Honest Review:

altHR

As a CEO of a payroll software company, I need to know what my competitors are up to. That means I’m often researching about and/or playing around with their products, you know, it’s part of the job. Here, I share my findings of that research, giving credit to those competitors where credit is due and being honest about which products I believe you really need to avoid. And so, there you have it, this review, and in it, I try to be honest, fair, and insightful…

This review covers:

• Overview
• What Do Users Like About altHR?
• What Don’t Users Like About altHR?
• What Pricing Plans Does altHR Offer?
• What are the Standout Features of altHR?
• Selected Positive User Feedback
• Selected Negative User Feedback
• What are altHR’s Ratings from Review Sites?
• What’s My Final Verdict on altHR?

Overview

In this article, I’d like to talk about altHR, and let me tell you, it’s a game-changer for Malaysian businesses. CelcomDigi, with its staggering market cap of over US$10 billion, envisioned more than just another HR app. In 2016, they developed altHR, initially designed for 1,500 Digi employees, and today, it proudly stands as the most comprehensive HR software for Malaysian businesses. 

What makes altHR stand out? It’s not your average HR tool. It’s designed to uplift your team management game, making everything from basic HR tasks to employee engagement smoother and more intuitive. Plus, it’s got the LHDN’s seal of approval, which is a big plus.

A significant development in AltHR’s journey is its recent integration with PayrollPanda (yes, that’s us!). This partnership is a big win for Malaysian businesses, combining a leading HR app with, dare I say, the best payroll solution out there (a little bias from me).

This integration was born out of a positive experience when the team at CelcomDigi explored PayrollPanda, resulting in a collaborative effort to offer businesses the best of both worlds. Malaysia’s No. 1 HR super app and its No. 1 payroll app.

However, let’s first talk about what makes altHR shine:

• Core HR Operations: You can simplify, streamline, and digitalise your core HR operations with altHR. Your team’s data is stored on one certified platform, making HR management easy.
• Employee Engagement: altHR’s tools are designed to foster a collaborative and vibrant work environment, making it easy to stay connected and creative.
• Digital Workplace: From communication to time-tracking, sales, and expense tracking – altHR has it all under one roof.
• Perks & Benefits: altHR offers a unique way to reward your team, giving them the flexibility to choose benefits that matter to them, simplifying the whole process.

Now, let’s touch on the recent partnership with PayrollPanda. The team-up has boosted altHR’s features, making it simpler for companies to manage HR tasks. The integration makes it easy to keep track of employee details, automatically create payslips, and monitor expenses without hassle.

The altHR Free Plan is a great option for startups and SMEs, featuring 10 popular modules to boost efficiency and employee engagement. New customers can explore altHR’s entire suite of features during a 30-day free trial.

I’m genuinely excited about altHR’s potential to transform HR processes in Malaysia. The collaboration with PayrollPanda is a fantastic bonus, making altHR even more versatile and powerful. So, if you’re navigating the Malaysian business landscape, altHR is undoubtedly the ultimate tool you need for a hassle-free HR journey.

What Do Users Like About altHR?

• Easy process from hiring to having new employees join the company
• Feature-packed and easy to use
• Smooth processing of claims and leave requests
• Nice interface

What Don't Users Like About altHR?

• Random app reinstallation required during glitches
• Occasional issues with location recognition

What Pricing Plans Does altHR Offer?

Formerly offered at a monthly recommended retail price of RM5 per employee, altHR now offers a Free Plan. This subscription grants comprehensive access to 10 modules, which include Leaves, Expenses, Check-ins, Checklists, Documents, Highlights, Onboarding, Company Calendar, Time Tracking, and Rostering modules. 

Additional modules are available for a fee of RM1/ module/ employee on a monthly basis, unless otherwise specified. Please note that the pricing does not include Sales and Service Tax (SST).

 

You can experience altHR’s complete array of features at no cost for a 30-day trial period. To initiate your trial, simply click the “Sign Up” button on their website to activate your account. 

