Not your average start-up. Real vision and dedication to building a company for the long-term. - Anonymous employee Gusto Employee Review

5.0
Apr 11, 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

When someone says to you "our co-workers are our family", this is often a load of crap. ZenPayroll really is. One co-worker helped me move. I've gone to movies and concerts with others. We've done team outings that are really team vacations. We accept each other for who we are as people. Flaws, attributes, and all. Just like you do with your family. The founders tell us that we're building this as a company to last. And this mentality permeates every decision we make. Answers aren't made up on the fly. Everything down to the seemingly smallest decisions have some concrete and methodical rationale.

Cons

Just like any other start-up, there's an expectation that you need to move fast, be brilliant, and be on your A+ game. That's the case here. There's no room for slackers or people that want to coast on the coattails of a successful start-up. This might mean some occasional late nights or weekend work, but believe me it's all worth it. The stakes involved are high, but the reward and achievement is all worth it. With all of this, though, I often feel like I'm doing the best work of my life.

Explore other reviews about Gusto

5.0
Jun 10, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Smart and friendly coworkers. Excellent team culture

Cons

Tunnel visions on AI a bit too much

2.0
May 20, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The product is genuinely good, too bad the same can’t be said for how they treat the people who sell it.

Cons

Leadership talks a big game about people-first culture but the reality doesn’t match. The Chicago office expansion felt like a poorly thought-out experiment, new hires were brought on without a clear long-term commitment, and layoffs came without warning, leaving people blindsided. Crossing a billion dollars in revenue and still cutting employees sends a clear message about where workers rank on the priority list. Remote work flexibility is also a glaring weakness. For a company selling HR software to modern businesses, their internal stance on where employees can work is surprisingly rigid and hypocritical. The “flexibility” messaging is mostly optics. The broader concern is the AI roadmap. The automation push feels less like an innovation strategy and more like a slow wind-down of the workforce. Employees aren’t blind to it, it creates anxiety and erodes trust. The culture of transparency they promote externally is largely a facade internally.

9
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