7 Best Employee Engagement Software Tools in 2026
Key Takeaways
- brioHR: The best all-in-one option for growing companies in Malaysia and Singapore that need pulse surveys, performance management, and HR in one connected platform, starting from RM3 per employee per month.
- altHR: The strongest pick for Malaysian SMEs that want leave management and a genuine performance suite, including OKRs, 360-degree feedback, and KPI tracking, in one local tool.
- Employment Hero: Suits HR-first teams that want broader platform breadth with engagement tools, recognition features, and employee self-service, especially in Australia or the UK where its localization is deepest.
- Workday HCM: The right call for large enterprises with complex, multi-entity, global HR needs and the budget and implementation timeline to match.
Seven out of 10 employees worldwide are not engaged at work. About 17% are actively disengaged. That means most organizations are running at a fraction of their potential, not because of strategy, but because of systems.
HR teams in Malaysia and Singapore feel this pressure every day. They're managing payroll errors, tracking leave manually, and trying to stay on top of statutory compliance. There's barely time left to understand how people are actually doing.
That's where employee engagement software comes in. The right employee engagement platform helps HR teams collect real-time feedback, connect performance data to daily work, and move from firefighting to forward motion.
There are strong local and regional tools built specifically for teams in this region. This article compares seven of the best employee engagement tools in 2026, covering features, pricing, payroll capabilities, and best-fit use cases.
7 Best Employee Engagement Software Tools in 2026: A Quick Look
| Software | Best For | Standout Feature | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| brioHR | All-in-one HR and engagement, MY and SG teams | Pulse surveys, performance, and HR in one platform | From RM3/employee/month |
| altHR | Malaysian SMEs wanting performance and leave together | OKRs, 360-degree feedback, and KPI tracking | From RM8 per employee per month |
| Swingvy | Malaysian and Singapore SMEs wanting modern HR and payroll | Mobile-first interface with full MY and SG statutory compliance | From RM10 per employee per month |
| Payboy | Singapore SMEs focused on payroll and attendance | Native CPF compliance and payroll-attendance sync | Custom quote based on number of employees and chosen modules |
| QuickHR | Singapore teams with shift and attendance complexity | GPS clock-in, geo-fencing, and OT auto-calculation | From RM7 per employee per month |
| Employment Hero | HR-first teams wanting broader platform breadth | Pulse surveys, recognition, and self-service tools | From RM8/employee/month |
| Workday HCM | Large enterprises with global HR needs | Predictive analytics and AI-powered talent management | Enterprise pricing |
If you want employee engagement software that connects pulse surveys, performance management, and HR without adding another disconnected tool, brioHR is worth a look.
brioHR: Best for All-in-One Employee Engagement and HR
brioHR is an all-in-one HRMS built for companies in Malaysia and Singapore that want one system across the full employee lifecycle. It covers hiring, onboarding, payroll, leave, claims, attendance, performance, and engagement.
That makes it the strongest fit for growing companies that want employee engagement tools, performance management, and HR operations in one place, not spread across three different subscriptions. The platform is designed around a simple principle: remove the administrative noise so HR teams can focus on what actually moves the business forward.
Today, more than 1,000 organizations across 50 countries use brioHR.
brioHR Key Features
brioHR brings together the tools HR teams need to understand what employees are experiencing and act on it.
Pulse Surveys for Real-Time Feedback
brioHR's pulse survey tool lets HR teams and managers launch quick check-ins on the topics that matter most.
You can use templates or build your own questions, set frequency and anonymity settings, and launch instantly. Employees can respond via mobile or desktop without any training.
All responses flow into a live dashboard, automatically organized and easy to review. Managers get visibility into their own team's results directly inside the platform. No extra reporting step. No delayed signals.
Teams using brioHR's pulse surveys report 4x faster sentiment analysis compared to manual spreadsheet methods.
Learn more about brioHR's pulse survey software and how it supports real-time feedback.
Performance Management Connected to Engagement
Engagement becomes much more useful when it's connected to what people are working on.
brioHR lets managers and HR teams set goals and key performance indicators (KPIs), track progress, and link feedback to performance conversations. It supports full review cycles, 360-degree feedback, self-assessments, peer reviews, and continuous feedback.
