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Gusto Employees Reviews, Feedback, Testimonials

HR, payroll, and benefits softwareSan Francisco, USA1,001-5,000 employees
4.3
3 reviews

About Gusto

Gusto is a San Francisco–based payroll, HR, and benefits platform designed for small and growing businesses. The company provides cloud-native payroll processing, employee onboarding, benefits administration, time tracking, and HR compliance tools that simplify people operations. Gusto’s product suite aims to automate repetitive tasks and deliver a friendly user experience for business owners and HR teams. The organization fosters a people-first culture and emphasizes employee growth through mentorship, internal mobility, and professional development resources, making it attractive to candidates who value learning and impact. In the HR tech industry, Gusto is widely regarded for intuitive workflows, strong customer support, and an integrated approach to payroll and benefits. Employees often highlight collaborative product teams, a focus on user-centered design, and opportunities to shape tools used by thousands of small businesses. Whether you’re a software engineer, product manager, or customer success professional, Gusto offers a chance to work on impactful payroll and HR solutions while contributing to a mission-driven company focused on improving work and life for small business teams.

Detailed Gusto employee reviews & experience

Employee Testimonials

People who have worked there often sound genuinely positive. You will hear stories about supportive teammates, clear onboarding, and regular check-ins that made new hires feel seen. Many employees say they enjoy the product mission and feel their work matters. A few voices mention occasional chaos during busy quarters, but most describe fast problem-solving and helpful coworkers. If you are researching working at Gusto, expect real human stories — some enthusiastic, some pragmatic.

Company Culture

The company culture at Gusto leans toward collaboration and empathy. Teams emphasize doing right by customers and building simple, reliable solutions. You will find an open feedback loop and regular rituals that reinforce psychological safety: weekly standups, town halls, and cross-team demos. Diversity initiatives exist, though some employees wish for faster progress. Overall, the company culture at Gusto is warm, mission-driven, and focused on sustainable growth.

Work-Life Balance

Work-life balance at Gusto is frequently praised. Folks say managers try to respect boundaries and that flexible hours are common. There are parental leave benefits and an emphasis on unplugging outside core hours. That said, product launches and payroll deadlines can create short bursts of heavy workload. If you value predictable schedules, the steady rhythm outside peak times is appealing. Search phrases like work-life balance at Gusto will often return positive anecdotes about flexibility and reasonable expectations.

Job Security

Job security appears to be moderate to strong in stable times. The company has experienced normal market cycles and made strategic adjustments as needed. There is no pervasive fear of sudden layoffs for general performance; however, shifts in business strategy can lead to reorganizations in certain functions. Employees should keep skills current and maintain cross-functional visibility to mitigate risks. Overall, job security is reasonable but not guaranteed against market-driven changes.

Leadership and Management

Leadership projects a clear product and customer focus. Executives communicate priorities and are visible in company-wide updates. Decision-making can be data-driven and deliberate, and leaders often articulate trade-offs when resources are limited. There are times when rapid scaling stresses processes, and some teams report a desire for faster decision velocity. In general, leadership fosters a principled approach and prioritizes long-term outcomes.

Manager Reviews

Manager quality varies by team, which is normal for a company of this size. Many managers are praised for coaching, career conversations, and empathy. They are accessible and often act as advocates for their teams. Where friction exists, it is usually related to unclear expectations or inconsistent feedback frequency. Prospective hires should ask behavioral questions during interviews to gauge manager style and alignment with personal work preferences.

Learning & Development

Learning and development resources are solid. There are formal onboarding programs, role-specific trainings, and access to online learning stipends. Mentorship and peer-led knowledge sharing are common, and employees report good support for skill growth. The company encourages stretch assignments and cross-functional moves for those interested in broadening their experience. If you want to grow, there are pathways and resources to do so.

Opportunities for Promotions

Promotion opportunities exist but are competitive and tied to clear impact metrics. Advancement is often tied to demonstrated ownership, consistent delivery, and leadership contributions. Some employees feel timelines for promotion can be lengthy, while others appreciate the rigor and transparency of the process. If you are ambitious, documenting wins and seeking visibility will be helpful.

