ADP Performance Management – Try This Alternative

ADP is an all-in-one HRIS system that integrates a vast array of employee data and information. With everything from payroll to attendance, benefits, and compliance, it’s a convenient software system that enables HR professionals to access a treasure trove of employee information on a single platform.

But if you are looking for ADP performance management, it isn’t automatically included in the platform. Instead, ADP offers it as an add-on.

Sticking with the same platform by adding an HRIS performance management app to your existing ADP software is convenient and simple, but is it the best choice?

Here’s what you need to know about the ADP performance management add-on before you decide if it’s right for you.

ADP Performance Management Overview 

ADP is a popular HRIS platform for mid- to large-sized companies with a wide range of HR needs. It offers an all-in-one human resources management system, streamlining operations on a single platform. Although the platform is a repository of employee information that can impact the performance review process, you have to include the ADP performance management add-on if you want dedicated performance review capabilities.

The ADP performance management add-on includes features like:

• Visibility of goal assignments and progress among both employees and managers
• Set cascading goals and create development plans according to the organization's strategic objectives
• Automated evaluations and reviews
• Ability to auto-populate evaluation forms with relevant data and information

It can be difficult to figure out exactly how much you’ll pay for the ADP platform, as pricing is customized for each client. At the very least, you'll pay $79 per month plus $4 per employee for ADP RUN's Essential Plan. Their Enhanced, Complete, and HR Pro plans cost even more, and adding additional features, like ADP Performance Management, costs more too.

Pros of ADP’s Performance Management Add-On 

There are some pros to using ADP performance management. They include:

• Performance management is tightly integrated with compensation management
• Focus on strategic priorities at the organizational level
• Integrated within a single platform

Performance management is tightly integrated with compensation management

Although some platforms claim to integrate all areas of their software, the truth is that some of those integrations are only lightly connected because add-ons aren't fully developed. That's not the case when it comes to ADP, at least not as it relates to pay and compensation.

The ADP performance management add-on is tightly integrated with ADP compensation management. It allows you to create integrated pay-for-performance programs so you can reward employees for a job well done with compensation rewards, whether that's a raise, a bonus, or other monetary reward.

The system allows you to reward current performance, but it also enables you to plan for the future. You can figure out what the next round of rewards will look like because you’re able to stay on top of the cost of payroll, benefits, insurance, and more.

Focus on strategic priorities at the organizational level

The ADP performance management add-on is specifically designed to support a fully engaged workforce that is committed to working towards a common goal. The add-on focuses on assessing individual and collective progress towards organizational goals year-round. It is designed to support conversations between managers and employees with cascading goals that specifically link individual performance with strategic priorities.

This is a huge plus for organizations with clear objectives. The add-on allows you to keep everyone aligned and working towards big-picture goals.

Integrated within a single platform

One of the biggest bonuses of the ADP performance management add-on is the fact that it doesn’t require a separate software platform. It can be convenient to work with a single provider and get a single bill. Everything is in one place. There’s no need to learn a new platform or work with another provider.

Some also like the flexibility of being able to customize the functionality of the HRIS system they use. You can add or get rid of certain functionalities according to your budget and your needs.

Cons of ADP’s Performance Management Add-On 

Although the ADP performance management add-on comes with some pros, it’s also true that there are some reasons why you might want to forgo the add-on altogether.

Some cons of the ADP performance management add-on include:

• Employee engagement outside of performance is ignored
• Certain review styles aren't supported
• The platform isn't backed by performance management expertise

Employee engagement outside of performance is ignored

The main goal of APD’s performance management add-on is performance as it relates to organizational priorities. It simplifies performance as a reflection of engagement. If an employee is performing well, they are engaged, and if they aren’t, then they aren’t engaged.

This is a simplified outlook that allows important aspects of engagement to fall through the cracks. It ignores how other factors like the company culture, whether work is seen as meaningful, and inclusion impact employee engagement.

It also sees engagement through the lens of management, which can leave the employee behind. Professional growth opportunities and personal goals can fall by the wayside in favor of having a laser focus on organizational achievements, but it's extremely important. Those who are able to learn on the job are 39% more likely to feel productive.

Certain review styles aren't supported

Although HRIS performance management supports the review process, it doesn't support the complete customization of that process.

Review types within the platform are relatively basic. Although it does offer anytime visibility of assignments and progress, functionalities like formal check-ins aren't directly supported within the app. One of the goals of the app is to improve the annual review process, but other types of reviews may not be covered, like BARS appraisals and client appraisals.

