ali khan
Ali Khan
Co-founder
Published On
July 19, 2024
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Ultimate Hive.hr Review: 10+ Things To Know Before Investing?

Are you wondering if Hive.hr is the right tool to help keep your employees engaged and happy? 

With so many tools out there, it can be hard to choose. 

You might be asking yourself: 

  • Can Hive.hr really make communication better and help with feedback? 
  • Will it work well for my team? 
  • Is it worth the investment compared to other options?

I've worked in HR for many years and have seen many tools that say they can improve employee engagement. 

But Hive.hr is different. It aims to improve how employees talk to each other and give feedback, and it helps make the workplace better. 

However, does it truly deliver on its promises? 

Can it effectively handle the unique needs of your organization?

Studies show that engaged employees are 21% more productive and can reduce employee turnover by up to 42%. This shows how important it is to have good engagement strategies. But does Hive.hr really help achieve these results, or are these just optimistic statistics?

In this Hive.hr review, we will look at Hive.hr's features, its benefits, and any drawbacks. 

I will share real-life examples and studies to help you understand if Hive.hr is right for your organization. 

By the end of this Hive.hr review, you will know if Hive.hr can meet your needs and help create a positive workplace. Or, will you find that it falls short in some critical areas?

If you’re in hurry, here’s a quick overview of Hive.hr review;

Let’s get started!

What is Hive.hr?

Hive.hr is an employee voice platform designed for leaders seeking meaningful change. It goes beyond spreadsheets, offering tools like confidential surveys, real-time feedback, and peer-to-peer recognition to boost engagement. 

Hive-website-homepage
This image shows the homepage of Hive

Their People Science team turns data into actionable insights, ensuring your decisions are informed and impactful. 

The platform aims to foster a culture of openness and aligns organizational goals with employee needs, ultimately improving retention and productivity.

Hive.hr Features And Functionality

Hive.HR’s features foster a highly engaged workforce by ensuring employees feel heard and valued. 

Confidential surveys and real-time insights help address issues promptly, while peer recognition through Hive Fives boosts morale and workplace culture

The Open Door feature allows continuous feedback, ensuring employees can voice their concerns anytime. 

Two-way communication via Hive Messenger builds trust and responsiveness, and People Science expertise helps create targeted strategies for improvement. 

Collectively, these features create a supportive and connected environment that enhances employee engagement.

Hive.HR Surveying 

  • Customizable Surveys: Create unlimited, confidential surveys using bespoke questions or a pre-built question bank. 
Survey-Builder-in-Hive.hr 
This image shows the Survey Builder in Hive.hr 
  • Real-Time Insights: Monitor survey responses in real time, with an intuitive dashboard that helps track progress and engagement.

  • Data Analysis: Easily analyze survey data with support from Hive's People Science team to identify key insights and areas needing attention.

 Survey-results-in-Hive.hr
This image shows the Survey results in Hive.hr
  • Confidentiality: Ensures employee identities are protected, encouraging honest feedback
    .
  • Benchmarking: Compare engagement metrics against industry standards and other Hive users to identify trends and areas for growth.

  • HRIS Integration: Automatically sync employee data from your HRIS to ensure accurate survey participation. 
 HRIS-integration-with-Hive.hr
This image shows  HRIS integration with Hive.hr
  • Inclusive Participation: Multiple methods to collect responses, ensuring even deskless or on-site employees can participate.

  • Hands-On Support: Personalized support at every stage from Hive's Customer Success Managers. 

Hive Open Door 

 Hive.hr-Open-Door
This image shows the open door feature in Hive.hr
  • Always-On Listening: Allows employees to provide feedback anytime, even outside survey periods.

  • Customizable: Tailor the feedback tool to fit your organization's culture with bespoke  categories and names.

  • Confidentiality: Ensures anonymous submissions to build trust.

  • Direct Line to Leadership: Facilitates direct engagement with leadership, like FSCS's "Direct Line to Caroline."

  • Real-Time Feedback: Stay connected with employees' current concerns and feelings.

