BGM Software Comparison

BGM Software Compared: What Features Does the German Mittelstand Actually Need?

BGM software for German SMEs must cover GBPsych (Sec. 5 ArbSchG), BEM deadlines (Sec. 167 SGB IX), and BGF documentation (Sec. 3 No. 34 EStG, €600/employee) — automatically, without a BGM specialist, starting at €29/month.

BGM Software Criteria Compared

Criterion	What to look for	Common pitfall
GBPsych compliance	Automatic cycles + complete documentation (Sec. 5 ArbSchG, German Occupational Safety Act)	Only a one-time survey with no deadline monitoring — the next cycle gets forgotten
BEM deadlines	Automatic 42-day monitoring + invitation templates per Sec. 167 SGB IX	Manual spreadsheets that go stale or aren't updated when staff changes
BGF documentation	Statutory health insurer (GKV)-compliant records (Sec. 20 SGB V), structured filing per measure	Unstructured PDFs — unusable during a GKV audit
Sec. 3 No. 34 EStG proof	Automatic cost-center allocation, payroll tax records per employee	Tax benefit is revoked retroactively due to missing individual documentation
GDPR	Hosting in Germany, data processing agreement, no US third-party providers	US tools with unclear data transfer — health data requires special protection
SME fit	Setup without a BGM specialist in 1 day, guided onboarding	Complex enterprise systems that need a full-time HR position to administer
Price	Transparent, under €100/month for 50–200 employees, cancel monthly	Hidden per-head pricing plus minimum contract terms plus setup fees obscure the real price

Which BGM functions are legally required?

Note: This section refers to German law. Three legal bases define what BGM software must cover for employers in the German Mittelstand (small and midsize businesses) — everything beyond that is optional.

Sec. 5 ArbSchG (German Occupational Safety Act) — GBPsych: All employers must assess psychological workplace strain — completely, with documentation, and on a regular cycle (recommended: every 2 years). Software that only supports one-time surveys and has no deadline monitoring does not satisfy this obligation. The risk assessment must be retrievable immediately during an occupational safety inspection. Violation: fine up to €30,000 (Sec. 25 ArbSchG).

Sec. 167 SGB IX (BEM, workplace reintegration management): Once an employee accumulates 42 cumulative sick days within 12 months, the employer must actively initiate a BEM meeting — not wait for it. The software must automatically detect the 42-day threshold, prepare the invitation, and document the response (accepted, declined, follow-up). Missing documentation makes a later illness-related termination legally vulnerable (Federal Labor Court ruling BAG 7 AZR 698/14).

Sec. 3 No. 34 EStG (German Income Tax Act, tax benefit): BGM in-kind benefits up to €600 per employee per year are exempt from payroll tax — but only if it is documented individually per employee which measure was used at what amount. Without this proof, the tax office reclaims the benefit retroactively. BGM software must generate this proof automatically.

BGM software vs. BGM consulting: What pays off for SMEs?

External BGM consulting for a midsize company with 100 employees typically costs €8,000–25,000 per year — for initial consulting, GBPsych administration, BEM support, and reporting. On top of that comes an estimated 0.5–1 HR workday per month of internal coordination effort.

BGM software starts at €348/year (€29/month) and runs continuously — not project-based. The software monitors GBPsych cycles automatically, detects BEM obligations daily, and documents BGF measures completely. Internal effort drops to 30–60 minutes per month (approvals, measure reviews).

The decisive difference: consulting covers a fixed period — software runs continuously. A GBPsych assessment done once with consultants 2.5 years ago no longer satisfies the repeat requirement. Software reminds you automatically. For SMEs without an in-house BGM specialist, software is the only realistic option for lasting compliance.

According to #whatsnext 2025 (TK/IFBG employer survey), 75% of organizations have no holistic BGM program — mostly because consulting projects were one-off and created no digital continuity.

What to watch for with GDPR and data protection?

BGM data — especially GBPsych results and BEM records — constitutes health data under Art. 9 GDPR. It receives special protection: processing is only permitted with an explicit legal basis (Art. 9(2) GDPR) and requires technical and organizational safeguards under Art. 32 GDPR.

Hosting in Germany or the EU is not optional for this category of data — it is the legally sound baseline. For US providers (even those with EU subsidiaries): US FISA law allows US authorities to access data held by US companies worldwide. That risk is not acceptable for health data.

Required document: a data processing agreement (DPA) under Art. 28 GDPR must be signed with every BGM software provider. Without a DPA, any processing by the provider is unlawful. Reputable providers supply the DPA as standard.

Practical tip: BEM records must be filed separately from the general personnel file and accessible only to a narrowly limited group of people (typically HR plus the direct supervisor, only with the employee's consent). Software that does not support document-level access restrictions is unsuitable for legally sound BEM documentation.

Related measures & topics

Key takeaways

Note: This refers to German law. BGM software must cover GBPsych, BEM, and BGF documentation in a legally compliant way — not just support it
Continuous monitoring beats one-off consulting projects — deadlines keep coming back
GDPR for health data: hosting in Germany/EU plus a data processing agreement are mandatory, not nice-to-haves
Software from €29/month vs. BGM consulting at €8,000–25,000/year — the cost math is clear
Setup in 1 day without a BGM specialist is the decisive criterion for SMEs

Frequently asked questions

What does BGM software cost for 100 employees?+

Market prices for BGM software in the SME segment range from €29/month (entry level, core GBPsych + BEM + BGF functions) to €199/month for full compliance automation with AI support. For 100 employees, budget €49–99/month for a complete system. Important: compare total cost including internal effort (HR hours) — the software license alone is only part of the calculation.

Do I need a BGM specialist if I use BGM software?+

No — good BGM software is designed to work without a BGM specialist. It guides you through GBPsych surveys, monitors BEM deadlines automatically, and generates management reports at the push of a button. HR or management operates the software without needing BGM certification. What no software replaces: deciding on concrete BGM measures and communicating with employees — that remains a leadership task.

Can BGM software replace the GBPsych assessment itself?+

No — and that wouldn't be a permissible claim either. The software supports the process: it launches the survey, evaluates results, documents everything in an audit-proof way, and reminds you of follow-up cycles. The actual GBPsych — assessing psychological hazards in your specific work environment — requires the active involvement of managers and employees. Software automates the process but doesn't replace human judgment.

When does BGM software pay off compared to Excel?+

Immediately, once you have more than 20 employees. Excel has three fundamental weaknesses for BGM: (1) No automatic deadline monitoring — BEM triggers and GBPsych cycles are maintained manually and get lost when staff changes. (2) No audit-proof record-keeping — Excel files can be edited after the fact, which becomes a problem during an occupational safety inspection or a wrongful-termination lawsuit. (3) No access protection — BEM data (health data under Art. 9 GDPR) in shared Excel files does not meet the protection requirements.

Automate BGM compliance — starting at €29/month

EasyBGM fully covers GBPsych, BEM, and BGF documentation — no BGM specialist needed, setup in 1 day, GDPR-compliant with hosting in Germany.

Try EasyBGM for free BGM compliance check

Sources

Last updated: 2026-06-27. Not legal or tax advice — have your specific case reviewed by a professional.

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