The platform isn't backed by performance management expertise

It’s important to keep in mind that the ADP performance management add-on is just that—it’s an add-on. The expertise of the team at ADP is the functionality of their main platform. That means they are experts at helping you with issues that include payroll and hiring, but they are a lot less likely to know the ins and outs of their performance management system. You’ll likely have to be transferred when you call in, and even that person may not be able to answer all of your questions.

» Using Bamboo Performance Management? Click here to discover the better alternative.

Why PerformYard is a Better Option 

Using a platform like ADP is ideal when you’re using the main platform for the functionalities it was built for, but it’s less than ideal if you want to build a well-rounded performance management system. It’s better to use a dedicated platform if you want to get the most out of your appraisal process.

That’s where PerformYard comes in.

PerformYard is a dedicated performance management software platform that features a full range of review, goal, and feedback functionalities so you can customize an appraisal process that best supports your employees, managers, and your organization as a whole.

It isn't uncommon for professionals to switch from ADP to PerformYard. One reviewer on TrustRadius states,

"ADP was extremely buggy, with lost data on far too many occasions, resulting in having to start over. Very frustrating and inefficient. Access to individual input was restricted, with no option to open it up to other managers or supervisors. This was very limited and unproductive, as immediate managers would then have to PDF input and email those who requested it. PerformYard greatly improved review productivity."

Here are a few reasons that make PerformYard’s platform superior to ADP’s performance management platform.

• Streamlined, customizable review process
• Better organizational alignment
• More intuitive goal management and tracking

Streamlined, customizable review process

PerformYard was designed with performance reviews in mind from the very beginning, which means that it's much more streamlined than the ADP performance management platform, which was designed long after the primary software was launched. All review types including one-on-ones, quarterly reviews, annual reviews, 360-reviews, and more are individually built within the platform so that they all offer a simplified process for scheduling, feedback gathering, and goal tracking.

No matter what your process entails, it can be completely customized, and you can still expect to have a streamlined experience.

» Using UKG Performance Management? Click here to discover the better alternative.

Better organizational alignment

Although ADP’s performance management add-on was created to focus on organizational alignment, it doesn’t necessarily do this well. That’s because, in order to create true organizational alignment, you can’t just focus on strategic priorities at the organizational level. You have to focus on employees and managers too.

PerformYard allows you to manage a wide variety of goals more effectively and see how they impact one another. You're able to build a custom continuous feedback cycle and conduct engagement surveys, better supporting your employees at the individual level. That creates synergy among your team and boosts engagement, which in turn boosts productivity.

More intuitive goal management and tracking

PerformYard's software isn't an afterthought. It has been deliberately and specifically designed by experts in the performance management field to streamline the review process.

It has specific goal management and tracking features accompanied by visual representations of progress that are intuitively displayed on graphs. With detailed reporting and functionality, you can really dig into performance data and ensure employees and managers are aligned, not only with their own goals, but those of the organization as well.

PerformYard + ADP integration

ADP is a worthwhile software choice for many important HR tasks. It just isn’t the best choice when it comes to performance management.

The good news is that you can get the best of both worlds because PerformYard has a specific ADP integration. That means you can still use the important information you collect and store on the ADP platform within PerformYard without manually having to transfer information back and forth. You can sync nearly all employee data fields from ADP, and changes to employee data in ADP will automatically be reflected in PerformYard.

Interested in seeing exactly how PerformYard works? Download our demo to get started for free today!

FAQs

What does ADP’s performance management add-on include?

ADP's performance management add-on focuses on developing weighted goals and development plans that align with strategic objectives at the organizational level. It includes the ability to create cascading goals, tightly align performance with compensation, and facilitate communication between employees and managers.

Is the ADP performance management add-on worth it?

ADP’s Performance Management add-on might be worth it if the alternative is not having any kind of performance management platform at all. However, if you want the full functionality of a customizable performance management system, you should consider dedicated appraisal software, like the system offered by PerformYard.

What makes PerformYard a better alternative to ADP’s performance management add-on? 

PerformYard is a better alternative to ADP’s performance management add-on because it is a comprehensive platform that was specifically created to provide as much functionality as possible. PerformYard has a complete catalog of customizable reviews, dedicated employee engagement features, and unlimited support from performance management experts.

Does PerformYard integrate with the ADP Performance Management system? 

Yes! PerformYard integrates with the ADP Performance Management system. You can sync nearly all employee data, enabling you to maintain ADP as your single employee system of record. Changes are automatically updated within PerformYard, which includes changes to your org chart and all employee data.