Competitive Battlecard: Lattice
Version: 1.0 | Last Updated: Nov 2025
Company Overview
Name: Lattice Founded: 2015 Headquarters: San Francisco, CA Funding: $332M+ (Unicorn status - $3B valuation) Target Market: Mid-market to Enterprise (100-10,000 employees) Pricing: ~$11-20/user/month (depends on modules)
What They Do: Lattice is a people management platform focused on performance reviews, goal setting (OKRs), feedback, engagement surveys, and compensation management. They're the "modern performance management" category leader.
Their Strengths (What They Do Well)
1. Performance Management Excellence
- Best-in-class performance review workflows (360°, self, manager)
- Review templates and calibration tools
- Performance improvement plans (PIPs)
- Strong integration with HRIS systems
2. OKR/Goal Management
- Robust goal-setting framework (OKRs, KPIs)
- Goal cascading (company → team → individual)
- Progress tracking and check-ins
- Alignment visualization
3. Engagement Surveys
- Pulse surveys with benchmarking
- eNPS tracking
- Anonymous feedback mechanisms
- Survey templates and analytics
4. 1-on-1 Meetings
- Structured 1-on-1 agendas
- Talking points and note-taking
- Action item tracking
- Manager effectiveness insights
5. Compensation Management (New)
- Salary bands and equity management
- Compensation planning cycles
- Budget allocation tools
- Pay equity analysis
6. Enterprise Credibility
- 5,000+ customers (Reddit, Slack, Robinhood, etc.)
- Strong brand recognition in HR tech
- Regular feature updates
- Well-documented platform
Where PulsePlus Wins (Key Differentiators)
1. Daily Engagement vs. Annual Reviews ⏰
Lattice:
- Focused on periodic events: quarterly reviews, annual surveys, weekly 1-on-1s
- Reactive (measures engagement after the fact)
- Lagging indicators only
PulsePlus:
- Focused on daily engagement: XP, achievements, quests every day
- Proactive (drives engagement in real-time)
- Leading indicators (activity, progress, objectives) + lagging indicators
Talk Track: "Lattice is great for performance reviews and annual surveys—measuring what happened. PulsePlus drives what happens daily. We don't wait for quarterly check-ins to boost engagement; we make every day engaging through gamification."
2. Gamification vs. Administrative Tools 🎮
Lattice:
- No gamification features
- Feels like HR paperwork (reviews, surveys, 1-on-1s)
- Employees view it as compliance, not motivation
PulsePlus:
- Built on gamification: XP, leveling, achievements, quests, leaderboards
- Feels rewarding and fun
- Employees engage voluntarily, not because HR requires it
Talk Track: "Lattice is a performance management tool—it's administrative. PulsePlus is an engagement platform—it's motivational. Ask your employees: would they rather fill out a performance review or level up by completing achievements? One feels like work; the other feels like progress."
3. Behavioral Science-Backed vs. Survey-Driven 🔬
Lattice:
- Relies on self-reported data (surveys, reviews)
- Subject to bias and recency effects
- Reactive measurement
PulsePlus:
- Behavioral science: progress (XP), mastery (leveling), autonomy (quest choice), purpose (team challenges)
- Measures actual behavior (objectives completed, skills developed)
- Research-backed: Microsoft (90% productivity), IBM (226% training)
Talk Track: "Lattice asks employees how they feel via surveys. PulsePlus changes how they feel through behavioral science. We use proven psychology—progress, achievement, recognition—to drive intrinsic motivation. That's more effective than measuring engagement; it's creating engagement."
4. Comprehensive Platform vs. HR-Only 🧩
Lattice:
- HR/People Ops focused (reviews, goals, compensation)
- Doesn't extend to Sales, IT, Engineering workflows
- Not a cross-functional platform
PulsePlus:
- Works across all departments:
- Sales: Pipeline generation, quota tracking
- IT: Ticket resolution, SLA compliance
- Engineering: Sprint velocity, code reviews
- HR: Training completion, onboarding
- Operations: Process compliance, efficiency
Talk Track: "Lattice is an HR tool for HR processes. PulsePlus is an engagement platform for the entire company. Sales, IT, Engineering, Operations—everyone benefits. One platform for all departments, not just HR."
5. Privacy-First vs. Review Anxiety 🔒
Lattice:
- Performance reviews create anxiety (rating scales, forced rankings)
- Managers can see all employee data
- Transparency can feel punitive
PulsePlus:
- Privacy-first: employees control their data
- Positive reinforcement (achievements, XP) vs. criticism
- No forced rankings or anxiety-inducing reviews
- Focus on growth, not judgment
Talk Track: "Lattice performance reviews often create stress and anxiety—especially 360° feedback. PulsePlus focuses on positive reinforcement: celebrate achievements, recognize progress, encourage growth. Which culture do you want: judgment or empowerment?"
