or morale.
Employee growth is a big part of talent management, so 15Five included several tools to help with manager-led and self-guidance to employees’ career goals. You can define roles clearly for each person, organize one-on-one performance reviews, create objectives and track progress.
Directly related to engagement and morale is recognition, but 15Five doesn’t leave it just to managers to deliver praise. Employees can offer peers high fives digitally to show appreciation for a job well done or for something someone may have done to go above and beyond. These high fives are published publicly in the app so that the whole company can see that recognition.
Cons
Most HR software includes a few tools to help with performance management, but 15Five is strictly performance and talent management focused. That focus means there are no core HR features, so you won’t find applicant tracking or benefits administration. The workaround is that 15Five integrates with many human resource information systems (HRIS), such as Gusto, BambooHR and Rippling.
User reviews for 15Five are mostly positive, but employee user reviews are mixed. Some point out that 15Five sends many emails and notifications, which can be distracting. There are also complaints that the software makes the employee-manager relationship a bit awkward.
It’s also important to consider the cost, which could be too high for small businesses that may consider 15Five more of a supplemental system.
Featured Partners
Benefits administration
Yes
Base monthly price
$40 per month plus $6
Benefits administration
Yes
Base monthly price
$40 per month + $6 per user
Benefits administration
No
Base monthly price
$39-plus per month, depending on company size and needs
Benefits administration
Yes, extra cost
Base monthly price
$40-plus per month, depending on company size and needs