Sapient Insights: SMBs Rank isolved #1

As business challenges mount, small and medium-sized (SMB) owners and human resources (HR) leaders need human capital management (HCM) technology that truly delivers. According to independent research, isolved delivers in big ways for SMBs. In Sapient Insights Group’s 28th Annual HR Systems Survey (2025), isolved ranks #1 by SMBs in user experience (UX) and vendor satisfaction (VS) more than any other vendor.

Many HR teams want more from their current platforms. In isolved’s Elevating HR in the Age of AI report, 67% of HR leaders say they’re considering a switch. Third-party data helps guide those decisions, which is why the Sapient Insights study matters.

The Survey at a Glance

Sapient Insights surveyed 4,670 organizations representing ~30 million employees, asking them to rate their HCM vendors on UX and VS and to weigh in on the HR tech landscape. Only 30% plan to increase HR technology spending, a 20% drop from 2020, showing that buyers are focused on making current investments work harder.

With an outcomes-first mindset, respondents said 2026 priorities will center on:

• Increasing revenue

• Improving efficiency

• Optimizing processes

• Reducing costs

The Results

isolved earned top placement for the fourth year in a row in multiple SMB categories. Here are the areas isolved was recognized in:

Core HR & Pay

• Payroll — SMB: 1st in User Experience and Vendor Satisfaction

• HRMS — SMB: 1st in Vendor Satisfaction

• Benefits — SMB: 1st in User Experience

HR Service Delivery (HRSD)

• HRSD Portal — SMB: 1st in Vendor Satisfaction

• HRSD Content Management — SMB: 1st in User Experience and Vendor Satisfaction

• HRSD Help Desk — SMB: 1st in Vendor Satisfaction

• HRSD Survey — SMB: 1st in User Experience and Vendor Satisfaction

Talent Acquisition & Onboarding

• Recruiting — SMB: 1st in User Experience and Vendor Satisfaction

Talent Development

• Skills Management — SMB: 1st in User Experience

• Rewards & Recognition — SMB: 1st in User Experience

Workforce Management

• Time & Attendance — SMB: 1st in User Experience and Vendor Satisfaction

• Time Absence — SMB: 1st in User Experience and Vendor Satisfaction

• Time Leave Management — SMB: 1st in User Experience and Vendor Satisfaction

• Time Scheduling — SMB: 1st in User Experience

“What’s noticeable about isolved is the company’s deeply ingrained commitment to improve to better serve customers, especially in the SMB space,” said Stacey Harris, Chief Research Officer and Managing Partner at Sapient Insights Group. “The product continues to evolve and provide smaller companies with enterprise-grade technology that’s user-friendly and produces results."

Here are four areas that Sapient focused on:

Payroll

In a category where reliability and compliance matter most, isolved stood out for delivering accurate, on-time pay inside an all-in-one HCM platform. Adoption is strong as well, with double-digit usage today, signaling that small teams value payroll that’s tightly integrated with HR, time and benefits while being backed by responsive support.

Recruiting

Lean hiring teams need straightforward workflows, quick time-to-value and a seamless handoff from applicant to hiring manager. isolved delivers a simple UI and seamless integration that reduces manual tasks and speeds workflows.

Time & Attendance

isolved customers point to easy time capture, mobile access and integrations with payroll and scheduling as reasons they rate isolved highly. isolved People Cloud™ keeps data accurate, reduces manual errors and gives managers real-time visibility.

Benefits

For Benefits Administration, customers cited isolved’s intuitive enrollment, employee self-service and tight HR/payroll connectivity. These attributes reflect the combination SMBs need to simplify annual enrollments and manage year-round benefits.

One isolved customer said: “Enrollment and benefits, selection and information are very easily implemented… Accessing current benefit information is equally as easy.”

Interested in learning more about Sapient Insights’ findings? Download the Segmented Reports below:

• Voice of the Customer

• Benefits