ArcHR
HR Software for UAE Companies with 25–50 employees.
At 25–50 employees, a first HR hire is being made and the need for a structured HR system becomes urgent. ArcHR is AED-native HR and payroll for UAE SMEs with 25–50 employees — WPS Salary Information File (SIF) export; End of service gratuity (EOSB) — Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.
· by ArcHR Compliance Team
Month in the life
The company just hired its first HR coordinator, but on day one they inherit a folder of outdated contracts, a leave spreadsheet maintained by the previous office manager, and payroll still run by an external accountant who emails SIF files without explaining rejections. Week two: three employees submit leave requests for Eid overlap and the new HR hire cannot see team coverage because attendance lives in separate branch spreadsheets. Payroll cut-off arrives with two pending salary revisions from probation completions that were never updated in MOHRE contracts. Finance asks for a gratuity liability estimate before the annual audit — HR spends three days calculating manually. Visa renewals for 40 employees are due this quarter; two passports expired without anyone noticing because the tracking sheet was not shared with the new hire. Managers approve overtime on WhatsApp, and payroll includes hours that attendance records cannot verify. When an employee files a MOHRE complaint about unpaid overtime, the company has no consolidated attendance log to defend its position. At 25–50 employees, the transition from owner-managed HR to a structured function fails without a system. ArcHR gives the first HR hire WPS payroll, leave workflows, visa expiry alerts, and manager self-service from week one.
Primary pain points
First HR hire needs a system on day one — not a spreadsheet they have to maintain
Leave management via WhatsApp creates disputes — balances are unclear and disputed
Visa expiry tracking for 30–50 employees is unmanageable manually
Compliance checklist
- Assign a dedicated HR owner with system access for contracts, leave, payroll, and document management
- Update MOHRE contracts within 14 days of any salary, title, or allowance change before the next WPS cycle
- Implement manager-approved leave workflows with visible team calendars to prevent coverage gaps
- Track visa, labour card, and Emirates ID renewals with automated alerts at 60 and 30 days before expiry
- Reconcile WPS SIF submissions against bank transfer confirmations every pay period
- Document overtime approvals in the HR system — MOHRE expects verifiable working-hour records during disputes
Pricing fit
At 25–50 employees, ArcHR's per-employee pricing scales linearly — you pay only for active staff, with no minimum seat blocks. A 35-person UAE company typically spends less per month than a part-time payroll bureau plus standalone leave tracking tools combined. WPS payroll, attendance, leave management, document expiry, and employee self-service are core inclusions. Book a demo for a headcount-specific quote; most companies at this stage report 40–60% lower total cost than ZenHR or Bayzat.
Frequently asked questions
What HR software is right for a 30–50 person company in UAE?
ArcHR is designed for this exact stage. At 25–50 employees, you need WPS payroll, leave management, visa expiry tracking, and mobile employee self-service — all of which are included in ArcHR's core platform.
What should a first HR hire set up in week one at a 30-person UAE company?
Priority one: centralise employee records, active MOHRE contracts, and visa expiry dates. Priority two: migrate payroll to a WPS-compliant system. Priority three: implement leave approval workflows so managers stop using WhatsApp. ArcHR onboarding covers all three in the first setup session.
How do 25–50 employee UAE companies typically handle leave disputes?
Disputes arise when leave balances are unclear or managers approve without visibility into team coverage. A centralised leave system with automatic accrual under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 and manager approval chains eliminates most disputes before they reach MOHRE.
Does ArcHR support attendance tracking for multi-site UAE companies at this size?
Yes. ArcHR supports mobile geo-fenced check-in for field teams and fixed-location clock-in for office and retail staff. Attendance data flows directly into payroll for overtime calculation and WPS reporting.
Can ArcHR import employee data from Excel for a 40-person migration?
Yes. The setup wizard imports employee profiles, bank details, contract dates, and leave opening balances from Excel or CSV. HR compliance fields — MOHRE job codes, visa types, basic salary — are validated on import.
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