6. AI-Powered Content vs. Manual Setup 🤖
Lattice:
- Manual setup for goals, review templates, survey questions
- Requires HR admin time to configure
- No AI assistance
PulsePlus:
- AI-powered content generation (Google Gemini 2.0)
- Generate quests, achievements, objectives instantly
- Minimal admin time required
- Launch in 2-4 weeks vs. months
Talk Track: "Lattice requires HR admins to manually configure review cycles, goals, and surveys. PulsePlus uses AI to generate content instantly. Describe your objective, the AI builds the quest. Less admin work, faster time-to-value."
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | Lattice | PulsePlus | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance Reviews | ✅ Best-in-class | ❌ Not core focus | Lattice |
| OKRs / Goal Tracking | ✅ Strong | ✅ Quest-based objectives | Tie |
| Engagement Surveys | ✅ Pulse surveys | ❌ No surveys (behavioral data) | Lattice |
| Gamification | ❌ None | ✅ Core feature (XP, achievements, quests) | PulsePlus |
| Real-Time Engagement | ❌ Periodic only | ✅ Daily XP, quests, leaderboards | PulsePlus |
| Behavioral Science | ❌ Survey-driven | ✅ Research-backed (MS, IBM, Deloitte) | PulsePlus |
| Cross-Functional | ❌ HR-only | ✅ Sales, IT, Eng, Ops | PulsePlus |
| AI Content Generation | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (Gemini 2.0) | PulsePlus |
| 1-on-1 Meetings | ✅ Structured agendas | ❌ Not core focus | Lattice |
| Compensation Mgmt | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | Lattice |
| Pricing | $11-20/user/month | $10-25/user/month | Tie |
| Training/Learning | ❌ Limited | ✅ Gamified micro-learning | PulsePlus |
Bottom Line: Lattice wins on performance management and HR processes. PulsePlus wins on daily engagement, gamification, and cross-functional use cases.
Common Objections (and Responses)
"We need performance reviews—Lattice does that better"
Response: "Absolutely—if performance reviews are your #1 priority, Lattice is built for that. But ask yourself: are annual or quarterly reviews actually improving day-to-day performance? PulsePlus drives daily behavior through gamification, which compounds into better performance. You can keep Lattice for reviews and add PulsePlus for engagement—they're complementary."
"Lattice has engagement surveys—why do we need PulsePlus?"
Response: "Lattice surveys tell you engagement is low. PulsePlus fixes it. Surveys are diagnostic; gamification is therapeutic. Plus, surveys are reactive (measuring past engagement), while gamification is proactive (creating future engagement). Which do you need more: measurement or improvement?"
"Lattice integrates with our HRIS (Workday, BambooHR)"
Response: "So does PulsePlus. We integrate with Workday, BambooHR, and all major HRIS systems. The difference is what we do with that data: Lattice uses it for reviews and surveys. PulsePlus uses it to drive engagement through gamification."
"We're already paying for Lattice"
Response: "Great—keep Lattice for performance management. PulsePlus solves a different problem: daily engagement. Think of Lattice as your annual health checkup (necessary but periodic) and PulsePlus as your daily fitness routine (builds long-term health). Most customers use both."
"Lattice is the category leader—everyone uses them"
Response: "Lattice is the leader in performance management, not engagement. They're great at what they do—reviews, OKRs, surveys. But if you're trying to reduce turnover, accelerate training, or boost daily productivity, gamification is proven more effective than surveys. That's where PulsePlus excels."
Discovery Questions to Disqualify Lattice
Ask these questions to highlight PulsePlus strengths:
Engagement Focus:
- "Is your goal to measure engagement (surveys) or improve it (behavioral change)?"
- If improve → Position PulsePlus as solution, not just measurement
Review Frequency:
- "How often do you conduct performance reviews? Quarterly? Annually? Is that frequent enough to drive daily behavior?"
- If infrequent → Highlight PulsePlus daily engagement
Employee Sentiment:
- "How do employees feel about performance reviews? Do they find them motivating or stressful?"
- If stressful → Position PulsePlus as positive alternative
Cross-Functional Needs:
- "Is this just for HR, or do you want to improve engagement in Sales, IT, and Engineering too?"
- If cross-functional → Emphasize PulsePlus versatility
Behavioral Change:
- "Do you need to change specific behaviors—like training completion, SLA compliance, or sales activity—or just measure satisfaction?"
- If behavior change → Show PulsePlus gamification driving outcomes
Turnover Challenges:
- "Are you losing employees despite good engagement survey scores? How is that possible?"