All of this sits in the same system as attendance, leave, and payroll. That connection between daily work and engagement data is where most standalone employee engagement tools fall short.
Explore brioHR's performance management tools to see how goals and feedback connect.
HR Reporting and People Analytics
Move past scattered spreadsheets and isolated survey results.
brioHR's reporting tools help HR and leadership review engagement trends, track performance over time, and act with more confidence. Custom report builders, headcount dashboards, attrition analytics, and scheduled report emails give teams a clearer picture of what's happening across the organization.
See how brioHR's HR reporting software turns people data into decisions.
brioHR Pricing
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Modular pricing | Per-employee pricing based on modules and company size, starting at RM3 per employee per month |
| Custom quote | Tailored based on headcount, workflows, and rollout needs |
Where brioHR Shines
- One platform for all of HR: Payroll, leave, claims, attendance, performance, and engagement tools all sit in one connected system. No tool-stitching, no double entry.
- Malaysian and Singapore compliance built in: EPF, SOCSO, EIS, LHDN, CPF, SDL, IR8A, and IR21 workflows are all handled natively. Statutory updates roll out automatically.
- A partner, not just software: Sub-three-minute support response times and a 96% positive feedback rate. Real humans, not disappearing tickets. You are not left figuring things out alone.
- Scales without breaking: Holds up from 30 people to 3,000. Approvals, reporting, and multi-entity workflows don't break as complexity grows.
- Designed for company-wide adoption: A clean, simple interface that managers and employees can use without training. That's where most HR systems quietly fail.
Where brioHR Falls Short
- Better as a long-term investment than a quick fix: brioHR is built for teams committing to a proper HR and engagement system, not short-term setups.
- More than a solo operator needs: The platform is designed for companies with real HR and payroll complexity. Very small teams may not use enough of it to justify the move.
brioHR Customer Reviews
brioHR holds 4.7 stars from 31 verified G2 reviews. On Capterra, reviewers consistently highlight easy implementation, strong analytics, and responsive support.
- "We found BrioHR to be very comprehensive and configurable to suit us. We couldn't be happier with how much easier it's made HR tasks!" (Edward Widjonarko, CEO, Cicil, G2)
- "What I like best about BrioHR is how user-friendly and intuitive the system is. It makes handling payroll, leave, and employee data easy and efficient. The platform is complete with all the features we need, yet it's not overwhelming to use." (Verified user, Computer Software, Capterra)
- "Most HR software systems come with the basics like payroll, claims, and leave. But BrioHR's solution actually integrates into one user-friendly package." (Tho I-Wee, Executive Director, Capterra)
Who brioHR Is Best For
- Growing SMEs: Teams replacing spreadsheets or multiple disconnected tools.
- Mid-sized companies: Businesses that need compliance, engagement signals, and stronger reporting in one system.
- Regional teams: Malaysia and Southeast Asia companies that want one unified HR and engagement platform across entities.
Where brioHR Shines
- One platform for all of HR: Payroll, leave, claims, attendance, performance, and reporting in one connected system. No tool-stitching, no double data entry, no month-end reconciliation headaches.
- Malaysian and SEA compliance built in: EPF, SOCSO, EIS, and LHDN workflows handled natively. Statutory updates roll out automatically, so you're never caught off guard by regulatory changes.
- Sub-three-minute support response times: brioHR reports a 96% positive feedback rate with real human support. That matters most during payroll cut-off when delays cost money.
Where brioHR Falls Short
- Not a short-term fix: brioHR is built for teams committing to a proper HR and payroll system. If you need something temporary or single-purpose, it's more platform than you need.
- Sized for teams with real HR complexity: Very small teams (under 5 people) may not use enough of the platform to justify the full setup investment.
brioHR Customer Reviews
brioHR holds 4.7 stars from verified G2 reviews. Users highlight the platform's intuitive experience and responsive support. Capterra reviewers mention easy implementation, strong analytics, and reliable day-to-day usability.
"User-friendly and intuitive." (G2 Reviewer)
"Quick implementation and easy to use." (Capterra Reviewer)
Who brioHR Is Best For
- Growing SMEs: Teams replacing spreadsheets or disconnected payroll and claims tools.
