What about the small guys?
As of September of 2012, small businesses made up 99.7% of employers in the United States. Ninety-nine. Point. Seven. Percent. How crazy is that? Even crazier is how many HR management software tools there are for all those millions of small companies. There are like, well, 6.
Now, you may go google “HR management software” and find a lot more than six. HRIS and HRMS solutions are abundant to be sure. But, ya know what? They’re just not that consumable for small companies. Most tools have setup fees, take weeks to configure and install, and are very pricey. What small company has $50,000 laying around to help manage their team of 19 people? Not any of the ones I’ve spoken with.
Of the remaining HR software solutions which are positioned for small businesses, they’re laden with complex features and are focused almost exclusively on the employer’s experience, rather than creating a mutual and, dare I say, enjoyable experience for employees. Even aside from their complexity and lack of intuitive UI, they’re really difficult to get up and running. I still can’t fathom how a software company can stomach charging a customer to set up a new instance of an application. It’s not 1997.
When a small company is thriving and its founders recognize the need to do a better job managing their growing staff, where are they turning? To the only option: complexity. When I had the same problem a year and a half ago, the options were grim. Thus, the idea of Kin was born.
Running a small, growing business is difficult. Doing a good job at a few key aspects of managing a team shouldn’t be. I don’t understand why all these software companies don’t do what’s right for small business employers and, more importantly, employees by offering a simple, coherent web application which helps employers do a better job at the simple stuff.
I’m really excited about the impact Kin will have on small companies. Our core principles of fewer but better features presented in a simple, intuitive UI means thousands of small companies will finally have an HR management tool built for them, their price point, and their needs.