People Management
Manage your people, data and structure in one place
Compare Plumm and Shapes across HR, payroll workflows, hiring, onboarding, performance, learning and employee wellbeing. Shapes is an AI-native HR operations platform focused on adaptive people workflows, while Plumm is built for teams that want broader HR, payroll workflows, hiring, learning, performance and wellbeing connected in one support-led platform.
Shapes is strong for HR operations, flexible workflows and people analytics. Plumm may be a better fit when your team wants a broader HR platform that connects HR, payroll workflows, hiring, onboarding, learning, performance and wellbeing in one practical, support-led system.
Run payroll accurately and on time, without relying on separate systems or providers
Learn MoreManage hiring through to onboarding in one flow, without handoffs or delays
Learn More
Track goals and performance in a way that’s clear, consistent and easy to manage
Learn MoreSee the key differences that matter when choosing the right HR platform for your team.
Plumm simplifies the complex stuff, from time off to tasks, admin to anonymous reporting, so you can focus on what really matters: supporting your team and getting things done.
| Feature |
|
Shapes
|
|---|---|---|
|
Performance Management (AI-Assisted) |
Available, built-in | Available - AI-supported performance and review cycles listed |
|
Time Tracking & Attendance |
Available as add-on | Available |
|
UK Employment Law Support |
Available as add-on | Not clearly listed as UK employment law advisory support |
|
AI Agent - HR Assistant |
Available, built-in | Available - AI-native PeopleOS positioning |
|
Document Storage |
Available, built-in | Available |
|
Reporting & Insights |
Available, built-in | Available |
|
48-Hour Implementation |
Available, as part of Plumm onboarding | Fast setup available |
Performance Management (AI-Assisted)
Time Tracking & Attendance
UK Employment Law Support
AI Agent - HR Assistant
Document Storage
Reporting & Insights
48-Hour Implementation
Manage payroll, expenses and financial processes with accurate calculations, reporting and compliance handled for you.
| Feature |
|
Shapes
|
|---|---|---|
|
Automated UK Payroll |
Available as native add-on | Available through integrations / payroll-ready exports |
|
HMRC Recognised |
Available as native add-on | Not clearly listed as HMRC-recognised payroll |
|
Expense Management |
Available as add-on | Not clearly listed |
|
Managed Payroll Support |
Available as add-on | Not clearly listed |
Automated UK Payroll
HMRC Recognised
Expense Management
Managed Payroll Support
Connect your team with integrations, access, workflows and tools that adapt to how your business runs
| Feature |
|
Shapes
|
|---|---|---|
|
Microsoft AD Integration & Provisioning |
Available as add-on | Not clearly listed as provisioning |
|
Google Workspace Integration & Provisioning |
Available as add-on | Not clearly listed as provisioning |
|
Device/Asset Management |
Available as add-on | Not clearly listed |
|
ATS with AI CV Screen & Assessments |
Available as native add-on with AI screening and onboarding flow | Available through ATS integrations; AI screening and onboarding flow not clearly listed |
|
AI-Assisted LMS (500+ Courses) |
Available as native add-on with 500+ courses | Not clearly listed |
|
Whistleblowing + ER Case Management |
Available as add-on | Not clearly listed |
|
Platform Customisation |
Available, built-in | Available - configurable AI-generated workflows |
|
Automated Workflows |
Available, built-in | Available |
Microsoft AD Integration & Provisioning
Google Workspace Integration & Provisioning
Device/Asset Management
ATS with AI CV Screen & Assessments
AI-Assisted LMS (500+ Courses)
Whistleblowing + ER Case Management
Platform Customisation
Automated Workflows
Support your team with access to wellbeing resources, coaching and therapy as part of their everyday work experience
| Feature |
|
Shapes
|
|---|---|---|
|
Therapy & Coaching Sessions |
Available as add-on | Not clearly listed |
|
Monthly Live Webinars |
Available, built-in | Not clearly listed |
|
Real-Time Wellbeing Insights |
Available, built-in | Surveys and people insights available; wellbeing support not clearly listed |
|
CPD-Certified Mental Health First Aider Training |
Available as add-on | Not clearly listed |
Therapy & Coaching Sessions
Monthly Live Webinars
Real-Time Wellbeing Insights
CPD-Certified Mental Health First Aider Training
Keep HR, payroll workflows, hiring, onboarding, learning and performance data working together in one place.
Give every manager the same way to run reviews, goals, 1:1s and check-ins.
Bring new starter journeys, compliance and development into the same flow as core HR.
Employees get wellbeing tools, content, AI guidance and support pathways inside the HR experience.
The right choice depends on your team size, priorities and current systems. Shapes may be a good fit in these situations.