- Mid-sized companies: Businesses that need compliance, claims automation, and stronger reporting in one place.
- Regional teams: Malaysia and Southeast Asia companies that want one unified HR and expense platform.
altHR: Best for Malaysian SMEs Wanting Leave and Performance Together
altHR is a Malaysian HR platform that combines leave management with a genuine performance suite.
It includes OKRs, 360-degree feedback, KPI tracking, and performance dashboards alongside core leave, claims, and payroll. It's a strong choice for companies that want to go beyond tracking absence and start tracking performance too.
One important note for an employee engagement software comparison: altHR does not include pulse surveys or eNPS tools. If continuous feedback collection is a priority, that gap matters.
altHR Key Features
- Leave and attendance: Full leave application, multi-level approval, accrual rules, custom leave types, and Malaysian public holiday sync.
- Performance management: OKRs, KPI tracking, 360-degree feedback, peer review, self-assessment, calibration, and performance dashboards.
- Onboarding: Digital onboarding flow, checklists, task assignment, document collection, and pre-boarding.
- Engagement and communications: Announcements, helpdesk and ticketing, birthday and anniversary feeds, and company calendar. No pulse surveys.
Pricing
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Pricing | From RM8 per employee per month |
Where altHR Shines
- Strong performance suite for the price tier: OKRs, 360-degree feedback, and performance dashboards are genuinely built out, not token additions.
- Good onboarding coverage: Pre-boarding, onboarding checklists, and task assignment make new hire workflows cleaner than most local tools.
- Malaysian-first compliance: Full EPF, SOCSO, EIS, PCB, and HRDF support with religious leave types.
Where altHR Falls Short
- No pulse surveys or eNPS: There are no built-in engagement survey tools. For a platform being evaluated as employee engagement software, that's the most significant limitation.
- No Singapore payroll support: altHR is built for Malaysia. Companies with Singapore headcount will need additional tools.
- No recruitment or applicant tracking: Candidate sourcing and tracking require separate systems.
altHR Customer Reviews
altHR is used by a range of Malaysian SMEs, with reviewers noting the depth of the performance module as a differentiator over more payroll-focused local tools.
Who altHR Is Best For
- Malaysian SMEs: Teams that want leave and performance management in one local platform and don't need built-in pulse surveys.
- Performance-driven HR teams: Companies moving beyond admin toward active talent development.
Swingvy: Best for Malaysian and Singapore SMEs Starting HR Automation
Swingvy combines payroll with leave, claims, attendance, and core HR in a modern, mobile-first package. It is usually chosen by SMEs moving away from spreadsheets that want something cleaner than older local tools, without stepping into a heavier enterprise platform.
It covers both Malaysian and Singaporean payroll natively, with full statutory support on both sides of the causeway. Its trade-off is depth: performance management, recruitment, and learning and development are either light or absent.
Swingvy Key Features
- Payroll with dual-market compliance: Native support for EPF, SOCSO, EIS, PCB, HRDF, and LHDN e-filing in Malaysia, plus CPF, SDL, and IR8A in Singapore.
- Time and attendance: Mobile GPS clock-in, geo-fencing, shift scheduling, and OT auto-calculation. Well suited for retail, hospitality, and field operations.
- Leave and claims: Multi-level approval, accrual rules, mileage tracking, and reimbursement via payroll.
- Employee records: Digital employee profiles, document management, and an employee directory.
Swingvy Pricing
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Pricing | From RM10 per employee per month |
Where Swingvy Shines
- Modern, mobile-first experience: The iOS and Android apps make leave, claims, and clock-in easy for employees, which helps adoption across the company.
- Dual-market payroll compliance: Full statutory support for both Malaysia and Singapore in one platform, which is uncommon at this price tier.
- Cleaner UX than most legacy local tools: Independent comparisons rate the interface at 4.0 out of 5, and reviewers consistently call out ease of use as a reason they chose it.
Where Swingvy Falls Short
- Light performance management: No OKRs, KPI tracking, 360-degree feedback, succession planning, or performance dashboards. Basic review cycles only.
- No recruitment or ATS: Job posting, resume parsing, interview scheduling, and offer letters all require separate tools.
- No payroll outsourcing or global support: Not built for managed payroll services or cross-border teams beyond Malaysia and Singapore.
