The importance of the employee experience cannot be understated. It’s what drives morale, results, retention, and, ultimately, success. However, the ability to track the employee experience and build upon it through performance management and employee engagement isn’t always easy. So much so that some startups ignore the concepts altogether — something that can come back to haunt them.

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But in a dynamic business world, you can always find dynamic solutions. With the need for constant improvement in your employee experience, many companies rely on technology to handle metrics, aid in performance reviews, and foster an improved working environment.

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In the performance management and employee experience realms, two software options reign supreme: Lattice and Culture Amp. Both offer comprehensive solutions to issues that HR managers and companies face, all in one organized space.

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If you want to bolster your employee experience and performance management while also increasing engagement, find out what software has knockout potential in the battle of Lattice vs. Culture Amp.

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Why Do I Need Employee Engagement and Performance Management Solutions?

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To some startups, HR professionals, and companies, employee engagement software may seem like an unnecessary cost — especially with other operating expenses and overhead. However, employee engagement and performance management solutions provide numerous benefits, including:

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• Ability to adhere to goal-setting and OKRs
• Integrations and functionality with other software platforms such as HRIS (human resource information system) and collaboration tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams for improved workflow
• Benchmarks and tracking for employee performance
• Pulse surveys and engagement surveys that allow you to track employee engagement and gather continuous feedback
• Improve data-driven decision-making
• Gather 360-degree feedback and performance reviews
• Schedule regular check-ins
• Streamline the review process
• Strengthen employee career development programs and employee development plans
• Create customizable onboarding programs to get new hires up to speed
• Provide insight into methods and ways to improve company culture and develop high-performing teams

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With customizable features, a wide array of prices for every budget, and innumerable benefits, employee engagement and performance management software is well worth the added expense.

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Lattice vs Culture Amp: The Basics

Performance management platforms provide a holistic approach to employee engagement. Yet the sheer number of available software makes the decision cumbersome.

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But if you do even a basic search, you’ll typically find that Lattice and Culture Amp are two of the most highly touted and regarded options on the market today. Before you choose, understanding the features and limitations of Culture Amp vs Lattice is tantamount to success. Let’s take a look at the basic features of each platform to help you get started on the Lattice vs Culture Amp debacle.

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Lattice

At its core, Lattice is a cloud-based, HR-facing performance management tool that enables users to manage employee progress and productivity. It seamlessly blends tech with HR processes to foster a beneficial work environment with an emphasis on collaboration. Moreover, it also allows HR teams to set goals, track performance, engage in employee check-ins, tackle people management, gather employee feedback, and streamline performance reviews. With a well-documented ease of use, Lattice is ideal for startups, midsize companies, and even large enterprises.

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Culture Amp

Launched in 2009 as an anonymous employee feedback survey company, Culture Amp has grown to arguably become the top performance management platform worldwide — used by over 25 million people.

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While Culture Amp is similar to Lattice in its cloud-based approach, Culture Amp focuses more on the employee engagement side of the equation than on performance itself. This isn’t necessarily a drawback, as Culture Amp’s focus on employee feedback in addition to employee engagement makes it an outlier and a top-tier option for HR managers.

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Lattice vs Culture Amp: How To Choose the Right Software for Your Business

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Now that you have a basic understanding of Lattice vs Culture Amp, you can dig a bit deeper to decide which software is right for your business. Both have their perks and drawbacks, so a careful analysis is a savvy move. Let’s take a look at both software options.

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Features, Pros, and Cons of Lattice

Lattice is a clear-cut winner for many companies in terms of performance management and employee engagement. Its mix of comprehensive features can certainly provide advantages to companies of all sizes and may point you in the right direction in the Lattice vs Culture Amp debate.

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Lattice Features

Some of the top features of Lattice include:

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• Succession Planning: Lattice uses metrics to assess the performance of each employee. With this real-time data, HR teams and managers can groom potential employees for promotions.
• Continuous Feedback: One of the strengths of Lattice includes the ability to create a continuous loop of feedback between employees and managers. This loop creates transparency and trust — two of the major factors that impact culture and engagement.
• Superior Analytics and Reporting: Lattice offers a comprehensive analytics and reporting system that generates fully customizable reports and up-to-date performance data, allowing managers to make important decisions on the fly.

