Recruitment tool and HR software

At Unicorn, we tried one of those off the peg HR Information Systems. They are expensive and not very useful when you work within a flat structure. Has anyone found anything good? We would like to use it to manage leave, do some reviews, keep files and documents, record absence.
We are also looking for a recruitment tool, to make our process easier and of course in line with best practice. If there is one system for all that someone can recommend, please let me know.
Also, if there are any tech co-ops who might be able to built us something, then we would be even more interested.
Thank you!

Graham Wed 12 Feb 2025 8:35AM
I'm interested in the idea of creating some tools in this space, being a board member of a social care cooperative where recruitment and HR is a lot of work. Where to begin, though. What's needed? Can we use this thread as a start point to build a list?

Graham Wed 12 Feb 2025 9:17AM
So far I see:
manage leave
do reviews
keep files
record absence
-
recruitment
applications
selection
issue offer/rejection letters
AL ?
track skills competencies across a range of jobs for each person
training

bob cannell Thu 20 Feb 2025 8:29PM
Performance management, disciplinary, grievance, conflict management.
'do reviews' I still have nightmares. Such a simple concept but in a community of equals.....
Do it differently 😬
Nathan Brown (Co-op Culture) Mon 24 Feb 2025 3:43PM
@bob cannell aye. If you have a team of people who have great interpersonal skills and the right approach it can be safe and even fun. If you have the wrong person/approach (metrics/box ticking) then it can feel like you're being investigated by the Stasi.
Last time I had a proper boss I had monthly "supervision" based around a set of KPIs, so not supervision (Nice) at all but performance management (Nasty). It would broadly go ME: "Look, I'm smashing my KPIs, I know how to do this better than you so please let me carry on doing it well", THEM: "What extra can we add to your workload?", ME: "Which of these KPIs do you want me to stop delivering on to do this thing you've suddenly come up with out of thin air?", THEM: "Oh no, keep doing what you're doing. Forget I said anything". Repeat in a months time. If I wasn't assertive I would have been destroyed by overwork and stress.
Billy Smith · Mon 17 Feb 2025 11:39AM
@Kate Whittle One commercially-successful band that i knew of, had their drummer quit, and were having problems finding a new drummer.
They chose to get one of their friends ( a bass-player ) to learn the drums from scratch, rather than use some of the drummers that they auditioned, as they knew that their friend had already passed the "Tour Bus Test", so just needed to learn the required instrument... :D
Skills can be learned, but the underlying attitude will be another question.
When describing co-operatives to people who had just worked in large corporates, i used to say, "Co-op's aren't looking for employee's, but potential business partners." :D