  • Impactful Changes: Use feedback to make tangible improvements, as demonstrated by the Royal Academy of Engineering.

  • Feedback Follow-Up: Respond to submissions using Hive Messenger.

  • Dashboard Insights: Analyze feedback by keyword, category, and segment for deeper insights.

Hive Fives 

 Hive-Five-Dashboard
This image shows the Dashboard of Hive Five
  • Peer Recognition: Enables employees to appreciate each other's efforts and achievements, fostering a positive work environment.

  • Enhanced Engagement: Boosts morale and productivity through meaningful, everyday recognition. 

  • Simple and Cost-Effective: An easy-to-use tool that significantly improves employee experience.

  • Customization: Align recognition categories with organizational values to reinforce desired behaviors.

  • Visibility: Public Hive Fives stream to inspire and motivate teams.

  • Insightful Reporting: Dashboard allows admins to track and analyze recognition data to inform broader reward programs. 

Hive Messenger 

 Hive-Messenger-Dashboard
This image shows the Messenger Dashboard of Hive
  • Two-Way Communication: Respond to employee feedback directly and promptly, ensuring concerns and questions are addressed.

  • Confidentiality: Employees are given random aliases, allowing them to express themselves openly and honestly.

  • Enhanced Engagement: Prove to employees that their voices are heard, boosting their sense of empowerment and performance.

  • Continuous Feedback Loop: Respond to feedback from surveys, Open Door, or Hive Fives, and involve employees in the change process.

  • Collaborative Responses: Multiple leaders or managers can join conversations, ensuring feedback reaches the right people.

Hive People Science 

  • People-First Partnership: Combines cutting-edge technology with personal expertise to amplify employee voices and drive change.

  • Expert Team: Occupational psychology-based insights from People Scientists.

  • Strategy Development: Custom strategies to achieve employee voice goals with leadership alignment.

  • Tailored Surveys: Craft surveys to uncover key organizational insights.

  • In-Depth Analysis: Detailed reports and demographic analysis to understand employee sentiment.

  • Actionable Insights: Workshops and support for turning insights into action.

  • Support Modules: Ongoing assistance with cultural readiness, engagement strategy, data analysis, and leadership buy-in.

  • Four Key Stages: Strategy, Craft, Insight, and Action to build a thriving culture.

    some text
    • Strategy: Develops clear plans to achieve employee voice goals.
    • Craft: Creates tailored surveys for meaningful insights.
    • Insight: Analyzes data to uncover key organizational truths.
    • Action: Supports managers in turning insights into actions.

Hive.hr Review: Top 5 Pros And Cons Of Using Hive.hr

What Users Like Best About Hive HR

People Science Team

  1. The insights provided by the People Science team are highly valued. 
  2. Their expertise helps translate data into actionable strategies, making a tangible impact on organizational development.

Hive.hr-review-on-G2
This image shows the user review of Hive.hr on G2

Data Segmentation

  1. The ability to segment and drill down into data allows teams to connect more.
  2. It helps with the insights, making the data more actionable and relevant.

Employee Engagement

  1. Hive HR is effective in gathering and acting on employee suggestions. 
  2. It fosters a culture of participation and continuous improvement.

Frequent Pulse Surveys

  1. The ability to run frequent pulse surveys provides instant insights into employee feedback.
  2. It allows for timely interventions and adjustments.

Hive.hr-review-on-G2
This image shows the user review of Hive.hr on G2

Ease of Use

  1. The platform's intuitive interface and easy setup are frequently praised. 
  2. This reduces the learning curve and ensures that employees can engage with the platform without extensive training.

Anonymity

  1. Complete anonymity in responses encourages more honest and straightforward feedback from employees.

Hive.hr-review-on-G2
This image shows the user review of Hive.hr on G2

What Users Dislike About Hive HR

Complicated Data Sharing:

  1. Sharing data with colleagues isn't straightforward and lacks self-service reporting options tailored to specific business needs. 
  2. This is because not all users have the same data needs and require customizable reports to address specific concerns within their departments.