Swingvy Customer Reviews
Capterra shows Swingvy at 4.6 out of 5 from seven reviews. Positive feedback highlights interface and support. Negative feedback points to limited features.
Positive: "The best part of the software is it is very suited for Asia companies."
Negative: "Basic and that's about it."
Payboy: Best for Singapore SMEs Focused on Payroll and Attendance
Payboy is a Singapore-first HR and payroll platform focused on core HR operations.
Its strength is the tight connection between payroll and attendance. Hours, overtime, and leave sync directly into payroll, which reduces manual reconciliation. It's a popular choice for Singapore SMEs that want strong local payroll without the complexity of a full enterprise HRMS.
Payboy Key Features
- Singapore-first payroll: Full CPF (Central Provident Fund), SDL (Skills Development Levy), SHG, IR8A, and IR21 workflows, with bank direct credit and statutory deadlines built in.
- Connected attendance: Real-time sync between time tracking, shift schedules, overtime, and payroll.
- Core HR admin: Leave, claims, and employee records in one place, with custom report builders and people analytics.
Payboy Pricing
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Pricing | Custom quote based on team size and modules |
Where Payboy Shines
- Native Singapore payroll support: Full CPF, SDL, IR8A, and IR21 workflows with bank direct credit and statutory deadline tracking.
- Tight payroll and attendance connection: Shift schedules, overtime tracking, and timesheets feed directly into payroll runs, reducing manual rework.
- Strong analytics for the SME tier: Custom report builders, people analytics, headcount dashboards, and attrition reporting that are uncommon at this price level.
Where Payboy Falls Short
- No Malaysia payroll support: Payboy is SG-first. Companies with Malaysian headcount need a separate solution for local statutory compliance.
- No employee engagement features: No pulse surveys, eNPS, recognition tools, or performance management.
- Single-entity only: No multi-entity or multi-currency support, which limits suitability for regional or group companies.
Payboy Customer Reviews
G2 reviews highlight responsive customer support and ease of use for standard Singapore payroll workflows.
- "Reliable payroll system. Does exactly what we need for our Singapore team." (G2)
- "User experience could be more modern, but the core payroll functionality is solid." (G2)
Who Payboy Is Best For
- Singapore SMBs: Teams with core payroll and attendance needs who don't require performance or engagement tools.
- Operations-led buyers: Companies focused on payroll accuracy and admin simplicity over feature breadth.
QuickHR: Best for Singapore Teams with Shift and Attendance Complexity
QuickHR is a Singapore-based HR and payroll platform with strong coverage for shift-based teams.
It handles leave, attendance, claims, and reporting well out of the box. It's particularly well suited for retail, hospitality, and operations-heavy businesses in Singapore. Malaysian companies should note that payroll support for Malaysia is delivered through a partner rather than built natively.
QuickHR Key Features
- Attendance and shift management: Mobile GPS clock-in, geo-fencing, rotating shift support, and OT auto-calculation.
- Leave and claims: Full multi-level approval flows, document management, and timesheet approval.
- People analytics and reporting: Custom report builder, headcount dashboards, and scheduled report emails.
QuickHR Pricing
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Pricing | Custom quote based on team size and modules |
Where QuickHR Shines
- Strong attendance and shift handling: GPS clock-in, geo-fencing, rotating shifts, and OT auto-calculation make it well suited for shift-based teams.
- PSG-eligible in Singapore: Government grant eligibility reduces upfront cost for Singapore SMEs.
- ISO 9001:2015 certified: Adds credibility for procurement teams with stricter quality or audit requirements.
Where QuickHR Falls Short
- Partner-based Malaysian payroll: EPF, SOCSO, EIS, PCB, and HRDF are delivered through a partner rather than natively, which can mean slower turnaround when Malaysian rules change.
- No employee engagement tools: No pulse surveys, eNPS, recognition features, or performance management of any kind.
- No recruitment or ATS: Job posting, resume parsing, and candidate pipeline management aren't included.
QuickHR Customer Reviews
Reviewers on Capterra and G2 praise QuickHR for its attendance tools and responsive support.
