Workleap Acquires Barley to Strengthen Compensation Management
Montréal-based talent management software platform Workleap has acquired Toronto’s compensation planning software firm Barley as part of its plan to introduce a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool. This move enables Workleap to expand its compensation management capabilities, an area the company had intended to develop but prioritized employee engagement and performance evaluation features until now.
Workleap CEO Simon De Baene explained, “Whenever you’re talking about employee performance, it’s rare for compensation not to be the next conversation. There’s a lot you can do once you connect these two areas.”
Integration and Team Growth
The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Barley’s six-person team will become part of Workleap, with founders Jafar Owainati and Billy Mainguy continuing to lead the Barley product within the larger organization. De Baene expressed admiration for how a small team created such a capable platform and called the partnership “a perfect fit.”
Barley, founded in 2021 by Canadian tech entrepreneurs Owainati and Mainguy, helps companies structure, analyze, and manage employee compensation. After raising $5.4 million CAD from investors like Golden Ventures and Union Capital, Barley officially launched in 2023.
Workleap’s Growth Strategy
Originally founded in 2006 as GSoft and rebranded in June 2023, Workleap provides HR teams with tools focused on employee engagement and performance evaluation. De Baene describes the platform as an “HR sidekick” that complements existing HR systems which mainly handle compliance and payroll.
After operating as a bootstrapped company, Workleap began acquiring other businesses once it surpassed $100 million in annual recurring revenue in 2021. Its acquisitions include Québec City’s Didacte, Austin-based Pingboard, and now Barley. These moves were supported by a $125 million investment secured from La Caisse, giving Workleap more flexibility to pursue growth through acquisitions.
De Baene said, “We were profitable, but La Caisse gave us the resources to confidently pursue acquisitions. It’s been exciting to maintain our independent approach while scaling quickly.”
Upcoming AI Features and Platform Integration
With a number of acquisitions under its belt and its platform maturing, Workleap expects to integrate Barley faster than usual. Customers should see the new compensation management features within Workleap by October.
Meanwhile, Workleap will soon release a new AI tool aimed at helping HR teams quickly analyze employee performance and engagement data. Currently available as a demo, this tool is designed to surface insights on demand, cutting down the time needed to generate meaningful reports.
De Baene envisions combining the AI tool with Barley’s compensation data to identify links between employee engagement and compensation—something that can be time-consuming without automation.
“It’s not impossible to do now, but it usually takes too much time. I won’t ask someone to spend three months on it. Now, I can get answers instantly,” he said.
Why This Matters for HR Professionals
- Compensation and performance data can now be connected in a single platform, simplifying decision-making.
- AI-driven insights will reduce manual data analysis, allowing HR teams to focus on strategy and employee experience.
- The integration of Barley’s tools expands Workleap’s capabilities, offering a more comprehensive HR solution.
For HR professionals looking to stay ahead with AI-powered tools for employee engagement and compensation management, keeping an eye on Workleap’s upcoming features could be valuable.
Feature image courtesy Workleap.
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