Hive.hr-review-on-G2
This image shows the user review of Hive.hr on G2

Poor Export Functionality: 

  1. Exporting data is cumbersome.
  2. Graph exports lack percentages, necessitating additional manipulation which is time-consuming. 
  3. This reflects a gap in the platform's ability to provide fully formatted and ready-to-use data exports.
Hive.hr-review-on-G2
This image shows the user review of Hive.he on G2

Limited Customization:  

  1. The platform offers minimal customization, making it hard to tailor to unique organizational needs. 
  2. More customization could allow organizations to tailor the platform to their unique needs, enhancing its usability and relevance.

Hive.hr-review-on-G2
This image shows the user review of Hive.hr on G2

Inadequate Support: 

  1. Users often rely on FAQs and automated chats, which fall short of providing effective, personalized help. 
  2. This suggests that while online resources are helpful, they cannot replace the effectiveness of personalized, human support.

Weak Mobile Tools: 

  1. The mobile functionality is underdeveloped, limiting accessibility and engagement for on-the-go employees. 
  2. As more employees rely on mobile devices for work, having robust mobile tools is crucial for on-the-go accessibility and engagement.

Hive.hr Pricing and Plans

Hive-pricing-page 
This image shows the pricing of Hive.hr

Hive.HR offers a tailored pricing model designed to fit your organization’s unique needs. The cost is approximately the price of one cup of coffee per employee per month. 

This includes access to their full suite of tools—Hive Surveying, Open Door, Messenger, Hive Fives, and People Science partnership—along with comprehensive support and training.

Special discounts are available for non-profit organizations, offering a 25% reduction in pricing. For an accurate quote tailored to your specific needs, you should contact Hive directly.

For more information, visit their pricing page.

What Kind of Support Can You Expect from Hive.hr?

  • Project Kickoff: They have onboarding with discovery calls, stakeholder engagement, and launch support.

  • People Science: Expertise in occupational psychology to help develop engagement strategies and improve employee perception.

  • Hive+ Community: A hub for Q&A, knowledge sharing, and premium content for collective improvement.

What Is Hive.hr Reporting Like?

Hive.HR offers robust reporting options to gain fast insights from surveys and Open Door feedback. The platform simplifies data analysis, letting you focus on driving cultural change.

You can report on key metrics using heatmaps, sentiment analysis, benchmarking, and more. Compare data across surveys and departments to pinpoint areas needing attention.

You get real-time results and easily export data for presentations. Hive’s People Science team provides detailed, personalized reports, turning your data into actionable insights.

HRIS Integration with Hive

Logos-of-various-HR-and-productivity-software-tools
This image shows the Logos of various HR and productivity software tools in Hive.hr

What is HRIS Integration? 

Integrating your HRIS with Hive ensures your employee data is always accurate and up-to-date without manual updates. Any changes in your HRIS are automatically reflected in Hive, making continuous listening and real-time feedback effortless.

Benefits of Integration

  • Efficiency: Eliminates manual data updates, saving time and reducing errors.
  • Streamlined Segmentation: Uses workforce demographics to spot trends and gain deeper insights.

Compatible HRIS Platforms Hive integrates with numerous HRIS platforms including Personio, Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, BambooHR, and more.

5 Key Factors You Should Look Before Investing in Employee Engagement Tool

When HR departments consider investing in an employee engagement tool, they should evaluate several key factors to ensure they choose the right solution for their organization. Here are five critical considerations:

Features and Functionality:

  1. Survey and Feedback Mechanisms: The tool should have robust capabilities for conducting surveys, gathering feedback, and analyzing responses.
  2. Real-time Analytics: Look for tools that offer real-time data and insights to track engagement levels and identify trends.
  3. Customization: Ensure the tool can be tailored to the specific needs and culture of your organization.
  4. Integration: Check if the tool integrates seamlessly with existing HR systems and software (e.g., HRIS, payroll systems).