Please be aware that during your free trial, add-on modules will be enabled by default. To avoid any unintended charges, it’s essential to deactivate any unused modules before your trial period concludes, as they don’t permit any refunds.

What are the Standout Features of altHR?

1. Core HR

altHR’s core HR functionality is a comprehensive solution for managing your employees. It streamlines HR processes by bringing them all under one roof, making it simpler to handle everything from employee information, leave and expense tracking, to onboarding and performance evaluations. Furthermore, with secure document storage, altHR not only digitises but also organises HR tasks, boosting efficiency and making HR management more straightforward and engaging.

2. Employee Engagement

altHR’s Employee Engagement feature is all about bringing teams closer. It’s packed with stuff like Status Check-In and Team Calendar so everyone knows what’s up, and spaces where you can throw ideas around together. It’s big on keeping everyone in the loop and happy, which is key for getting things done and hitting business goals. Plus, there are extras like checklists, check-ins, highlights, custom branding, and a digital directory to personalise the employee engagement experience. 

3. Digital Workplace

altHR’s Digital Workplace feature helps businesses to monitor team productivity effectively and efficiently, whether employees are working on-site or remotely. It provides tools to create work schedules, allowing for shift-based or business continuity planning with Team A & Team B arrangements. Employees can also clock in and out from various locations, including the office, home, or designated areas.

This digital-ready solution enhances the employee experience through improved communication, time tracking, sales and expense management, all while making sure you’re ready for whatever comes your way in business. It also has some cool tools for keeping an eye on your tech and software, setting up work schedules, tracking hours on-the-go, and a sales kit for all your marketing stuff. You can find all the important online tools you need right in the altHR app. 

4. Perks & Benefits

altHR’s Perks & Benefits feature offers creative ways to enhance employee happiness by providing a convenient online store for their needs. The feature includes a wide range of store options, such as bill payments, gaming credits, and more, all accessible directly from the altHR mobile app. Employees can make common household bill payments, get telco prepaid reloads, and even manage e-Wallet top-ups, making it easy to handle various transactions.

This feature goes beyond traditional HR offerings by allowing organisations to reward employees with flexi-benefits, granting them the flexibility to allocate points to benefits and claims that matter most to them. By offering such conveniences, companies can improve employee recruitment and retention, demonstrating care for their workforce beyond the workplace experience.

Selected Positive User Feedback:

• “Great way to manage HR stuff on the phone, especially the easy claims process” – Ky Ng (Source AppStore)
• “AltHR is the HRMS you need that you never knew you needed. Everything is where you expect it to be and features are well thought out. You will never want to go back to your old platform.” – Joel W. (Source AppStore)
• “Good app, good support. Highly recommended” –  Gary W. (Source Facebook)
• “Love the checklist, company highlights, quick links and announcements features! Really helpful in making sure the new employees get onboarded smoothly and all staff to get informed and updated at all times.” – Natalie T. (Source Play Store)
• “Great app to ease HR processes and record employee data. Not just that, it does plenty of other cool stuff too!” – Deon H. (Source Play Store)

Selected Negative User Feedback:

• “Have to uninstall and install so many times before ending my break or clock in” – Thurgashini S. (Source Play Store)
• “Always need to restart my phone, then the app can recognise my location even though I’m already inside my office” – Ian S. (Source Play Store)
• “I’m in my working area and it keeps saying that I’m not in my working area? And it also keeps asking me to update.” – Carely Y. (Source Play Store)

What are altHR’s Ratings from Review Sites?

(As of March 2024)

• G2: 4.0/5 
• App Store: 4.4/5
• Google Play Store: 4.2 /5

What’s My Final Verdict on altHR?

I’m pretty confident rating altHR a strong 5 out of 5 stars. This decent software genuinely streamlines HR management for Malaysian businesses, and the integration with PayrollPanda is a significant plus. While there are some minor occasional hiccups, like app glitches and location detection issues, the overall package is impressive. For businesses in Malaysia looking for an all-in-one HR solution, altHR, with its strong features and user-friendly approach, gets a big thumbs up from me. [/sc_fs_faq]