#HRTech Companies Offering Free Resources and Information During COVID-19 Crisis

Note: updated 4/20/20 at 7:00am CST with additional resources (24th update since publication on 3/20/20)

Our team has been careful in recent days to avoid sending out any regularly scheduled content, because now is not the time to talk about talent research or case studies. Now is the time to work together and overcome what seems like it could be a defining moment for our lifetime.

That said, it’s hard to sit and do nothing, so we have begun collecting a list of the technology and service providers in the industry that are demonstrating their generosity to support employers, their people, and/or the community during this challenging time.

This is a very factual, straightforward article because we are trying to share resources out quickly. I wrote a piece on my personal blog earlier this week about four ways you can care for your employees in the middle of this unprecedented crisis that reflects my personal views on this situation and how business and talent leaders should be responding, and I stand by it.

As it has grown to over 50 companies, we have broken the list into multiple sections: the first lists free technology applications by focus area (recruiting, engagement surveys, etc.) that solution providers are offering to the industry to help during this challenging time. The second lists those companies offering free templates, resources, and information for their customers and/or the public.

We will be updating this content as we learn of new companies that are providing tools and resources to help. If you work for a provider or you are using a provider that has developed a free resource or is offering free technology for this time, please let us know so we can spread the word.

Free Technology Applications

Recruiting/Talent Acquisition

1. Checkster offers free reference checking to organizations on the Coronavirus front lines
2. SHL is offering its suite of hiring tools and virtual interviewing and screening solutions at no charge
3. DevSkiller is offering free video interviews for new customers that want to connect with candidates during this time
4. Thrive is offering free career tools for employees/candidates that have been impacted by this crisis, such as resume builders, job trackers, and more.
5. BreezyHR is offering its remote video assessments and video interviewing tools free for a period of time.
6. Harver is offering free assessments and diagnostic tools for employers over the next couple months, including a work from home diagnostic, virtual interviewing module, and more
7. XOR, which offers an AI chatbot, has opened its employee communications tools for free during this time
8. Gr8People is offering its event management solution for recruiting for free to help employers affected by the Coronavirus
9. Outmatch is offering its video interviewing software for free for 60 days

Employee Self-Service/Communication/Compensation

1. Grayscale is offering unlimited texting for managing employee and candidate communications during COVID-19, including free ATS and HRIS integrations.
2. Change State is offering its free Glassdoor Insights Dashboard for three months to help employers see how COVID is affecting their brand.
3. SimplyMerit’s CoreTeam offering is designed to help employers manage furloughs, layoffs, and pay reductions. It is being offered for free during the pandemic.
4. WorkBuzz is offering a free COVID-19 pulse survey to check in on employees during this challenging time
5. ServiceNow is offering free applications for employers to help during this time
6. AllyO is offering its emergency communications support tools for free.
7. Payfactors is offering its free Community tool for as well as free compensation data to help connect employers to each other as well as the right information at this critical time.
8. KoSolve is offering its collaboration software free during this time. Use the “sign up” tab on the navigation bar.
9. Personio is offering its employee time tracking and absence management tool for free for three months
10. Anonymous COVID-19 employee support survey with communication template, executive summary of results, and free 30-minute review with consulting team. Contact info@peopleelement.com for details.

Wellness/Wellbeing

1. Grokker has offered its workplace wellbeing video resources for free to employers to help employees cope with the changes and stress
2. Wanido is offering their employee wellness and wellbeing software for free for the time being.
3. Smart Dollar is offering its free financial wellness product for employees laid off or losing their jobs as a result of COVID-19.

Training/Learning

1. Intrepid Learning is offering its award-winning learning system free to healthcare organizations providing COVID-19 related training
2. PTC is offering its remote assistance product, Vuforia Chalk, for free. The tool leverages augmented reality to enable offsite and on-site employees to collaborate in the operation, maintenance, and repair of all kinds of products.
3. LTG is offering its Instilled learning experience platform (LXP) for free for 90 days for any employers that need it to help get learning up and running remotely
4. SkillSoft is offering free learning courses on business continuity, remote work, and more from its library.