- "QuickHR's shift scheduling and GPS clock-in features work really well for our retail operations. Setup was faster than expected." (Capterra)
- "Great for attendance and leave. Wish it had more performance management features." (G2)
Who QuickHR Is Best For
- Singapore-based shift-heavy teams: Retail, hospitality, and operations businesses that need strong time and attendance tools.
- Companies with audit or quality requirements: ISO certification and structured HR workflows suit compliance-focused procurement.
Employment Hero: Best for HR-First Teams Wanting Broader Platform Breadth
Employment Hero is an HR and payroll platform built around a wide employee engagement and HR ecosystem. Unlike most tools in this list, it does include pulse surveys and employee recognition features, alongside recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and self-service.
It's best suited for companies that want payroll as part of a broader HR stack. Its UX scores 4.0 out of 5 and it covers a genuinely wide feature set.
Teams in Southeast Asia should weigh the localization depth carefully. Employment Hero is strongest in Australia and the UK. Malaysian and Singaporean users have reported less consistent support, and the payroll module requires a separate login because it was acquired separately rather than built natively.
Pricing starts around RM8 to RM12 per employee per month, with a minimum of around RM160 to RM240 per month. It's not PSG-eligible and implementation typically takes around six months. Capterra gives it 4.4 out of 5 from 239 reviews.
Workday HCM: Best for Large Enterprises with Global HR Needs
Workday HCM is the gold standard for enterprise HR. It covers virtually every HR function with almost no gaps, including pulse surveys, eNPS, recognition, advanced analytics, AI-powered talent management, and workforce planning.
It's built for large organizations with complex, multi-entity, multi-currency operations and the implementation resources to match. Expect rollouts of 12 to 24 months and six-figure annual contracts. There's no free trial.
Malaysian companies considering Workday should note that local payroll support is configured rather than natively built. EA Form, LHDN e-filing, and HRDF tracking are only partially supported or missing. Support also runs on global timezones, which creates friction during payroll cutoffs.
For most growing companies in Malaysia and Singapore, Workday is more platform than they need. It earns its place on this list for enterprise teams that genuinely require its depth and have the budget and internal resources to run it properly.
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Which Tools Cover the Full HR Stack?
Employee engagement doesn't sit in isolation. The most effective platforms connect feedback and performance to the rest of HR. Here's how each tool stacks up across the core modules.
| Software | Payroll | Time & Attendance | Leave Management | Recruitment | Onboarding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| brioHR | ✔ MY + SG | ✔ Full | ✔ Full | ✔ Full | ✔ Full |
| altHR | ✔ MY only | ✔ Full | ✔ Full | ✘ None | ✔ Full |
| Swingvy | ✔ MY + SG | ✔ Full | ✔ Full | ✘ None | ◑ Partial |
| Payboy | ✔ SG only | ✔ Full | ✔ Full | ✘ None | ✘ None |
| QuickHR | ◑ SG native, MY via partner | ✔ Full | ✔ Full | ✘ None | ✘ None |
| Employment Hero | ◑ SG native, MY via partner | ✔ Full | ✔ Full | ✔ Full | ✔ Full |
| Workday HCM | ◑ Global, MY configured | ✔ Full | ✔ Full | ✔ Full | ✔ Full |
How to Choose the Best Employee Engagement Software
The right employee engagement platform depends on your team size, your HR complexity, and what you actually need the software to do. Here are the most important factors to evaluate.
1. Pulse Surveys and Continuous Feedback
Engagement improves when feedback is continuous, not just annual.
Look for a platform that lets you launch surveys quickly, control anonymity settings, and review results in a live dashboard without manual work.
Only three tools in this comparison include built-in pulse surveys: brioHR, Employment Hero, and Workday HCM. If pulse surveys and eNPS are a core requirement, that narrows the field significantly.
brioHR's pulse survey software lets HR teams create and launch surveys instantly, with real-time dashboards and anonymity controls. Managers get direct access to their team's data without waiting for an HR report.
See How brioHR Pulse Surveys Work
2. Performance Management Integration
Engagement data is most useful when it's connected to what employees are working on.
A platform that links pulse survey results to goal tracking, performance reviews, and one-on-one conversations helps managers move from noticing a problem to actually solving it.
