The 7 Best HR Tools for Small Businesses in the UK

18 March 2026

1. Evalu-8 – For Smarter People Data and Insights

Evalu-8 is a flexible HR and performance management platform that helps you track employee data, performance, training and more. It’s a good choice if you want a bit more depth without the complexity of big corporate systems.

✅ Customisable dashboards and reports
✅ Performance, training, equipment and asset tracking
✅ Great for businesses ready to grow their people strategy

It’s ideal for small businesses who want to move beyond spreadsheets and guesswork.

2. Dakota Blue Academy – For Practical HR Guidance and Templates

Our own Dakota Blue Academy is designed for small business leaders who want practical, confidence-boosting support without needing to hire an HR team.

Inside the Academy, you’ll find step-by-step guides, templates and toolkits on everything from hiring and onboarding to managing tricky staff issues.

✅ Created by experienced UK HR consultants
✅ Covers key areas: attract, retain, reward and exit
✅ Gives you clear direction without the jargon

It’s like having an HR expert on hand whenever you need one.

3. Timetastic – For Easy Holiday and Absence Tracking

Still using email or spreadsheets to track holidays? Timetastic gives you a visual way to manage staff time off that is fast, simple and accessible.

✅ App and browser-based
✅ Syncs with your calendar
✅ Lets you see who’s off when at a glance

Perfect for keeping your team organised and preventing holiday clashes.

4. Trainual – For Onboarding and Team Training

If you’re building a team and want to make onboarding consistent, Trainual helps you create training modules, SOPs and how-to guides that new hires can follow.

✅ Ideal for remote or hybrid teams
✅ Helps standardise knowledge
✅ Supports employee engagement from day one

A helpful tool if you want new team members to hit the ground running.

5. Mentimeter – For Gathering Honest Team Feedback

Want to check in with your team without the awkwardness? Mentimeter is an interactive tool that lets you collect anonymous feedback, run polls and make meetings more engaging.

✅ Great for team check-ins and culture reviews
✅ Anonymous feedback encourages honesty
✅ Makes conversations more collaborative

Useful for managers who want to build a more open, connected team.

6. Grammarly – For Clear, Professional Communication

HR often involves writing emails about sensitive or serious topics. Grammarly is a smart tool that helps you keep your tone professional and your writing clear.

✅ Helps with difficult conversations via email
✅ Spots errors and improves tone
✅ Free and paid versions available

Especially useful if you're handling HR yourself and want to come across clearly and confidently.

Tools Are Just the Start

These tools make HR admin easier but they don’t replace strategy, common sense or experience. What makes the real difference is knowing what to do and why it matters.

That’s where our consulting support and the Dakota Blue Academy come in. We help small businesses like yours not just tick HR boxes, but also to build great places to work.