The Dawn of EOS: Why the SME Employment Software Race in Australia Is Just Beginning
In Greek mythology, Eos was the goddess of the dawn — the harbinger of a new day who opened the gates for the sun. It’s a poetic metaphor that feels fitting for where the SME and mid-market employment software market in Australia finds itself today. A new dawn is breaking, and with it, a new shorthand: EOS — the Employment Operating System.
What Is an Employment Operating System (EOS)?
An Employment Operating System (EOS) is the next stage of workforce technology evolution. Instead of relying on separate HRIS, payroll, rostering, and learning platforms, an EOS brings everything together into a single platform that stores every employment record and workflow.
We've seen this story before:
UCaaS unified phone, video, and messaging, unlocking automation and insights.
CRM platforms consolidated marketing, sales, and support into a 360° customer view—Salesforce became the category leader by stitching together the entire customer journey.
The same dynamic is happening in HR and payroll. Centralised platforms that own the transaction and interaction data will be the ones to unlock AI and automation at scale.
Why SMEs Are Moving Toward EOS Now
Several structural forces are converging in Australia:
Employee Expectations: Mobile-first apps handling payslips, leave, rosters, contracts, and training in one place.
Operational Efficiency: Faster payroll closes and reduced administration.
Local Compliance Complexity: Award rules and tax obligations are a significant competitive advantage.
AI as an Accelerant: Predictive attrition, roster-to-pay reconciliation, and award automation rely on clean, unified datasets.
Why Fragmented HR & Payroll Systems Fail
Cross-industry lessons show that fragmented data reduces AI credibility:
Supply Chain Optimisation: When purchasing, sales, and warehouse systems operate in silos, AI produces noisy forecasts and unreliable stock recommendations.
Customer Experience Platforms: The promise of a single customer record fell flat when integrations were messy and inconsistent.
The lesson for payroll and HR is clear: vision without unified data doesn’t deliver results.
For SMEs, the risk of failed AI use-cases: predictive turnover, award-rule auto-fixes, or roster-to-pay accuracy all collapse without a single source of truth.
The Finance-First History of Payroll
Fragmentation has historical roots. Payroll grew out of finance and accounting systems (MYOB, Attaché, Sage). These platforms were designed primarily to:
Keep the ledger accurate
Handle bank files
Satisfy tax authorities
Employees were treated as data inputs for pay runs, not as the center of the experience. Over time:
Rostering and timesheets evolved as separate point solutions
HRIS vendors-built workflows in parallel
Integrations attempted to fill gaps, but remain brittle and limited
This legacy is why modern AI-driven payroll software in Australia struggles without a move to EOS.
Signs We’re Moving Toward EOS
The clearest sign of market transition is the wave of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) reshaping the employment software landscape. This consolidation phase is not just about growth — it’s about filling capability gaps.
Key Transactions
• Oct 2020 — MYOB → Roubler — Added a HRIS and Rostering solution to it’s existing payroll and accounting suite. Not a full acquisition but took up a majority stake.
• Aug 2021 — The Access Group → Definitiv — Added a modern cloud payroll/HCM solution to Access’ otherwise heavily legacy portfolio, along with partial timesheeting capabilities.
• Aug 2021 — The Access Group → Attaché — Strengthened Access’ accounting and ERP footprint but remained a finance-first, on-premise acquisition.
• Aug 2021 — The Access Group → Micropay — Brought in a long-standing payroll brand, but one in need of significant modernisation.
• Dec 2021 — Employment Hero → KeyPay — Brought award interpretation and deep payroll capability directly into EH’s platform, accelerating its EOS credentials.
• Sep 2022 — Humanforce → Ento — Expanded Humanforce’s rostering and shift optimisation capability, particularly for hospitality, retail, and health sectors.
• Sep 2022 — MYOB → Flare HR — Another HRIS tack on from MYOB to expand offering away from pure payroll / accounting
• Nov 2022 — Deel → PayGroup — Strengthened Deel’s APAC payroll rails for global employment and compliance.
• Jun 2023 — Humanforce → intelliHR — Merged core HR, onboarding, and workflows with rostering/time data — a strong EOS-building move.
• Oct 2024 — ADP → WorkForce Software (EmpLive AU) — Brought enterprise-grade workforce management into ADP’s orbit — though ADP’s enterprise focus and WFS’ positioning aren’t an obvious cultural match.
• 2024 — Dayforce → Preceda — Acquired a proven enterprise payroll solution, but its discontinuation raises a few questions about customer migration to Dayforce’s newer engine.
