Best HR software for HR directors at midsize manufacturing companies

Strengthen engagement and belonging across factory and office teams
Empower managers to develop and keep skilled employees
Build a data-driven people strategy for workforce planning and retention

1811 reviews on G2 | 4.5/5

1811 reviews on Capterra | 4.5/5

Modern, fast-growing, global businesses love Bob

What makes HR directors at midsize manufacturing companies choose HiBob?

Build stronger connections between frontline and office staff

Oviva reduced voluntary turnover by 10.5% and achieved a 301% ROI within 4.8 months of implementing HiBob, strengthening both retention and the relationship between managers and employees.

Strengthen leadership capability across all factory sites

Montu empowered managers with real-time dashboards on headcount and turnover, supporting faster, data-driven workforce decisions and leadership accountability.

Use data to anticipate hiring gaps before they impact production

Zappi saved £120,000 annually in employee and manager time costs while increasing headcount by 30%, enabled by accurate workforce analytics and real-time reporting.

HiBob is recognized as one of the best HR platforms

HiBob’s best features for HR directors

Social and engagement tools for all employee groups

Connect factory and office workers through social features like Kudos and Shoutouts
Share updates and news company-wide to keep all staff informed
Enable clear communication and recognition that build a sense of belonging

Manager dashboards and real-time performance insights

Provide managers with live dashboards showing headcount, turnover, and performance patterns
Identify at-risk teams early to take focused action on retention and engagement
Track goals, feedback, and development plans consistently across sites

Scenario modelling and headcount forecasting

Model workforce requirements and hiring scenarios to predict capacity gaps before they affect production
Align headcount plans with Finance to balance labour demand and budgets
Forecast skill gaps early with data-driven scenario planning

Why HR directors in manufacturing love HiBob

$54K

Annual savings when using HR automation for time management

+18%

More productivity when employee engagement improves

+23%

Higher profitability when employees are more engaged with the company

How the VP of People Operations at ZeroNorth transformed their global HR operations

The Challenge

After doubling in size in one year and expanding to 11 countries, ZeroNorth found their previous European HCM lacked flexibility and localization, making it impossible to support off-time tracking or align a distributed, fast-growing team.

The Solution

ZeroNorth selected Bob for its flexibility, user-friendly UX, and quick implementation via HiBob partner VENZO. They used Bob’s Sandbox to verify every workflow before launch, and created localized, automated processes to support a global team.

The Results

While scaling quickly and staying lean, ZeroNorth achieved a unified employee experience. HR gained control, employees felt supported, and teams across Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands and more, stayed connected and compliant.

Using our previous HR system, we couldn’t capture compensation or any bonus payouts as we didn’t have the data in a centralized place. With Bob, it’s extremely easy, and we can even project future costs, which is a huge advantage for our financial planning and analysis team. Now, when we have to prepare payouts for our bonus schemes, it’s super fast. It takes only a few hours, whereas, in the past, this could take us maybe two weeks.

Amalie Lange, VP of People Operations, ZeroNorth

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FAQs about HiBob for HR directors in manufacturing

How does HiBob connect office and factory employees?

HiBob helps bridge the gap between office and factory teams through mobile-friendly features that work for employees whether they’re at a desk or on the floor. Factory workers can access Bob on their phones during breaks to see company updates, give kudos to colleagues, or check important announcements. Managers can share recognition and updates that reach all employees through the channels that work best for them—desktop for office staff, mobile for frontline teams. This flexible approach helps build connections across your entire workforce, making sure no one feels left out of the company culture.

How can HiBob help with skills shortages and retention?

HiBob gives you real-time visibility into your workforce data, helping you spot skills gaps and retention risks before they become problems. With manager dashboards showing turnover trends and performance data, your leadership team can take targeted action to keep skilled employees engaged. The platform helps you track development plans consistently across all sites, so you’re not just reacting to turnover—you’re actively developing the talent you need for critical operational roles.

How does HiBob track workforce data across multiple sites?

HiBob brings all your people data into one place, giving you clear dashboards that show headcount, skills distribution, and turnover patterns across every factory site and office location. You can model different workforce scenarios to anticipate hiring needs before they impact production, and align your headcount plans with Finance to match labour demand and budgets. Instead of piecing together spreadsheets from different sites, you’ll have real-time data that helps you make faster, smarter workforce decisions.