Managing HR projects like onboarding new hires, launching training programs, or improving company culture can feel overwhelming without the right tools. Between tracking deadlines, assigning tasks, and managing approvals, it’s easy for details to get lost or delayed. HR project management tools are a great investment for teams that feel overwhelmed and in need of some tech help.
These tools are designed to help HR managers and teams organize, plan, and execute projects more efficiently. They bring everything related to tasks, timelines, data, and people to one place, making collaboration simple and progress easy to track.
In this guide, we’ll explore the five best project management tools for HR, what makes them stand out, and how they can help you save time, improve accuracy, and get better results from every HR project. You’ll also learn what features to look for and why tools like Factorial are the go-to choice for HR leaders who want to automate and scale their operations with confidence.
What is HR Project Management?
HR project management is the process of planning, organizing, and executing projects within the human resources department. These projects can cover anything from employee onboarding to company-wide initiatives like new HR software rollouts, diversity programs, or performance management systems.
Just like traditional project management, HR project management involves defining goals, assigning tasks, tracking progress, and measuring results. The main difference is that the focus is on people-related projects and initiatives that directly affect employees and the workplace experience.
Examples of HR Project Management
To make it easier to understand, here are a few examples of common HR projects:
- Recruitment campaigns: Planning and tracking hiring efforts for multiple roles at once.
- Employee onboarding: Coordinating tasks between departments to welcome new hires smoothly.
- Training programs: Organizing learning schedules, tracking participation, and evaluating outcomes.
- Policy updates: Managing the rollout of new compliance or workplace policies across teams.
- Culture and engagement projects: Launching surveys, analyzing results, and planning follow-up actions.
- HR system implementation: Setting up and managing new HR software or integrations.
Each of these projects has many moving parts: documents, approvals, schedules, and people. Without a structured approach, it’s easy to lose track of details, miss deadlines, or duplicate work. Project management tools help HR teams stay organized, communicate effectively, and deliver projects faster and more accurately.
With the right tool, HR managers can:
- Keep all project information in one place
- Assign clear responsibilities to each team member
- Track progress and identify bottlenecks early
- Measure outcomes using real data
Your Organization Needs Project Management Tools for HR – Here’s Why
HR teams handle more than just payroll and paperwork. They lead many strategic projects simultaneously that shape company culture, drive employee engagement, and support business growth. But managing these initiatives manually with endless spreadsheets, emails, and disconnected systems is overwhelming.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is a growing need for project managers. Other departments in your organization already use project management software to keep track of their projects and HR should be no different. The best project management tools help HR teams stay organized, improve collaboration, and make smarter decisions using real data.
1. Improved Efficiency
Instead of jumping between different apps or email threads and having information spread across several platforms, HR managers can plan, assign, and track all project tasks in one place. You can save valuable time by automating certain repetitive tasks, like sending reminders to your team, updating task statuses, or tracking hours worked. This reduces manual errors and helps teams focus on meaningful work, not busywork.
Read more: Project management time tracking
2. Better Collaboration
Most projects that revolve around building a company often involve multiple stakeholders working together. This includes managers, recruiters, trainers, and executives. Project management tools keep everyone on the same page with shared dashboards, timelines, and progress updates. Whether you’re onboarding new employees or launching a wellbeing program, everyone can see what’s happening and what’s next on the to do list.
3. Insights based on data
HR project management tools don’t just organize tasks, they also collect valuable data. You can track time spent on each project, measure results and HR KPIs, and see which areas need improvement. These insights (often enhanced with AI tech) help HR leaders plan resources more effectively and show the real impact of HR initiatives on business outcomes.
4. Transparency and Accountability
When everyone knows who is responsible for what and deadlines are clearly set, there’s less confusion and a higher degree of accountability. HR teams can easily track who’s doing what, identify delays, and keep projects on schedule. This transparency also helps build trust among team members and other departments.
5. One Source of Truth
From project timelines to your employee database, having everything in one place ensures that nothing gets lost. Whether you need to review a training agreement, check project expenses, or generate a report for management, it’s all accessible in just a few clicks.
Key Features of HR Project Management Tools
Not all project management tools are built with the specific needs of a Human Resources team in mind. The best ones go beyond simple task tracking and integrate with HR systems, support team scheduling, and make it easy to connect people, time, data, and even finance.
Here are the key features to look for when choosing the right HR project management tool for your organization:
1. Automation
Automation helps HR teams save time on repetitive work. Whether it’s scheduling reminders, approving time-off requests, or tracking project progress, automated workflows help complete tasks consistently and on time. This keeps projects moving forward without HR having to chase updates manually.