Vendor-by-Vendor Analysis
In this section, we present a rigorous vendor-by-vendor breakdown of who is realistically positioned to become a leading Employment Operating System (EOS) provider for Australian SMEs and mid-market businesses. This is not an exhaustive directory. Instead, it’s a focused evaluation of vendors with the strategic positioning, product depth, and market presence to truly matter in the ANZ employment software landscape.
Why This Analysis Matters
Most software comparison platforms continue to review HRIS, payroll, or rostering solutions in isolation. That siloed methodology confuses buyers and forces them to assemble fragmented answers themselves. Compounding the problem, many of these sites are US-centric and fail to account for the compliance, award, and operational realities unique to Australia and New Zealand.
The domestic employment management ecosystem doesn’t warrant a full Gartner-style review. What it does require is a candid, insightful assessment that prioritizes long-term EOS potential over short-term feature checklists.
Below is a detailed, vendor-by-vendor assessment of the most strategically relevant providers in the ANZ SME and mid-market employment software space. Our focus is on unified EOS capability; niche solutions exist, but we’ve prioritized vendors that could realistically deliver end-to-end employment management for local businesses.
Employment Hero
Positioning: Leading local EOS candidate
Employment Hero offers recruitment, HRIS, payroll, learning & development (L&D), and employee self-service in a single platform, serving over 15% of Australia’s private workforce. Its marketing has effectively named the EOS category, and product development prioritizes the UX that SMEs demand. With a deep understanding of award complexity across ANZ, Employment Hero enjoys a major competitive advantage over global entrants.
Strengths: most comprehensive all in one suite in the market; Leading HRIS, rostering to rival the best and intuitive payroll with building in award interpretation covering over 90% of modern awards; first domestic EOS to expand internationally. Investing heavily in recruitment and hiring features.
Limitations: L&D module is white-labelled with limited deep control; international expansion could stretch focus.
Tanda
Positioning: Shift-heavy industries, rostering-first EOS contender. Originating in rostering and time & attendance, Tanda excels in shift optimization, labour cost control, and award compliance. Its recent expansion into light HR functionality via payroll rollout in 2023 signals a move toward broader EOS capability.
Strengths: Deep operational knowledge, pragmatic vertical focus, 100% in-house development.
Limitations: Recruitment and complex HR workflows remain limited; feature set outside rostering is still young. Payroll only launched in the last two years.
Rippling
Positioning: High-vision integration platform
Rippling is an API-first orchestration platform with extensive automation and developer-friendly extensibility.
Strengths: Exceptional system integration potential, automation, and extensibility. Well funded.
Limitations: US-centric design requires localisation for ANZ payroll and awards; adoption risk if local market focus lags.
ELMO
Positioning: HRIS and L&D specialist
ELMO excels in learning, compliance training, performance management, and structured HR workflows.
Strengths: Mature HRIS and L&D ecosystem, strong appeal to HR teams prioritizing compliance.
Limitations: Payroll is partially native and relies on partnerships; EOS potential constrained without deeper integration.
ADP
Positioning: Global payroll and compliance giant
ADP brings decades of ANZ market experience and unmatched payroll scale.
Strengths: Brand recognition, traditional industry heavyweight
Limitations: SME product agility lags; UX dated; strategic focus remains US-centric; EmpLive pairing may misalign enterprise with SME segment.
MYOB
Positioning: Finance-first payroll solution
MYOB retains solid payroll functionality but has limited HRIS or EOS ambitions.
Strengths: Well-established payroll and accounting integration.
Limitations: Architecture constrains HR expansion; minimal EOS potential without major strategic shift.
Xero
Positioning: Accounting-focused payroll solution for micro-businesses
Xero offers simple payroll but lacks EOS ambitions.
Strengths: Excellent accounting UX; ideal for small teams.
Limitations: Payroll is basic; limited HRIS; unlikely to evolve into a full EOS platform.
Access Group
Positioning: Acquisition-driven payroll,rostering and finance suite Access Group has pursued a buy-and-badge strategy, integrating legacy solutions like Attaché, Micropay, and Definitiv.
Strengths: Wide portfolio of HR/payroll tools. Definitiv added a pure cloud based workforce management and payroll solution.
Limitations: Minimal integration investment; patchwork architecture; dated strategy in a unified-platform market. Lots of acquisitions but severely lacking in cohesion amongst products.
Chris21 (Frontier)
Positioning: Enterprise-grade HR/payroll solution
Chris21 offers deep award logic and compliance for complex enterprise environments.