Performance Management/Engagement

1. Perceptyx is offering free, managed pulse surveys to help employers understand how their employees feel.
2. 15five, a performance management app, is offering its tools for free through June to help employers new to managing remote workers
3. Butterfly.ai is offering its employee engagement software for free for 90 days
4. Wootric is offering a free employee pulse survey tool including access to its analytics platform for six months
5. ChartHop is making its scenario planning tool available for free (visual org chart design tool)
6. Zippi has its collaboration and goal tracking software available free for employers
7. IntelliHR is sharing its platform free, including features for employee feedback, check ins, and more
8. Forgeant is offering its engagement tools free for employers that want to check in on their employees so they can focus on their people during the crisis
9. Workhuman is offering its engagement and social recognition products free for one year.

Free Resources and Information for Customers and/or the Public

1. Namely is offering free implementation and HR tools with new customers purchasing its Comply package.
2. Oracle is offering its health and safety module free for customers at this time
3. HiringSolved is sharing job posting data related to Coronavirus hiring
4. PandoLogic is offering a $150,000 fund for employers that are expanding their workforce to fight COVID19
5. iCIMS is sharing resources on how to keep business running with virtual hiring
6. Workday is paying employees for a period of time while they are unable to work
7. Velaku is hosting a webinar with Wells Fargo, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, and Northwestern Mutual HR leaders about how they are handling this crisis
8. PTO Exchange is educating employers on how to use PTO sharing as well as how PTO can be used on its platform for donations to IRS approved 501c organizations.
9. Leena.AI is offering a free chatbot with Covid19 medical alerts from trusted sources (World Health Organization, CDC, etc.)
10. Visier is offering its customers some new capabilities to compare employee data with public COVID-19 pandemic information
11. Paychex has published a guide for employers on understanding and complying with the new Families First Coronavirus Act
12. PeopleStrategy is offering free information for employers on COVID-19 with daily updates
13. Phenom People is offering free templates for employers to communicate employment activities as well as offering free SMS communication and virtual event tools for all customers for 90 days.
14. Ultimate Software is sharing free, research-based information on remote work and other best practices for employers to lead during challenging times.
15. Bayard is offering a live, running feed of changes to the hiring market based on COVID-19
16. Cornerstone OnDemand is sharing a free online learning platform where anyone can take essential training any time
17. AppCast is offering a fund to help firms doing essential work trying to quickly hire for front line roles
18. HRPartner is helping customers with some templates and ideas for how to communicate at this time.
19. CultureAmp is offering free emergency response survey templates for anyone that wants to get a feel for how their employees are doing in the middle of the crisis.
20. Traitify, an assessment provider, is offering insights on how to help employees understand their unique personality and strengths for the new way of work, including openness, extraversion, emotional stability, and more.
21. Vault, an application for reporting workplace incidents and issues, has developed new features so employees can report symptoms or other concerns regarding COVID-19.
22. Collective Health has launched a free health risk assessment survey.
23. Saba is offering a free set of resources and information for employers,
24. Paycor is offering $1M in grants to cover payroll expenses for SMB firms affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
25. ThinkHR and Mammoth are offering their entire COVID-19 library of compliance information and templates for free at this time
26. SilkRoad is offering a webinar on how to develop/maintain an employee-centric, empathetic approach 
27. meQuilibrium is offering a free set of resources on how to deal with uncertainty, maintain resilience, and more
28. Ceridian is sharing a resource center for employers, including tips on leading during COVID-19 and more
29. Flimp Communications is offering a free digital postcard and COVID-19 educational video for employers to share with their employees

Please check back as this list will continue to evolve.

Ben Eubanks

Ben Eubanks is the Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory. He is an author, speaker, and researcher with a passion for telling stories and making complex topics easy to understand.

His latest book Talent Scarcity answers the question every business leader has asked in recent years: “Where are all the people, and how do we get them back to work?” It shares practical and strategic recruiting and retention ideas and case studies for every employer.

His first book, Artificial Intelligence for HR, is the world’s most-cited resource on AI applications for hiring, development, and employee experience.

Ben has more than 10 years of experience both as an HR/recruiting executive as well as a researcher on workplace topics. His work is practical, relevant, and valued by practitioners from F100 firms to SMB organizations across the globe.

He has spoken to tens of thousands of HR professionals across the globe and enjoys sharing about technology, talent practices, and more. His speaking credits include the SHRM Annual Conference, Seminarium International, PeopleMatters Dubai and India, and over 100 other notable events.