Make.com vs. Legacy Systems: A Head-to-Head for HR Tech Integration

In the rapidly evolving landscape of human resources, the promise of efficiency, data accuracy, and enhanced employee experiences often clashes with the harsh reality of outdated technology. HR leaders today are tasked with not just managing people but also orchestrating a complex ecosystem of recruitment, onboarding, payroll, performance, and engagement tools. Many find themselves shackled by legacy HR systems— monolithic software solutions that were once state-of-the-art but now act as bottlenecks, preventing true agility and innovation.

The imperative to integrate disparate HR platforms, from Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) and Learning Management Systems (LMS), is no longer a luxury but a strategic necessity. This is where the modern approach, championed by platforms like Make.com, enters the arena. It’s not just about connecting systems; it’s about transforming how HR functions, creating a seamless, automated flow of information that empowers both the HR team and the entire workforce. Let’s conduct a head-to-head comparison to understand why Make.com is emerging as the champion in the battle against legacy HR tech.

The Weight of Legacy: Why HR Leaders Struggle

Legacy HR systems, often developed decades ago, were designed for a different era of business. They typically operate in silos, making data sharing between different departments or even within HR modules a cumbersome, manual process. This leads to:

• Data Inconsistencies and Errors: Information has to be manually entered multiple times across different systems, increasing the risk of human error and creating conflicting data sets.
• Lack of Agility: Customizations are expensive, time-consuming, and often require specialized developers, making it difficult for HR to adapt quickly to new business requirements or regulatory changes.
• High Maintenance Costs: Beyond initial licensing, legacy systems demand significant ongoing investment in infrastructure, maintenance, and often proprietary vendor support.
• Poor User Experience: Clunky interfaces and convoluted workflows frustrate HR professionals and employees alike, hindering adoption and productivity.
• Stifled Innovation: Integrating new, best-of-breed HR tools (like AI-powered screening or advanced analytics platforms) becomes a monumental, often impossible, task.

Enter Make.com: The Modern Integration Catalyst

Make.com (formerly Integromat) represents a paradigm shift in how businesses approach system integration and automation. It’s a powerful visual platform that allows non-developers to build complex workflows and connect virtually any cloud-based application. For HR, this means:

• Seamless Data Flow: Make.com acts as the central nervous system, automating the transfer of data between your ATS, HRIS, payroll, CRM, and other essential systems in real-time.
• Unmatched Flexibility: Its drag-and-drop interface enables HR teams to design custom workflows that perfectly match their unique processes, without writing a single line of code.
• Cost Efficiency: Replace expensive custom integrations and reduce manual data entry, leading to significant operational savings.
• Rapid Deployment: New integrations and automations can be built and deployed in days or weeks, not months or years.
• Future-Proofing: Easily integrate new HR technologies as they emerge, ensuring your tech stack remains cutting-edge and adaptable.

Head-to-Head: Key Battlegrounds

Agility and Adaptability

Legacy Systems: Are notoriously rigid. Changes require extensive development cycles, often at great expense, locking organizations into outdated processes. Adapting to new compliance standards or evolving employee expectations is a slow, painful ordeal.

Make.com: Offers unparalleled agility. Workflows can be modified, expanded, or entirely re-architected with minimal effort. This empowers HR to respond dynamically to market shifts, internal policy changes, or the introduction of new technologies, maintaining a competitive edge.

Cost of Ownership

Legacy Systems: The sticker price is often just the beginning. Factor in server infrastructure, specialized IT support, expensive upgrades, and the hidden cost of manual workarounds, and the total cost of ownership (TCO) skyrockets over time. Integration with other systems often requires custom API development, costing hundreds of thousands.

Make.com: Operates on a predictable, scalable subscription model. By significantly reducing manual labor and the need for custom development, Make.com delivers a far more attractive TCO, providing clear ROI through efficiency gains and reduced errors.

Data Harmonization and Single Source of Truth

Legacy Systems: Are champions of data silos. HR often pulls reports from multiple systems, leading to discrepancies and a lack of a unified view of employee data. This complicates strategic planning and decision-making.

Make.com: Excels at creating a single, consistent source of truth. By automating data synchronization across all HR applications, it ensures that every department is working with the most current and accurate information, enabling better analytics and more informed strategic decisions.

Employee and Candidate Experience (EX & CX)

Legacy Systems: Often create disjointed experiences. Candidates might submit applications on one platform, complete assessments on another, and receive onboarding documents via email, leading to frustration and drop-offs. Employees face similar challenges with disparate systems for time-off requests, performance reviews, and benefits.

Make.com: Enables seamless, end-to-end experiences. From automated candidate communication and interview scheduling to streamlined onboarding processes and integrated employee self-service portals, Make.com can orchestrate a fluid and positive experience for both candidates and employees, boosting engagement and retention.

The Strategic Advantage for HR

Adopting Make.com for HR tech integration isn’t merely a technical upgrade; it’s a strategic move. It frees HR professionals from repetitive administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on high-value activities like talent development, strategic workforce planning, and fostering a positive company culture. It transforms HR from a cost center into a strategic partner that drives business growth and efficiency.

For HR leaders grappling with the limitations of their legacy infrastructure, Make.com offers a powerful, flexible, and cost-effective path forward. It’s about building a connected, intelligent HR ecosystem that not only keeps pace with modern demands but proactively shapes the future of work within your organization. The choice is clear: embrace the agility and power of modern automation or remain constrained by the past.

Ready to uncover automation opportunities that could save you 25% of your day? Book your OpsMap™ call today.

If you would like to read more, we recommend this article: The Automated Recruiter’s 2025 Verdict: Make.com vs Zapier for Hyper-Automation