Bambee HR Software Review and Pricing

Why We Chose Bambee for Risk Mitigation

Bambee is a top-rated HR outsourcing service instead of a traditional HR software provider. The vendor specializes in offering HR risk mitigation assistance to small businesses with up to 500 employees. We appreciate that Bambee caters to small businesses specifically because it helps ensure the company’s HR representatives can offer custom assistance based on each employer’s needs. Bambee and its experts can help with the employee onboarding process, training, corrective action and termination. 

The service has robust HR management features and can also automate HR processes, store important HR documents in one centralized location and offer custom support as HR questions arise. This combination of automation and personal HR guidance impressed us because it can play a key role in mitigating HR risks. We also like that Bambee reps can conduct HR audits and create custom HR policies for each business – something many competitors we evaluated don’t offer. For these reasons and more, Bambee is our choice for the best HR solution for risk mitigation.

Bambee can help you create policies that support HR compliance and mitigate HR risks. Source: Bambee

Ease of Use

During testing, we found the Bambee platform user-friendly and straightforward to navigate. The display has a simple left rail with separate tabs, including a dashboard, HR requests, conversations, staff profiles, HR policies, important documents, training lessons, employee report cards, voices, and any additional services you included, such as time and attendance, payroll, or benefits. If you add Bambee’s payroll feature to your plan, you also get a guided platform that walks you through the critical steps of processing payroll. 

We really liked Bambee’s HR Autopilot, which automates essential HR practices. This tool simplifies basic HR functions and can be a game changer for minimizing human error-based HR mistakes. We also found Bambee’s HR audits extremely valuable. They make it easy to identify the HR functions you need assistance with. Bambee’s audits and automation features are particularly great for small businesses without the financial resources to hire an in-house HR professional or the time to stay on top of ever-changing HR regulations.

We were also impressed that Bambee is so easy to work with. Once you partner with the vendor, you gain access to a dedicated HR representative to help you navigate the complicated world of HR regulations. You can reach Bambee HR representatives conveniently by phone, email and chat. This support access is noteworthy – some competitors we reviewed offer support only through select channels.

Bambee has a clean dashboard with user-friendly navigation. Source: Bambee

Bambee Features

Bambee HR is not a full-service HR software solution. However, it offers many excellent services to help you manage HR responsibilities and mitigate potential risks. Here are a few of the functions available.

Risk Mitigation

Bambee’s primary goal is to help small businesses manage HR while mitigating potential risks. We like how the company conducts HR audits on small businesses to identify their HR gaps. The team then creates custom plans to help fill those gaps. Like other vendors, Bambee can take care of critical employee training on topics like sexual harassment, workplace safety and business ethics, but the organization takes this a step further by reporting your employees’ progress.

With Bambee’s Smart Cabinet, you can keep important employee HR documents in one place – an essential function for complying with EEOC document retention standards. If you have any questions along the way, Bambee offers one-on-one employer coaching and guidance from designated HR managers.

Businesses can document employee infractions within the platform as a part of risk mitigation. Source: Bambee 

HR Administration

Bambee has automated HR system functions that can improve efficiency. Automation is a great way to prevent crucial HR steps from being missed or forgotten. For example, Bambee HR Autopilot ensures your core HR policies are up to date each year and that each employee has acknowledged them. The tool can also help you create custom HR policies and procedures that align with current labor regulations and your business’s unique company culture.

We like that Bambee serves as a central hub for crucial employee information; since it’s cloud-based, you can access it from anywhere. Like other competitors we reviewed, Bambee helps onboard employees, train and develop your staff, store essential documents and employee information, and even terminate employees if needed.

Payroll Processing

Although Bambee plans don’t automatically include payroll processing, you can easily add Bambee’s guided payroll option. We found Bambee’s payroll solution somewhat basic compared to competitors. However, it has all the essential functions you need to run payroll and handle federal, state and local payroll taxes. We consider it sufficient for most small businesses with standard payroll needs. If your business needs more robust payroll features, see our review of Gusto and comparison of Bambee and Gusto to compare these vendors’ payroll functionality.

Talent Management

How you onboard and train employees can make a difference in your company’s success. Bambee provides guidance on welcoming and developing employees while navigating labor regulations. Bambee Report Cards let you track employee progress against performance goals, and the Employee Voices tool helps workers share open or anonymous feedback – good or bad. We like that Bambee offers nearly 700 training courses to help employees grow and ensure you stay HR compliant. Although training courses will incur additional fees (see below), we like that you can easily bundle them for employees. Employees can also browse and select various training courses.

We also like that if employees violate company policies, Bambee can help you take proper corrective action. You can easily walk through the platform’s corrective action workflow to report policy violations; a Bambee HR manager will review the incident to ensure you respond appropriately. Notably, if you must terminate an employee, Bambee can also help you navigate that process.