User Experience

  1. Ease of Use: The tool should have an intuitive and user-friendly interface for both employees and HR administrators.
  2. Accessibility: Ensure the tool is accessible on various devices (desktop, mobile, tablet) to accommodate different work environments.
  3. Employee Adoption: Consider how likely employees are to use the tool and engage with it regularly.

Data Security and Privacy:

  1. Compliance: Verify that the tool complies with relevant data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
  2. Data Encryption: Ensure that the tool uses strong encryption methods to protect sensitive employee data.
  3. Access Controls: Look for features that allow you to control and monitor who has access to the data.

Support and Training:

  1. Customer Support: Evaluate the level of customer support provided, including availability, responsiveness, and expertise.
  2. Training and Onboarding: Assess the resources available for training HR staff and employees on how to use the tool effectively.
  3. Community and Resources: Check if there is a community of users, forums, and additional resources like webinars or guides.

Cost and ROI:

  1. Pricing Model: Understand the pricing structure (e.g., subscription-based, per user, one-time fee) and ensure it fits within your budget.
  2. Value Proposition: Consider the potential return on investment (ROI) in terms of improved employee engagement, productivity, and retention.
  3. Scalability: Ensure the tool can scale with your organization as it grows.

By carefully considering these factors, we will see if Hive.hr is the perfect employee engagement tool that will effectively meet your needs and contribute to a positive workplace culture or not. 

Hive.hr Review: Is Hive.hr worth an employee engagement tool?

Let’s cut to the chase, we have covered everything from user reviews to pricing to features explanation. Now based on the above key factors, we are going to evaluate Hive.hr

Evaluation Factor Rating Comments
Features and Functionality ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ Hive.hr excels with features like customizable surveys, real-time insights, peer recognition, and confidential feedback mechanisms. Its People Science team adds significant value by turning data into actionable strategies. However, the platform's data export functionality is cumbersome and lacks essential formatting, which can be a significant drawback for HR professionals needing quick, actionable data.
User Experience ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The intuitive interface is a plus, but the underdeveloped mobile tools limit accessibility, making it less practical for organizations with a mobile or remote workforce.
Data Security and Privacy ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ While the platform ensures data security and compliance, some users might find the level of anonymity excessive, potentially hindering detailed follow-up actions.
Support and Training ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hive.hr provides substantial onboarding and continuous support through its People Science team and Hive+ community. However, the reliance on FAQs and automated chat support falls short of providing effective, personalized help, which can be frustrating for users encountering complex issues.
Cost and ROI ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ Hive.hr offers a cost-effective pricing model, especially beneficial for non-profit organizations. The potential ROI is high due to improved engagement, productivity, and retention. However, customization limitations and inefficient data sharing can add hidden costs in terms of time and additional resources needed to work around these limitations.

Hive.hr presents a promising tool for enhancing employee engagement, but you should weigh its benefits against its shortcomings. 

While it offers a comprehensive suite of features and a user-friendly interface, the platform’s limitations in customization, support, mobile functionality, and data handling cannot be overlooked. 

These issues may result in additional costs and efforts to fully integrate and utilize the tool effectively within your organization. 

If you are looking for a reliable and flexible employee engagement tool, you might need to consider these drawbacks and explore alternative solutions like Wrenly that offer better customization, effective engagement tools, and more effective support systems. 

Hive.hr is a strong candidate, but it may not be the perfect fit for your organization, particularly if you have specific customization needs and better employee engagement tools. 

Wrenly: A Better Hive.hr Alternative For Better Employee Engagement

Wrenly.ai is a complete platform for employee feedback and workplace culture. It works well with Microsoft Teams and Slack, making it easy for your team to use. 

Unlike Hive.hr, Wrenly helps make feedback and recognition a daily habit, keeping your workforce more engaged and motivated. 

Wrenly-G2-review
This image shows the user review of Wrenly on G2

Wrenly.ai Features Compared to Hive.hr

Wrenly has many unique features that make it a good [Hive.hr alternative]:

Integration with Multiple Platforms: 

Wrenly-integration-with-Slack
This image shows the integration of Wrenly with Slack
  • Wrenly works smoothly with Microsoft Teams and Slack. This means your team can keep using their favorite communication tools without any problems.