Strengths: Mature and robust platform; unmatched enterprise compliance.
Limitations: Too heavy for SMEs; complexity limits mid-market adoption.
HiBob
Positioning: Modern HRIS with engagement focus
HiBob provides people analytics, engagement tools, and UX-driven HRIS.
Strengths: Strong employee experience and analytics.
Limitations: Lacks payroll and rostering depth in Australia; EOS capability partial.
BambooHR
Positioning: Small team HRIS
BambooHR provides a clean HRIS interface for micro-businesses.
Strengths: Intuitive UX; popular among small teams.
Limitations: No native payroll in Australia; relies on integrations for EOS functionality.
Deputy
Positioning: Rostering-first, light payroll
Deputy excels in scheduling UX and rostering management.
Strengths: Excellent rostering and scheduling. Large customer base in certain verticals. Released payroll last month.
Limitations: Limited HRIS and payroll depth; not a full EOS. Have taken a big bet on US expansion. Could be distracted
Deel & Remote
Positioning: Cross-border hiring and compliance specialists
Both vendors excel in global hiring compliance.
Strengths: Streamlined international employment solutions. Both with deep pockets and well funded from the covid inspired venture funding spree into international employer of record businesses.
Limitations: Limited domestic EOS scope.
BrightHR
Positioning: Compliance tools for microbusinesses
BrightHR offers basic software capabilities paired with Employsure advisory.
Strengths: Large micro-business reach with Employsure association; compliance focus.
Limitations: Weak EOS features; limited software depth.
Humanforce
Positioning: Rostering with growing HR capability
Humanforce, reinforced by intelliHR acquisition, provides rostering plus expanding HR functionality.
Strengths: Strong scheduling and HR breadth.
Limitations: Payroll depth still limited; EOS potential moderate.
Dayforce
Positioning: Enterprise payroll and analytics powerhouse
Dayforce delivers advanced payroll and HR analytics; Preceda acquisition discontinuation complicates adoption.
Strengths: Enterprise payroll and compliance strength.
Limitations: High complexity and cost; SME adoption unlikely.
Employee Connect
Positioning: Customisable HRIS with partial payroll
Employee Connect allows extensive workflow and compliance configuration.
Strengths: Strong HRIS flexibility; partial native payroll.
Limitations: EOS potential constrained by reliance on partnerships for full payroll.
ReadyTech
Positioning: ASX-listed HR/payroll aggregator
ReadyTech has acquired multiple businesses for payroll and compliance breadth.
Strengths: Multiple business acquisitions, compliance coverage.
Limitations: Product cohesion questionable; slow modernisation; EOS capabilities lag market expectations.
This detailed vendor-by-vendor analysis underscores that while Australia’s SME and mid-market employment software ecosystem is crowded, only a handful of vendors demonstrate the strategic, operational, and technical capacity to deliver a true Employment Operating System. Employment Hero, Tanda, and select integration-forward platforms like Rippling lead the pack, while legacy and niche players serve narrower roles or micro-business niches.
By understanding each vendor’s strengths and limitations, Australian SMEs and mid-market businesses can make informed EOS decisions—balancing current functionality with long-term growth potential.
Feature Coverage & Award Interpretation
| Vendor | Recruitment / ATS | HRIS | Rostering | Payroll | L&D | Award Interpretation |
Notes | EOS Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Hero | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Broad coverage, strong compliance | A+ |
| Dayforce | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | All-in-one system, requires deep knowledge | A |
| Chris21 (Frontier) | ✅ | ✅ | ◐ | ✅ | ◐ | ✅ | Enterprise-grade awards | B |
| Tanda | ◐ | ◐ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | Rostering & awards strong | B |
| Rippling | ✅ | ✅ | ◐ | ✅ | ◐ | ◐ | Integration strong; AU depth limited | B |
| ELMO | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ◐ | ✅ | ◐ | HR/L&D strong, payroll partner-led | C |
| Deputy | ❌ | ◐ | ✅ | ◐ | ❌ | ◐ | Rostering UX excellence | C |
| ADP | ◐ | ◐ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | Global payroll depth, weak UX | C |
| Humanforce | ❌ | ◐ | ✅ | ◐ | ❌ | ◐ | Strong rostering; HR expanding | C |
| Access Group | ✅ | ◐ | ◐ | ✅ | ◐ | ◐ | Patchwork legacy tools via acquisition | C |
| Readytech | ◐ | ✅ | ◐ | ✅ | ✅ | ◐ | Patchwork legacy tools via acquisition | C |
| UKG (Kronos) | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | Enterprise grade rostering & awards | C |
| MYOB | ❌ | ◐ | ◐ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Finance-first, limited HR | D |
| Xero | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Accounting-led payroll | F |
✅ = Strong | ◐ = Partial | ❌ = Not Offered
Employment Software Market Leaders in Australia
Winners - SME
Employment Hero – The clear local category leader in Australian HR software, combining broad functionality, strong local payroll capabilities, and an intuitive user experience (UX).