Salary Ranges

Compensation is generally competitive for the market and location. Salaries vary by role, seniority, and geography. They strive to benchmark against peers and adjust for cost of living differences. Expect a structured salary banding model with room for negotiation based on experience. Total compensation should be evaluated against benefits and equity offerings for a fuller picture.

Bonuses & Incentives

Bonuses and incentives are available but depend on role and level. Performance-based bonuses and company-level incentives align individual goals with business outcomes. Equity or stock options may be part of the package for many employees, giving longer-term upside. Payout timing and eligibility rules are clear but should be reviewed during offer discussions to understand vesting and performance criteria.

Health and Insurance Benefits

Health and insurance benefits are comprehensive. Medical, dental, and vision plans are offered along with mental health resources and employee assistance programs. There are options for dependents and flexible spending accounts. People often cite benefits as a meaningful part of total compensation and feel well-supported for family and personal health needs.

Employee Engagement and Events

Engagement is active and varied. Regular all-hands meetings, team offsites, and social events keep employees connected. There are affinity groups and volunteer opportunities that support community and inclusion. Remote-friendly events and regional meetups help maintain culture across locations. Engagement is a priority and is reflected in ongoing programming.

Remote Work Support

Remote work support is strong. Remote-first policies and tools are in place to make distributed collaboration smooth. Teams use asynchronous communication and provide stipends for home office setup. Occasional in-person meetups are encouraged but not enforced. If you prefer distributed work, the company offers thoughtful infrastructure and expectations for remote collaboration.

Average Working Hours

Average working hours are moderate, typically around a standard full-time expectation with flexibility for compressed schedules or alternate hours. During predictable cycles such as payroll or product launches, hours can increase temporarily. Management generally monitors workload and encourages reasonable boundaries to avoid chronic overwork.

Attrition Rate & Layoff History

Attrition has fluctuated with industry and business cycles. The company has executed targeted layoffs in response to market shifts in the past, but these were handled with communication and severance support. Voluntary turnover rates are not unusually high; many employees stay multi-year because of mission fit and career growth opportunities. Transparency during changes is emphasized.

Overall Company Rating

Overall, working here is a positive experience for people who value mission-driven work, a collaborative culture, and thoughtful remote support. Compensation and benefits are competitive, and development resources are available. There are occasional bumps during rapid growth or market corrections, but leadership tends to communicate openly. For job seekers considering company culture at Gusto and working at Gusto, this is a solid option with real opportunities for impact and growth.

Detailed Employee Ratings

4
Work-Life Balance
3.7
Compensation
4.3
Company Culture
4.3
Career Growth
4.3
Job Security

Filter Reviews

3 reviews found

Employee Reviews (3)

Read authentic experiences from current and former employees at Gusto

5.0

Senior Software Engineer Review

EngineeringFull-timeRemote
August 20, 2025

What I liked

Gusto is a great place to build payroll and benefits products. Engineering team is collaborative, the stack is modern, and leadership cares about quality. Competitive benefits, equity, and a real remote-first approach make day-to-day work enjoyable.

Areas for improvement

On-call can be intense on some teams and there are occasional reorganizations. Meetings sometimes creep into deep work time.

4.0

Payroll Specialist Review

Customer SuccessFull-timeHybrid
July 20, 2025

What I liked

I enjoyed helping customers get payroll running and the mission-driven culture at Gusto. Managers were supportive and there are strong benefits like parental leave and learning stipends.

Areas for improvement

Salary growth felt slower than expected and some internal processes are bureaucratic. Workload spikes around peak payroll cycles can be stressful.

4.0

Product Manager Review

ProductFull-timeOn-site
January 10, 2025

What I liked

Working on product that helps small businesses with payroll and benefits is rewarding. Cross-functional teams are engaged and there is a strong emphasis on customer research. The company culture is inclusive and supportive.

Areas for improvement

Decision cycles can be slow at times and roadmap pivots happen frequently which creates some frustration. Work/life can be uneven during big launches.