Atlassian Confluence and Trello Software for HR

Hi Emma
I have seen them used as HR Tools in the past, and it's great if you're a small startup and not yet ready for a full HR system.  I'd also include Notion in that list.

As always, the answer to whether they are suitable is 'it depends', how many employees, locations, countries, etc.
Do you want people to see everything or only things that are relevant to them? 
Are you also seeking compliance - yes they have definately done it, or is it more for information... 

What is it you really want to achieve by using such a tool?  

Happy to chat as HR tech is very much my lane

I've used both with different clients and I would very much align with deborah.rosen77 we both love tech so that's not a surprise. 

I used Trello with a client in a start up scale up environment for mapping, tracking, nudging and showing progress on projects and allocating ownership for parts of the project and I know it can do so much more.

The key is working out what the need is, how tech can help, working out what it won't do (the sales pitch is always impressive because they know the system inside out) and where you will have to compromise and how it links in with your other tech or offline aspects of the people experience or journey. 

Confluence I used with a large tech team in a well established company and it was easy to use, if you are tech savvy, to build pages, share information with all the functionality, and more, of a good website but again it depends how this fits with all the other tools employees need to use and your existing tech set up. 

I always recommend starting with needs, context, budget, reach out to your audience and test your hypothesis, build the business case and then look for the tools/ tool that meets the need the best. Good luck and similarly, happy to chat tech if you want to reach out. 

Hi Sharon, 

We have Workday as a HRIS Globally, it was badly set up and we do not have the skillset in the US to make the changes required. I was looking to use Confluence and Trello to help the UK site with onboarding and probationary period tasks. The confluence piece I was hoping to use to replace the current SharePoint HR page. I would love to connect to learn more from your experience of using both these tools. 

Hi Emma,

I’d be utterly lost without my Trello board. We have a very competent HRIS, so I don’t use it at that level of granularity, but I do use it for casework management and project organisation. I also track outstanding documents there, and keep a completed section so I can evidence progress and generate clear updates for my MD.

Hi Emma, I hope the information I shared was helpful and I am very happy to chat. You have my contact details from my LinkedIn profile so feel free to reach out if you like. No pressure. :-)

Hi Deborah. I completely agree that tools like Trello, Confluence and Notion can be brilliant for smaller teams or early‑stage organisations. I’ve used Trello and ClickUp for simple onboarding flows and tracking tasks, and they worked well as long as access levels were planned carefully.

From your experience, have you noticed any specific tipping point where teams outgrow these lighter tools and need something more robust?

Your point about starting with needs before choosing the tech really resonates. I’ve also seen Trello and ClickUp used effectively for visibility and workflow mapping, but, as you said, the gaps usually appear around compliance or integrations.

Confluence can feel more structured, but only if it fits the wider ecosystem. When you're supporting clients, what usually helps them clarify their non‑negotiables during that early discovery stage?

Hi Cristine,

I have not yet found the need to use anyting above the basic functionality. I know there are tools available but it works for me as is.

Sorry for the late reply to your follow up question Christine, I sometimes don't get notifications despite it being turned on. This is a little ironic considering we are chatting about tech. 

Your question is a good one. What helps me clarify client non-negotiables during discovery? 

*being crystal clear on purpose.

*engaging with a wide range of stakeholders. It's a mistake to stick to one group or not consult outside of HR until later. 

*map current needs, problems, gaps and issues as they help spot the key needs for change. 

*don't start with what's on the market but the internal needs and then think about the future - i.e. business plans (growth, numbers, locations etc). 

Tech will always be chosen from a moment in time and will never be perfect but time spent in discovery is time well spent.