  • This wide accessibility makes it easy to use and ensures everyone can adopt it quickly, unlike Hive.hr which might not offer such flexible integration.

Comprehensive Engagement Tools:

  • Suggestion Boxes: Wrenly has both private and public suggestion boxes. This allows team members to give feedback anytime, anonymously if they want. This is more flexible compared to Hive.hr. 


  • Surveys and Polls: Wrenly provides detailed surveys that gather in-depth feedback. This helps you understand employee feelings better than Hive.hr’s basic surveys. 
Survey-analytics-in-Wrenly
This image shows the Survey analytics in Wrenly
  • Celebrations: Wrenly automatically celebrates milestones like birthdays and work anniversaries, which boosts morale. Hive.hr often misses out on this feature.

  • Whistleblower Portal: Wrenly offers a secure way for employees to report sensitive issues. This adds an extra layer of trust and safety in your organization.

Advanced AI Features:

  • AI Reports & Trends: Wrenly uses advanced AI to analyze feedback, giving you a comprehensive health score and identifying key trends. Hive.hr might not provide such detailed insights. 
Wrenly-Culture-Score
This image shows the Culture Score in Wrenly
  • AI Moderation: Wrenly ensures that all feedback is moderated to maintain quality and relevance, creating a positive workplace environment.

Free Tools:

  • Recognition Board: Similar to Kudoboard, this tool lets you create boards to recognize and appreciate team members. 
Recognition-insights-in-Wrenly
This image shows the Recognition insights feature in Wrenly
  • AI Health Calculator: This tool gives you a snapshot of your organization’s health based on feedback.

  • Free Glassdoor Reviews: Helps you understand how outsiders see your company and attracts top talent by showing your company culture and values. 

Wrenly.ai Pricing

 Wrenly-Pricing
This image shows the pricing in Wrenly

Wrenly has flexible and affordable pricing plans, making it a cost-effective Hive.hr alternative:

  • Wrenly Basic Plan: $1 per user per month
    • AI assistant to help with tasks
    • Insights and reports for better decisions
    • Integration with Slack and Microsoft Teams
    • Unlimited admins, managers, and departments

  • Feedback Essentials: Extra $1 per user per month
    • Suggestion boxes for anonymous feedback
    • Engagement and onboarding surveys
    • Whistleblower portal

  • Recognitions & Rewards: Extra $1 per user per month
    • Peer recognitions
    • Access to over 220 gift cards
    • Celebrations for birthdays and work anniversaries

  • Performance: Extra $1 per user per month
    • Performance reviews
    • Peer-to-peer feedback
    • Goal tracking

  • Free Forever Plan: Good for small teams
    • 3 surveys per month (up to 50 responses)
    • 5 suggestion box posts per month
    • 10 recognitions per month 

Read more about pricing - Wrenly Pricing

Comparison Table: Wrenly.ai vs Hive.hr

Feature Wrenly.ai Hive.hr
Integration Microsoft Teams, Slack Limited integration options
Suggestion Boxes Private & public Standard feedback mechanisms
Surveys & Polls Detailed, customizable Standard surveys
Milestone Celebrations Automated recognition Often overlooked
Whistleblower Portal Secure and anonymous Not specified
AI Features Advanced insights & moderation Basic analytics
Free Tools Multiple free tools Limited free features
Pricing Starts at $1 per user Higher cost, less flexibility

In conclusion, 

Wrenly.ai is a better Hive.hr alternative because it offers more features, better integration, and advanced AI insights. It is also more flexible and affordable. 

If you want to improve employee engagement and create a happy workplace, consider using Wrenly.ai.

More Articles From Ali Khan

Ali is a co-founder of Wrenly known for his innovative thinking and exceptional drive to create value for every Wrenly customer. His dedication, mentorship, and leadership skills have not only shaped various careers but have also made him an invaluable asset to the Wrenly team.

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