Dream job at a truly special startup - Anonymous employee Gusto Employee Review

5.0
13 Apr 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The work is challenging and meaningful - we're trying to fix a broken industry. The founders, who are experienced and committed to upholding a set of shared values, have assembled a team that's talented, curious, supportive, and diverse. I feel empowered as an owner in the company and appreciated for my contributions.

Cons

Growing pains! In order to achieve our ambitious goals we'll need to hire more quickly and find the right people for critical positions. That's true of all startups though. One thing to note about ZenPayroll in particular: the work is very intense at times, and that can mean giving a lot of yourself and putting in long hours. Our strong sense of mission, comfortable office environment, and awesome teammates make it all worthwhile though.

Explore other reviews about Gusto

5.0
10 Jun 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
20 May 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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