Enterprises are rapidly adopting AI-driven workforce management (WFM) software to tackle labor challenges, boost productivity, and improve employee experiences, according to new research from Information Services Group (ISG). The 2025 ISG Buyers Guides™ for Workforce Management provide ratings and rankings of 23 leading providers, showing how innovations like AI, automation, and real-time analytics are reshaping WFM across industries.

WFM software ensures that the right people are working at the right times, considering budgets, skills, employee preferences, and compliance. Core features include scheduling, time tracking, absence management, and demand forecasting. Advanced WFM suites now go further, offering skills-based optimization, real-time cost simulation, and predictive analytics that empower both managers and employees with smarter tools.

“Enterprises want software that brings more types of data to bear and delivers insights for workforce decisions, and providers are starting to deliver them,” said Matthew Brown, Director of Human Capital Management Research at ISG Software Research. “Advances in AI, GenAI and real-time analytics make WFM software more powerful and easier for workers to use through self-service tools.”

Emerging Workforce Management Trends

ISG’s research highlights four pressing needs shaping the new baseline for WFM software:

  • Analyzing potential cost and compliance risks before worker rosters are finalized.
  • Bringing in resources from agencies or gig marketplaces when staffing falls short.
  • Making staffing decisions based on skills rather than job titles.
  • Providing workers with consumer-style self-service, including chat interfaces for HR needs and shift selection.

Organizations are moving beyond historical averages for workforce planning. New forecasting engines ingest live data sources, such as IoT telemetry, weather reports, and foot-traffic patterns, to optimize scheduling in real time. For example:

  • Manufacturers combine AI-based schedules with machine health data to assign workers efficiently.
  • Healthcare providers integrate electronic medical records and work rules for precise staffing predictions.
  • Retailers use weather and computer vision foot-traffic data to adjust staffing on the fly.

2025 ISG Buyers Guides™ Leaders

ISG evaluated providers across five categories: Workforce Management Basics, Suites, Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Retail. Providers were rated across seven dimensions: usability, manageability, reliability, capability, adaptability, validation, and TCO/ROI. The top Overall Leaders across all categories were:

  • Oracle – Leader in all seven categories, ranked #1 overall in every segment.
  • ADP – Consistently rated highly, with six Leader designations across categories.
  • UKG – Recognized in multiple segments for workforce solutions and adaptability.

Other notable providers rated Exemplary in different categories include Workday, SAP, Dayforce, Blue Yonder, Rippling, and more.

“Workforce management software is essential for businesses that rely on hourly workers. It has become increasingly flexible in self-service scheduling and pay options,” said Mark Smith, Partner and Chief Software Analyst at ISG. “Our research helps organizations assess which providers are best prepared to lead in the AI software-driven economy.”

The ISG Buyers Guides™ represent more than a year of independent market analysis and product evaluation, offering enterprises the most comprehensive comparison of WFM software providers. Visit ISG Software Research to explore executive summaries or request the full reports.

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