- If yes → Explain surveys measure sentiment, gamification drives retention
Win/Loss Insights
Why We Win Against Lattice
Top Reasons:
- Daily engagement - Lattice is periodic; PulsePlus is daily
- Gamification - Employees prefer XP and achievements over surveys
- Cross-functional - Works for Sales, IT, Engineering, not just HR
- Behavioral science - Research-backed vs. survey-driven
- Positive culture - Reinforcement vs. review anxiety
Customer Quote: "We use Lattice for performance reviews and PulsePlus for daily engagement. Lattice tells us how people feel quarterly; PulsePlus makes them feel engaged daily. Both are valuable."
Why We Lose to Lattice
Top Reasons:
- Performance management depth - Superior review workflows, calibration, PIPs
- OKR maturity - Goal cascading and alignment visualization
- Compensation planning - PulsePlus doesn't do comp management
- Brand recognition - Lattice is well-known in HR tech
- HR-first buying motion - CHRO prefers HR-specific tool
When to Walk Away:
- Performance reviews are the top priority (not engagement)
- Compensation management is critical need
- CHRO wants single HR platform (Lattice + Greenhouse + BambooHR stack)
- No cross-functional buy-in (HR-only initiative)
Differentiation Matrix
| Dimension | Lattice Positioning | PulsePlus Counter-Positioning |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | "Performance management & reviews" | "Daily engagement & motivation" |
| Frequency | "Quarterly reviews, pulse surveys" | "Real-time XP, daily achievements" |
| Approach | "Measure engagement via surveys" | "Create engagement via gamification" |
| Audience | "HR/People Ops tool" | "Cross-functional platform (HR, Sales, IT, Eng)" |
| Psychology | "Feedback and goal-setting" | "Behavioral science (progress, mastery, autonomy)" |
| Employee Experience | "Performance anxiety (reviews, ratings)" | "Positive reinforcement (XP, achievements)" |
Sales Strategy
When Competing Against Lattice
1. Early in Sales Cycle:
- Position as complementary, not competitive (both can coexist)
- Focus on daily engagement gap Lattice doesn't solve
- Show gamification demo (wow factor vs. Lattice's administrative UX)
2. During Evaluation:
- Highlight cross-functional use cases (Sales, IT, Engineering)
- Show behavioral outcomes (training completion, SLA compliance, quota attainment)
- Reference customers using both Lattice + PulsePlus
3. At Decision Stage:
- Offer combined deal (keep Lattice for reviews, add PulsePlus for engagement)
- Show ROI from behavior change (not just survey scores)
- Emphasize positive culture (achievement vs. criticism)
Co-Existence Strategy
Key Message: "Lattice and PulsePlus are complementary, not competitive."
Positioning:
- Lattice = Performance Management (reviews, goals, surveys) - Periodic
- PulsePlus = Engagement Platform (gamification, training, behavior change) - Daily
Analogy: "Lattice is your annual health checkup—necessary to diagnose issues. PulsePlus is your daily fitness routine—keeps you healthy long-term. You need both."
Pitch: "Most customers use Lattice for performance reviews and PulsePlus for daily engagement. Lattice measures what happened last quarter. PulsePlus drives what happens today. Together, they create a comprehensive people strategy."
Benefit:
- Easier sale (no rip-and-replace)
- Lower objection rate (not competing with existing investment)
- Broader use cases (Lattice for HR, PulsePlus for all departments)
Resources
Use These Assets:
- Behavioral science one-pager (research backing)
- Daily engagement vs. periodic surveys comparison chart
- Cross-functional use case matrix (Sales, IT, Engineering, HR)
- ROI calculator focused on behavior change outcomes
- Case study: customer using both Lattice + PulsePlus
Recommended Demo Flow:
- Acknowledge Lattice strengths (performance reviews, OKRs)
- Position PulsePlus as complementary (daily engagement)
- Demo gamification (XP, achievements, quests)
- Show cross-functional applications (beyond HR)
- End with ROI from behavioral outcomes
Final Talking Points
When They Say: "We're using Lattice for engagement..."
You Say: "Lattice is excellent for performance management—reviews, goals, and surveys. But there's a gap: what happens between quarterly reviews? How do you keep employees engaged daily?
That's where PulsePlus comes in. We use gamification—XP, achievements, quests—to drive daily behavior. Think of Lattice as your measurement tool and PulsePlus as your motivation engine.
Here's the difference:
- Lattice asks: 'How engaged are you?' (survey)
- PulsePlus says: 'Here's 50 XP for completing training!' (action)
One measures. One motivates. Most customers use both.
Would it make sense to see PulsePlus in action—specifically how we drive training completion, reduce turnover, and boost daily activity that Lattice surveys measure?"
Document Owner: Sales Enablement Review Cadence: Quarterly (Lattice releases new features regularly)