Bambee offers nearly 700 training options. Source: Bambee

Bambee Pricing

Bambee has six HR plans that differ primarily depending on employee numbers. The vendor offers six-month, one-year and two-year contracts with nominal pricing for businesses with up to 500 employees. Unlike rivals that charge a per-employee fee, Bambee charges one flat fee for each employee range. Here’s how its packages compare:

Bambee offers its built-in guided payroll solution as an optional add-on feature for a fee. You can also pay to add on employee benefits through SimplyInsured or time and attendance features through Deputy. 

As mentioned, Bambee offers nearly 700 training courses. A Bambee representative shared that you can buy individual training courses for $24 per employee per year or bundle four training courses for $59. If you add these via a Bambee account executive at the initial point of sale, you may see additional savings.

Implementation and Onboarding

We like that Bambee’s plans include access to a dedicated HR support person who can help you get started. Once you complete a brief survey about your business, you’ll connect with a specialist who will conduct a comprehensive HR audit of your organization and help you create compliant policies. This representative can help onboard, train and terminate employees; their expert guidance is valuable for maintaining compliance with federal and state employment laws.

Your Bambee HR manager can help you create and implement as many custom and core policies as your plan allows. Since policy numbers differ according to plan, creation and implementation times vary. (When selecting a plan, remember the associated setup fee.)

If you want assistance creating job descriptions or adding the Bambee guided payroll option to your package, you must set up job requirements and employee information with Bambee. This can add time to your overall implementation. In general, however, we found the vendor’s setup and onboarding relatively quick and seamless. 

Customer Support

We found Bambee’s customer support features to be competitive with those of other vendors we evaluated. We like that Bambee provides support by phone, email and chat; some of its peers use only one or two communication channels. Bambee representatives are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT, which is standard for the sector. 

We love that each plan comes with a dedicated HR manager who can give you personal, remote HR support and coaching as needed. You can contact your manager directly through the platform and even view their work calendar, which can be convenient for arranging assistance. Businesses can also access an HR coordinator (if the HR manager is not readily available) and a business manager for payroll and timekeeping needs.

When we previously spoke with a Bambee representative, we were told Bambee HR requests have a three-hour response time during business hours and a 24-hour response time after hours. 

We were also pleased to see Bambee is accredited with the Better Business Bureau and has a B rating with the agency, though some rivals have A+ scores.

Users can easily submit a request to their Bambee HR representative by navigating to the HR Request tab. Source: Bambee

Limitations

Bambee is an excellent solution for risk mitigation. However, we identified the following potential downsides: 

• Bambee has limited employee capacity. Bambee is geared toward small and midsize businesses, so it can support only companies with fewer than 500 employees. Companies with over 500 employees will need another HR solution to help mitigate HR risks. If you’re looking for an HR outsourcing solution to scale as your business grows, check out our review of Paychex. This company can support businesses with over 1,000 employees.
• Bambee doesn’t have a mobile app. Bambee’s platform is web-based, so you can access it on a phone. However, unlike many competitors we reviewed, the vendor doesn’t offer mobile apps specifically for iOS or Android devices. Mobile apps are especially useful for employers who must access their HR information on the go. They also help your team access employee self-service features. If having a mobile app is essential to you, check out our TriNet review and our review of Paycor. Both companies offer full-service HR solutions with select platform features on their mobile apps.
• Bambee isn’t a full-service HR software provider. Bambee operates as an HRO service; it’s not a full-service HR software provider. While it offers a payroll platform and employee training tools, it doesn’t provide other HR functions, like proprietary employee scheduling or time and attendance tools. This isn’t necessarily a limitation if HR guidance is your primary goal. However, it’s something to keep in mind if you need a platform to handle all your HR needs. If you’re looking for a more traditional HR software with time tracking, mobile apps and self-service features, see our review of BambooHR and our Bambee vs. BambooHR side-by-side comparison.

Methodology

We researched and analyzed dozens of human resources systems, including HR software and HRO solutions, to identify the best HR software and the best HR outsourcing solutions for small businesses. We evaluated pricing, contracts, recruitment and onboarding capabilities, employee benefits administration, time-tracking features, payroll processing, performance management features, reports, integrations, HR compliance assistance, ease of use, and customer service options. We also watched product videos and conducted demos when possible. When looking for the best HR service for risk mitigation specifically, we prioritized features like federal and state HR compliance assistance, payroll processing and guidance, HR policy guidance, talent management tools, usability, and customer service. You can read more about our editorial process here.

Bottom Line

We recommend Bambee for …

• Small and midsize businesses with fewer than 500 employees.
• Organizations looking for professional HR guidance on mitigating risk.
• Businesses that need help creating and implementing HR policies.

We don’t recommend Bambee for …

• Companies with more than 500 employees.
• Businesses looking for HR software with a mobile app.