EMPLOYEE PASSPORT / CHARLIEHR ALTERNATIVE
CharlieHR offers small-business HR software covering areas such as onboarding, time off, employee data and reviews, as well as an HR advice service. Compare EPL when you also want to discuss workplace safety support and connected operational records.
Comparison reviewed 26 September 2026. This is an Employee Passport buyer guide, not an independent ranking. Provider names belong to their respective owners.
Growth creates new demands on managers: more starters, more documents, more absence decisions and more workplace responsibilities. Compare what your business needs over the next year, including who supports the manager when a question goes beyond routine administration. EPL combines employee tools with optional HR and Health & Safety advisory services.
| Area | Employee Passport | What to compare |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Employee records, leave, documents, onboarding, tasks and training in the Hub. | Demonstrate your actual workflows and permissions. |
| Named advisers | Named HR advisers; see each adviser’s qualifications and experience in our team profiles. | Who answers your call, and will they know your business? |
| Safety expertise | NEBOSH-qualified consultants and fire experts, with on-site support available. | Check relevant qualifications, site work and specialist scope. |
| Practical work | Letters, onboarding, risk assessments and on-site help with difficult conversations. | Which tasks will the provider complete for you? |
| Setup | Four software installation days: admins, managers, employees and a final review. | Confirm guided setup, training and onboarding completion. |
| Action plans | Audit-led plans for the year ahead; existing audit actions addressed during onboarding. | Who completes actions and checks that the work is done? |
| Follow-up | Monthly contact if you have not called, plus quarterly Health & Safety reviews. | Agree contact frequency, review dates and accountability. |
| Rota / time | Tap In/Out is available. EPL Rota is launching soon. | Separate released features from planned features. |
| Terms | Pay-as-you-go or 12-month support; agreed prices held during the term. Monthly software can move up or down. | Compare total cost, flexibility and what happens if support falls short. |
Manage employee information, holiday, absence, onboarding, documents and training in the Hub. Demonstrate your priority workflows before choosing a package.
Discuss advice, documentation and practical help with people situations. The service scope and fees are agreed alongside your software requirements.
Connect safety documents, training and follow-up with practical Health & Safety support where required. Confirm the modules and adviser work in your proposal.
Bring a process involving a new starter, a training requirement and a workplace action. Ask how the system and advisers support managers across your actual locations and working arrangements.
Read our published case studies to understand the work behind the service, then ask us to demonstrate a process relevant to your team. A case study describes a specific project; your proposal will set out the support agreed for your business.
List your employee numbers, sites, required modules and support needs. Ask for a written breakdown of recurring fees, setup and any additional work. A lower headline software fee does not establish which complete package suits your business.
Before moving, agree which records and documents need transferring, what you can export from your current provider and who checks the new setup. Keep any existing contract notice and retention obligations in view. Migration scope and timing must be confirmed for your records.
CharlieHR offers small-business HR software covering areas such as onboarding, time off, employee data and reviews, as well as an HR advice service. Review the provider’s current product pages and your proposed package.
No. Adviser support is part of an agreed support package. We will explain the software modules, advisory scope and fees before you commit.
Yes. Bring your current processes and requirements to a demo. We will discuss fit, setup and possible migration work without assuming that every record can be transferred automatically.
EPL Rota is launching soon. The rota page shows design previews. Holiday, absence and Tap In/Out can be demonstrated in the current Hub.
Choose the package that fits your actual workflows, support requirements and budget. Test your own scenarios with both providers and compare written terms.
Provider reference: CharlieHR official product information. Checked 26 September 2026. Features, packages and pricing can change; confirm them directly before purchase.
Bring your current setup and the work you want to make simpler. We will show the relevant EPL tools and explain the support available.
From onboarding and letter writing to employee relations, we work through the situation with you. You can arrange on-site support to manage difficult conversations.
Our safety team can visit your site, complete risk assessments and look at the risks in your actual operation. We agree the work and responsibilities with you.
Your named advisers understand the context and help carry the work through. You receive specific support for your business, with a clear agreement about what we will complete.
Choose pay-as-you-go support or a straightforward 12-month support agreement. We keep the agreed price unchanged during your term. If you feel we are not helping or providing the support you need, speak to us: EPL’s commitment is to let you leave the agreement.
Software is month by month, with the flexibility to move up or down as your needs change. We will explain your package, the work included and the terms clearly before you join.
We set up your administrators first and walk through the foundations of your system with them.
We work with managers on the tools and processes they will use to support their teams.
We help employees get started and understand how to use their part of the Hub.
We return to check the setup, answer questions and make sure you are properly onboarded. Our technical team walks and talks you through it until you are happy.
We start by auditing your HR and Health & Safety needs, then create an action plan for the year ahead and work with you to complete it.
If you have not contacted us during the month, we contact you. It is a chance to pick up people issues, new risks and the puzzles your managers need help solving.
We review Health & Safety progress with you each quarter, walk through the action plan and help complete outstanding work. You can hold us accountable for that follow-through.
If you join EPL with an existing audit, we use its findings to complete the tasks as part of your onboarding and welcome to EPL. We agree the actions with you and get to work.
For ongoing clients, the next review is about progress. If actions remain outstanding, we help complete them rather than simply repeating the previous year’s audit and handing over the same list again. Our focus is the value you receive and the work completed for your business.