You want a platform focused on flexible people workflows
Payroll, ATS, LMS and wellbeing are not key buying priorities
You do not need a broader HR platform with built-in wellbeing support
Your team has internal ownership for designing and rolling out HR workflows
Plumm connects the HR workflows modern teams usually manage
across separate tools.
Manage employee records, contracts, policies, org charts and everyday people admin in one place.
Keep people data and payroll processes closer together, reducing manual rework and disconnected spreadsheets.
Use Plumm’s hiring module to manage candidate workflows and connect hiring into onboarding from the same people platform.
Connect new starter tasks, documents, training and employee records from day one.
Use Plumm’s learning module to support onboarding, compliance, manager training and employee development.
Run reviews, goals, KPIs, surveys and manager check-ins through Plumm’s built-in performance tools.
Manage holidays, absences, approvals and visibility across the team.
Store contracts, policies, e-signatures and employee files securely.
Use surveys and people signals to understand sentiment, risk and team health earlier
Reduce HR admin, answer common people questions and move workflows forward faster.
Give employees access to wellbeing tools, content, AI guidance and support pathways inside the HR experience.
Get support with managed payroll, managed wellbeing and fractional HR expertise when your team needs extra capacity.
Yes. Plumm is a strong alternative to Shapes for growing teams that want HR, payroll workflows, hiring, onboarding, learning, performance management and employee wellbeing connected in one platform. Shapes may suit teams focused on flexible HR operations and people workflows, while Plumm is designed for teams that want a broader HR platform with wellbeing built in.
Yes. Plumm includes learning support for onboarding, compliance, manager training and employee development.
The main difference is product focus and fit. Shapes may be strong for core HR admin and absence in small UK teams, while Plumm is designed as an all-in-one HR platform covering HRIS, payroll workflows, hiring, onboarding, learning, performance and wellbeing.
Yes. Plumm supports hiring and onboarding workflows so teams can manage candidates, new starters, documents, tasks and employee records in one connected platform.
Yes. Plumm includes wellbeing tools, content, AI guidance and support pathways inside the platform. One-to-one therapy and coaching can be made available through Plumm’s wellbeing support options, depending on the customer’s package.
Plumm can provide access to therapy and coaching through its wellbeing support options, but one-to-one sessions depend on the customer’s package and are not automatically included for every plan.
Often, yes. Plumm is designed to help teams reduce fragmented tools by bringing HR, payroll workflows, hiring, onboarding, learning, performance, documents, time off, engagement and wellbeing into one connected platform.
Both can serve growing UK teams. Plumm may be a better fit once a team needs HR, payroll workflows, hiring, learning and performance connected, rather than running them as separate tools alongside HR admin.
Yes. Onboarding is available through Plumm’s built-in workflows, documents, tasks and eSignatures. Hiring is available through Plumm’s hiring module, helping teams connect candidate management and onboarding in one platform.
Yes. Plumm offers learning support through its LMS module, helping teams manage onboarding, compliance, manager training and employee development.
Yes. Shapes is a strong AI-native HR operations platform for teams that want adaptive people workflows. Plumm is built for teams that want broader HR, payroll workflows, hiring, learning and performance connected in one platform, with wellbeing built in as an added employee support layer.
The main difference is product focus and fit. Shapes positions around AI-native HR operations, flexible workflows and AI-assisted people processes, while Plumm is designed as a broader HR platform covering HRIS, payroll workflows, hiring, onboarding, learning, performance and wellbeing with a support-led rollout.
Shapes publicly positions around AI-native people operations, workflows, surveys, people analytics, performance, documents and HR automation. Plumm has a stronger wellbeing-specific proposition, with wellbeing support built into the employee lifecycle.
Both can serve growing teams, but the fit is different. Shapes may suit teams that want AI-native workflow flexibility and internal ownership of process design. Plumm may be stronger when the priority is a practical, support-led platform that connects broader HR, payroll workflows, hiring, performance, learning and wellbeing in one place.
Yes. Plumm includes wellbeing tools, content, AI guidance and support pathways inside the platform. One-to-one therapy and coaching can be made available through Plumm's wellbeing support options, depending on the customer's package.
I really enjoyed ensuring everything was up to date, relevant, and organised in one place. Implementing it with the team has been seamless, the platform is incredibly intuitive and easy to use.
I don't think there's any question about the long-term value of having a system like this. The time, money, effort, and everything else it saves makes it well worth it.
A year ago we never imagined this: our team openly talks about mental health and loves their sessions with Plumm.
It’s vital to offer employees accessible tools. Plumm gave us exactly that with chat and video therapy, meditations, webinars, and tailored sessions.