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Lattice Pros

• Excellent customer service with a dedicated customer support team and prompt responses
• Largest and most comprehensive set of performance management features on the market
• Superb functionality for one-on-one meetings and potential mentoring

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Lattice Cons

• Expensive; the most affordable contract starts at $4,000 per year
• Little in the way of customization
• User interface is more confusing than alternatives, especially to the uninitiated who hasn’t used HR or performance management software in the past
• Lack of 360-degree feedback

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Features, Pros, and Cons of Culture Amp

In the Lattice vs Culture Amp battle, Lattice certainly sounds like a reasonable — and perhaps superior option. But don’t count Culture Amp out. With similar features for performance management and superb employee engagement systems, Culture Amp holds its own against the competition. Here’s what makes Culture Amp a viable option for any company.

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Culture Amp Features

Culture Amp’s comprehensive and holistic features are enough to make any HR manager excited about performance management and employee engagement. The top Culture Amp features for HR teams are:

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• Robust Employee Surveys: With Culture Amp, generic employee surveys are a thing of the past. Use the interface to create surveys based around engagement, inclusion, diversity, and overall wellbeing.
• DEI Analytics: Diversity, equity, and inclusion are an important facet of modern performance management and employee engagement. With DEI-specific analytics, you can ensure that your management is focusing on this.
• Peer Recognition: Making employees feel valued at work can reduce turnover and give your employees a zest for work. A major aspect of this is peer recognition. Culture Amp allows employees to give recognition and rewards for the contributions of their coworkers, fostering a strong and more cohesive work environment.
• Actionable Planning: After gathering the results from surveys, Culture Amp provides users with the ability to instantly follow up. Through the platform, you can schedule follow-up meetings, create and track new goals, assign new responsibilities, and monitor the overall progress of each employee.

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Culture Amp Pros

• Comprehensive self-service portal
• Training management to offer suggestions for improving the performance and engagement of employees
• Affordable plans for smaller companies for as little as $8 an employee per month
• Strong reporting and engagement module

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Culture Amp Cons

• Performance platform integration issues with the main software
• Goal-setting tables aren’t as comprehensive or customizable as alternatives
• Lackluster integration with other platforms for scheduling reviews or meetings
• Platform isn’t as visually engaging as other performance management tools

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A Few Other Players in the Employee Engagement Software Space

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You don’t necessarily have to choose Culture Amp or Lattice for your performance management and employee engagement needs. Several other companies offer free and paid software solutions that may provide the features and user experience you require. Here are some of the best:

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• 15Five is a widely acclaimed performance management platform that helps companies transform their top-performing employees into managers. Thanks to an easy-to-use platform, HR teams can improve manager effectiveness, increase employee engagement, and reduce regrettable turnover.
• Workday is a renowned company that offers a plethora of professional services. However, its talent optimization and software consistently ranks as one of the best in the industry. Use it to align your goals with employee perspectives and tasks and accurately understand the strengths and weaknesses of your staff.
• CultureMonkey is a great solution for hybrid and remote work staffs. Geared toward improving employee engagement and company culture, the software allows HR managers to listen to their employees while also creating growth opportunities.

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Build Upon Employee Engagement and Performance Management With a Strong Emphasis on Leadership

Employee engagement and performance management are quintessential parts of a winning formula — especially for high-performing teams. But used in tandem with leadership management training, your company creates individuals and teams that have the support and tools they need for success in their current role and beyond.

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After you settle the Lattice vs Culture Amp question, the next decision should be to make an appointment with Unicorn Labs. With 12-week online programs, leadership retreats, and leadership coaching, Unicorn Labs has everything you need to turn employees into the leaders of tomorrow. Find out how Unicorn Labs can benefit your company. Schedule a 15-minute consultation today.