2. Associate Hours Worked with Projects
Tracking hours is critical for understanding where your team’s time goes. The best HR project management tools let employees log time directly against specific projects or subprojects. This helps HR managers monitor productivity, analyze workloads, and calculate project costs accurately. This is perfect for planning your budget or forecasting resource needs.
3. Document Management & E-Signatures
HR projects often involve sensitive documents, such as agreements, policy updates, or training materials. A strong electronic document management feature allows you to store, share, and collaborate on files securely in one place. E-signature tools add even more convenience, making contract approvals and sign-offs faster and paper-free.
4. Task Management
Keeping projects on track requires clear visibility into who’s doing what. Task management features help you assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress in real time. You can break large HR projects like onboarding or policy rollouts into smaller steps, making them easier to manage and monitor.
5. Kanban Boards
Kanban boards give teams a visual way to track project progress. Each task moves through stages (like “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done”), making it simple to see what’s completed and what still needs attention. HR teams can use Kanban boards for everything from tracking recruitment pipelines to managing training schedules.
Free template: Stay organized with our Plan of Work template!
6. Payroll and HR System Integration
Connecting your project management tool with payroll and HR data helps reduce double entry and ensures consistency. For example, if an employee logs hours on a project, those hours can sync directly with payroll. This saves time, reduces errors, and gives you a full picture of labor costs by project or department.
7. Invoicing and Budget Tracking
Some HR projects involve external vendors or consultants. With built-in invoicing and expense tracking, you can link costs directly to projects and generate invoices automatically. This provides better financial visibility and helps HR teams stay within budget while maintaining accurate records.
The best project management tools for HR combine all these features into one easy-to-use platform. They eliminate the need for multiple systems and bring everything together (people, projects, and performance) under one dashboard.
Top 5 HR Project Management Tools
Here are five strong tools HR teams can use to manage projects, tasks, time and people. Each offers features and benefits that make them worth considering for HR project management.
1. Factorial
Why it stands out: Factorial is built as an all‑in‑one HR and business project management software. It helps HR teams manage project tasks, hours, expenses and resources and handle core HR automation like payroll preparation, time off, documents and more.
Benefit for HR projects: Factorial lets you create, assign and track projects with sub‑projects and track hours worked per project. It integrates HR data with project data: you can monitor cost per employee on a project, track time vs budget, and much more. Check out the video below to see the platform in action!
Best for: HR managers who want one platform to handle both HR operations and project‑based work, especially as the company scales.
2. Monday.com
Why it stands out: Monday.com offers flexible boards, automations and HR‑specific templates for managing recruitment, onboarding and other HR workflows.
Benefit for HR projects: You can use it to build a shared workspace where HR, project managers and teams collaborate on tasks, track timelines and get visibility into progress across HR‑initiatives.
Best for: HR teams who need strong visual planning, boards and workflow flexibility and already use (or are comfortable with) a work management platform.
3. Asana
Why it stands out: Asana is widely used for project and task management, and it offers HR‑specific workflows for onboarding, recruitment, performance reviews and recurring tasks.
Benefit for HR projects: It helps HR managers reduce administrative burden (lower time spent on admin) and boost on‑time project completion.
Best for: HR teams who already use project management tools and want to adapt one for HR projects, or who value good templates and ease of use.
4. Zoho People
Why it stands out: Zoho People integrates with project modules (e.g., Zoho Projects) so HR data and project tasks are connected e.g., time logs, leave, availability.
Benefit for HR projects: If you want to connect your HR system (attendance, time off, employee records) with project‑work and resource planning, this is a strong option.
Best for: Organizations that already use Zoho tools or want tight integration between HR and project modules.
5. ClickUp
Why it stands out: ClickUp offers a unified platform that supports HR workflows, task management, dashboards, automations and HR‑specific templates.
Benefit for HR projects: HR managers can track multiple HR‑initiatives (recruiting, onboarding, training) in one place, use templates for status reporting, and visualize workload.
Best for: HR teams who need a highly flexible tool, perhaps already comfortable with agile or visual task tracking, and want to bring HR project work into the central work‑platform.
Benefits of HR Project Management Tools
HR project management tools do more than just help organize tasks. They provide real benefits that make HR teams more efficient, strategic, and effective. Here’s a closer look at what these tools can do for your organization:
1. Reduce Workload
By centralizing projects, tasks, documents, and communications in one place, HR teams spend less time searching for information or sending follow-up emails. Automation features like reminders, approvals, and notifications take care of repetitive work, freeing HR staff to focus on strategic initiatives.