Tanda – Dominant in shift-heavy sectors with deep rostering capabilities and expanding HR coverage. Presents a clear pathway to increase market share but needs to accelerate growth.
Rippling – A visionary platform with unmatched integration design, though Australian payroll depth is still developing. Its willingness to compete directly with Employment Hero locally remains uncertain.
Enterprise Leaders
Dayforce (formerly Ceridian) - Intentionally built as an all in one system with good in-country support transferring from Preceda, its configurability suits large businesses. Increased configurability trade off means less intuitive UX, relatively expensive and comes with ongoing internal configuration management costs. Better for 400+ employees. Our pick of the best enterprise players for broader EOS.
Chris21 (Frontier) – The enterprise compliance gold standard; however, its complexity makes it less suitable for SMEs similar to Dayforce.
UKG - (Ultimate Kronos Group) - Traditional workforce management heavyweight in the enterprise space. Lacks broader EOS functionality.
Upper-Middle Tier
ELMO – A local powerhouse for HR and learning & development (L&D) but requires native payroll functionality to fully compete in the EOS space.
Deputy – A rostering leader now exploring payroll capabilities. Very popular in hospitality due to social media-driven shift communications. Its larger client base compared to Tanda could allow momentum in all-in-one EOS adoption if focus remains local, though expansion in the US may distract resources.
Humanforce – Strong rostering foundation with growing HR functionality following the intelliHR acquisition. Launched payroll in 2022 and, like Deputy and Tanda, is moving toward an integrated EOS strategy.
HiBob – Offers modern UX and HRIS leadership but lacks local payroll.
Deel – A global hiring leader exploring domestic EOS solutions. The Pay Group acquisition provided local payroll capabilities, but integration with HR, Payroll, and Rostering remains unclear. Well-funded but currently focused on competing with Rippling in the US market.
Employee Connect – Highly configurable HRIS solution offering payroll through partner integrations.
Lower-Middle Tier
ADP – Global payroll leader with limited SME integration breadth. Needs a focused localization strategy to remain competitive in the Australian market.
BambooHR – Clean HRIS platform with payroll via partners.
Remote – Global Employer of Record (EOR) leader lacking local EOS coverage.
Lagging & Legacy Players
Access Group – Acquisition-focused with minimal integration investment. Despite a strong M&A capability, it lacks a coherent software strategy in Australia and limited R&D investment.
ReadyTech – Expanded through acquisitions but shows weak product cohesion and slow upgrades. AU-centric, with solid local market knowledge.
MYOB – Primarily finance-first, with limited HR evolution. Caught in its third iteration of a private equity buyout. Roubler is not wholly owned, and Flare HR continues as a separate operation.
BrightHR – Microbusiness tool focused on compliance.
Xero – Accounting-led platform, not a contender in the EOS market.
Conclusion
The SME and mid-market employment software landscape in Australia is crowded, competitive, and rapidly evolving. Over the next three to five years, EOS will likely become a widely recognised category among both vendors and buyers, while consolidation will accelerate, particularly in SMEs, as companies seek the ROI benefits of reducing systems and administrative complexity. AI capabilities — from automating roster-to-payroll reconciliation to detecting compliance issues and personalising learning — will become essential, and the depth of localisation will increasingly distinguish the market leaders from promising challengers.
Acquisitions will continue to shape the market, but true winners will be those investing in unified, forward-looking engineering rather than simply hoarding legacy software. The vendors able to turn centralised employment data into actionable, AI-powered workflows will define the next phase of the industry. With so many niche solutions in operation across Australia, this review is intentionally selective, and we welcome updates or corrections — the race is only just beginning.
How Payd Piper Helps
Payd Piper is a trusted Employment Technology Consultancy, helping SMEs migrate from fragmented systems to a unified EOS.
Learn more about our Services & Pricing
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By partnering with Payd Piper, SMEs can reduce complexity, streamline payroll/HR, and adopt EOS faster with local expertise.