Look for tools that support OKRs, KPIs, 360-degree feedback systems, and review cycles. Not just a survey box.
brioHR connects engagement signals with goals, KPIs, and performance conversations in one system. Explore brioHR's performance management tools to see how it works.
3. HR Operations Coverage
Employee engagement software that sits in isolation is harder to adopt and harder to act on.
When your engagement tools live in the same platform as payroll, leave, attendance, and employee records, patterns are easier to spot and actions are easier to take.
An HR team that has to export data between five systems will always be slower to respond than one that can see everything in one place.
This is where an all-in-one HRMS like brioHR has a structural advantage over standalone employee engagement solutions. Leave trends, payroll data, attendance patterns, and performance results all sit in the same system. See how brioHR's time and attendance software fits into that picture.
4. Local Compliance and Support
For teams in Malaysia and Singapore, local compliance isn't optional.
Statutory obligations like EPF, SOCSO, EIS, LHDN, CPF, IR8A, and IR21 need to be handled correctly, and they change regularly. Choose a platform that builds compliance natively and has local support available during the hours your payroll team actually works.
This is an area where global platforms like Workday or Employment Hero often fall short for Southeast Asian teams. Local-first platforms like brioHR, altHR, and Swingvy have a clear advantage here. Read more about justifying the cost of HR software before you commit to a platform.
5. Scalability and Integration
Your employee engagement platform needs to hold up as your team grows.
Check whether the software supports multiple entities, multi-currency payroll, and custom approval workflows at your current headcount and at the size you're building toward.
API access, accounting software integrations, and digital employee file management are also worth checking early, before you're locked in.
For more, see 14 types of leave every HR team in Singapore should know and applicant tracking and recruitment in Singapore.
2. Performance Management Integration
Engagement data is most useful when it's connected to what employees are working on.
A platform that links pulse survey results to goal tracking, performance reviews, and one-on-one conversations helps managers move from noticing a problem to actually solving it.
Look for tools that support OKRs, KPIs, 360-degree feedback, and review cycles. Not just a survey box.
brioHR connects engagement signals with goals, KPIs, and performance conversations in one system. Explore brioHR's performance management to see how it works.
3. HR Operations Coverage
Employee engagement software that sits in isolation is harder to adopt and harder to act on.
When your engagement tools live in the same platform as payroll, leave, attendance, and employee records, patterns are easier to spot and actions are easier to take.
An HR team that has to export data between five systems will always be slower to respond than one that can see everything in one place.
This is where an all-in-one HRMS like brioHR has a structural advantage over standalone employee engagement solutions. Leave trends, payroll data, attendance patterns, and performance results all sit in the same system. See how brioHR's time and attendance software fits into that picture.
4. Local Compliance and Support
For teams in Malaysia and Singapore, local compliance isn't optional.
Statutory obligations like EPF, SOCSO, EIS, LHDN, CPF, IR8A, and IR21 need to be handled correctly, and they change regularly. Choose a platform that builds compliance natively and has local support available during the hours your payroll team actually works.
This is an area where global platforms like Workday or Employment Hero often fall short for Southeast Asian teams. Local-first platforms like brioHR, altHR, and Swingvy have a clear advantage here.
Read more about justifying the cost of HR software before you commit to a platform.
5. Scalability and Integration
Your employee engagement platform needs to hold up as your team grows.
Check whether the software supports multiple entities, multi-currency payroll, and custom approval workflows at your current headcount and at the size you're building toward.
API access, accounting software integrations, and digital employee file management are also worth checking early, before you're locked in.
Improve Employee Engagement and Retention With brioHR
Most engagement problems aren't caused by a lack of surveys.
They're caused by a lack of connection between what employees say, what managers see, and what HR can actually act on.
brioHR closes that gap. It brings pulse surveys, performance management, and HR operations into one connected platform so HR teams get clearer signals, managers get better visibility, and the distance between hearing a problem and doing something about it gets smaller.
The result is an HR team that can move from admin to impact, not stuck reacting, but actively shaping how people experience work.
For teams with narrower needs (payroll-only in Singapore, shift-heavy attendance management, or enterprise-grade global HR), altHR, Payboy, QuickHR, or Workday may be a better fit depending on your use case.
Ready to get started? Explore brioHR's full suite, view pricing, or read how other companies have improved their HR operations.