2. Enhance Efficiency
With all project information visible in dashboards or calendar views, HR managers can quickly see which tasks are on track and which need attention. Teams can assign and track work in real time, reducing delays and bottlenecks. A clear overview also helps prioritize tasks, ensuring deadlines are met without stress.
3. Optimize Resources
HR project management tools let you track hours worked, employee availability, and project budgets. This visibility helps managers allocate team members effectively, avoid overbooking, and ensure workloads are balanced. For example, you can see who has extra capacity and assign tasks accordingly.
4. Centralize Data
From recruitment campaigns to training programs, HR projects generate a lot of data. Project management tools store everything like documents, approvals, expenses, and employee hours in one secure location. This centralization makes it easy to generate reports, analyze trends, and make informed decisions.
5. Improve Collaboration
HR projects often involve multiple stakeholders, including managers, recruiters, and department heads. Tools that support shared dashboards, comments, and notifications make it easier for everyone to stay aligned. Real-time updates ensure that everyone knows the status of tasks and can work together more smoothly.
6. Gain Insights for Better Decision-Making
Tracking project data, hours, and costs allows HR managers to measure results and improve planning for future projects. These insights help answer questions like:
- Are certain projects taking more time than expected?
- Is workload evenly distributed across the team?
- Are HR initiatives staying within budget?
By using data to drive decisions, HR teams can operate more strategically and demonstrate their value to the organization.
In short, HR project management tools can transform your HR team from a team that is forced to react to new challenges every day to a strategic partner who is always ahead of the curve. Project management tools eliminate a lot of stress, save time, and give HR teams the information they need to lead projects effectively.
Factors to Consider When Choosing an HR Project Management Tool
Choosing the right HR project management tool can make your team’s work smoother and more organized. With so many options, focus on tools that truly fit your company’s needs.
1. Easy to Use
A good tool should be simple and quick to learn. If it’s confusing, your team won’t use it. Look for clear dashboards and user-friendly navigation.
2. Works with HR Systems
Your tool should connect easily with payroll, time tracking, or HRIS systems. This keeps employee data accurate and saves time by reducing manual entry.
3. Flexible and Customizable
Every HR team is different. Choose a tool you can adapt and change templates, set your own approval steps, and create reports that fit your goals.
4. Time and Resource Tracking
Tracking hours and workloads helps managers plan better. Tools with calendars and capacity views make it easy to see who’s available and avoid overbooking.
5. Secure and Controlled Access
HR data is sensitive. Make sure the tool lets you control who can view or edit information, keeping employee and project details safe.
6. Smart Reports and Insights
Look for tools that turn data into clear reports. Seeing time, cost, and progress helps managers make better decisions and show HR’s impact.
7. Scales with Your Company
Pick a platform that grows with you. As your team and projects expand, the tool should handle more users and features without slowing down.
By keeping these factors in mind, HR leaders can choose a tool that saves time, fits their workflows, and supports growth long-term.
Final Thoughts: Why Factorial Stands Out
HR project management tools make daily work easier by saving time, improving teamwork, and keeping every project on track.
Factorial goes further by combining HR management and project tracking in one simple platform. It connects every part of your workflow so you can manage people, time, and budgets together.
- Project Tracking: Organize tasks and subprojects, monitor progress, and meet deadlines easily.
- Time & Attendance: Track hours worked per project and compare them with employee availability.
- Calendar View: See team schedules, deadlines, and time off to plan projects efficiently.
- Expense & Budget Tracking: Record project costs and monitor spending to stay on budget.
- Documents & E-Signatures: Store files securely and approve them digitally.
- Payroll & HR Sync: Link project hours, leave, and expenses to payroll automatically.
- Scalable and Flexible: Factorial grows with your team. Add new projects or features anytime.
By connecting all these tools, Factorial cuts down repetitive tasks, centralizes data, and helps HR teams focus on what really matters: managing people and projects efficiently.
Learn more about Factorial’s all-in-one HR project management software!
Disclaimer:
The information presented on this page is based on publicly available sources as well as on the websites of Monday.com, Asana, Clickup, and Zoho. The comparisons between Factorial and other providers, are intended solely for the illustration of the respective software features, pricing and functionalities. All information regarding features, prices, and integrations may be subject to change without prior notice. Factorial assumes no liability for the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information presented. We recommend contacting the respective providers directly to obtain the most accurate and up-to-date information. All legal regulations regarding Spanish fair advertising and competition law are fully observed by us; if you have any concerns, please reach out to us. The comparisons presented do not constitute a final evaluation or recommendation for any provider, but serve solely as an informational source.
