The SME Guide to Switching from Breathe HR to HiBob

For many UK SMEs, Breathe HR serves as an excellent entry-level platform. However, as your organisation scales, you may find yourself hitting the proverbial "glass ceiling" of feature sets. When your headcount grows or your HR requirements shift from simple absence tracking to complex performance management and global payroll integration, the conversation often turns to HiBob.

This guide is designed to navigate the transition between these two platforms. Moving HR systems is a high-stakes operation; the fear of losing historical data or disrupting payroll is valid. We approach this migration with a risk-first mindset, ensuring you prioritise data integrity and regulatory compliance throughout the process.

Disclaimer: TrustSwitch may receive a commission if you sign up for services through links in this guide. This does not influence our objective analysis of migration risks or technical requirements.

Why Companies Switch: Triggers and Limitations

Switching HR platforms is rarely a decision made on a whim. It is usually triggered by specific business pressures.

Common Triggers

• Organisational Complexity: Breathe HR excels at simplicity, but as your business adds subsidiaries or international offices, you may require the multi-entity capabilities of HiBob.
• Performance Management Needs: If your business has moved toward continuous feedback loops, 360-degree reviews, and objective-based tracking (OKRs), the standard modules in Breathe may feel restrictive.
• Payroll Integration: Growing firms often need direct API integrations with payroll providers like Moorepay or Sage, which are more native to the HiBob ecosystem.

The Trade-off

While HiBob offers greater depth, it also introduces higher complexity. Where Breathe HR is praised for its "out-of-the-box" usability, HiBob requires more configuration to realise its full value. Before switching, ensure your HR team has the capacity to manage a more sophisticated system.

Migration Risk Assessment

Moving from Breathe to HiBob is categorised as a Medium Risk migration. While both platforms are cloud-native, the data schemas differ significantly.

• Data Loss: The primary risk. Mapping custom fields from Breathe to HiBob’s more granular structure requires precision.
• Downtime: HR migrations rarely result in total downtime, but there is a risk of "information gaps" where data is unavailable for 24–48 hours during the final import.
• Financial Risk: You may experience a period of "double-running" costs where you pay for both licenses simultaneously to ensure data continuity.
• Complexity: The learning curve for administrators is steeper in HiBob. Your team will need to transition from managing a simple dashboard to configuring complex workflows.

Pre-Migration Checklist

Preparation is the single most effective way to mitigate risk. Do not attempt to migrate until you have completed these steps.

Audit and Data Cleansing

• Delete Obsolete Records: Remove leavers who are beyond your statutory data retention period (typically 6 years post-employment under HMRC requirements).
• Standardise Data: Ensure all job titles, department names, and location codes are consistent in Breathe.
• Audit Permissions: Identify who currently has access to sensitive files and ensure these roles are mapped to HiBob’s permission groups.

The "Golden Copy" Backup

• Download Everything: Export all CSV reports from Breathe (Employee data, absence history, performance reviews, and salary documents).
• Secure Storage: Store this backup on an encrypted, UK-based cloud drive (e.g., SharePoint or Google Drive with restricted access).
• Verify Integrity: Open these files to ensure data hasn't been truncated or corrupted during export.

Field Mapping

• Create a Mapping Document: Use a spreadsheet to list every field in Breathe and its corresponding location in HiBob. If a field doesn't have an equivalent, decide if it will be archived or moved to a custom field.

Step-by-Step Migration Process

Phase 1: Pilot

Select a small department or a group of "power users" to test the initial data import. This allows you to identify mapping errors without impacting the entire company.

Phase 2: Parallel Running

For one pay cycle, run your HR processes in both systems. Use Breathe as the "source of truth" for payroll, while using HiBob to manage leave requests and document uploads. This validates that your workflow configurations in HiBob match your business requirements.

Phase 3: Full Migration

Once the pilot is successful, perform the bulk data import on a weekend or a low-activity period. This minimises the impact of any potential downtime.

Phase 4: Post-Migration

Conduct a "sanity check" on payroll data and holiday balances for every employee. Notify staff of the switch and provide a clear "How-To" guide for the new interface.

Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them

• The "Lift and Shift" Fallacy: Do not simply copy-paste your old processes. Use this migration as an opportunity to optimise your workflows.
• Ignoring User Adoption: Staff are comfortable with Breathe. Communicate the benefits of the new system early to avoid resistance.
• Underestimating Custom Fields: If you use custom fields in Breathe for specific industry data, ensure HiBob’s custom field limits can accommodate them.

UK GDPR Considerations

Since both platforms are cloud-based, you remain the Data Controller. You are responsible for ensuring the transition complies with UK GDPR.

• Data Residency: Both Breathe and HiBob have robust UK data hosting options. Ensure your contract specifies that data is held within the UK or EEA.
• Data Processing Agreement (DPA): Ensure you have an updated DPA with HiBob that reflects your current scale and data processing activities.
• Right to be Forgotten: Verify how easily you can delete individual employee records in HiBob should a former employee submit a Subject Access Request (SAR).

Cost Breakdown

Cancellation Tip: Check your Breathe contract for notice periods. Ensure you have exported all data before your final notice date to avoid losing access to the platform.

When NOT to Switch

Sometimes, the best move is no move. Avoid switching if:

1. High Turnover: If you are currently in the middle of a major restructuring, wait until the dust settles.
2. Resource Constraints: If your HR team is currently understaffed, they will not have the bandwidth to manage a migration.
3. No Clear ROI: If Breathe is meeting 90% of your needs, the cost and disruption of switching may outweigh the marginal gains of a more complex system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will I lose my historical performance reviews? A: Not if you export them correctly. Ensure you save them as PDFs and map them to the corresponding employee profile in HiBob.

Q: Is the migration automated? A: Both platforms offer import tools, but "automated" is a relative term. You will still need to perform significant data cleansing and mapping.

Q: Can I keep both systems? A: It is technically possible, but it creates a "silo" effect that increases the risk of payroll errors and compliance breaches. It is highly discouraged.

Next Steps

1. Request a sandbox environment from HiBob to test your CSV imports.
2. Appoint an internal project lead responsible for the migration timeline.
3. Schedule a cleanup week to ensure your data is ready for the transition.

Switching systems is a daunting task, but with a structured approach, it becomes a manageable project that positions your business for future growth.