Don't accept the offer - Operations Specialist Gusto Employee Review

2.0
Jun 8, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Outright abuse isn't tolerated, the offices are very fancy.

Cons

Every recent positive review is for a well paid, salaried position from departments that have few roles that will open. - In my year here we have gone from flexible work times in order to promote a healthy work-life balance to punishment/termination for arriving 6 minutes outside our assigned window. - Your benefits package will change via email mid-day on a Thursday. Not a single performance cycle I have participated in has been "standard." - Whether you will actually have an opportunity for promotion is changed so frequently that you will never know if you have a career path here. The answer is likely no, as very few people last beyond 3 years. - There is a constant scramble to make up for the brain drain that comes with high turnover. - The pay is sub-standard for the work. Equivalent positions post higher salaries on LinkedIn, but when this is brought up people are told it's untrue when the evidence is clear. - Pay zones were changed without telling any employees. Executive staff will spend time in all-hands meetings talking about their extravagant international vacations while half the staff can't afford to live within commuting distance to expensive offices. - Changes are constant and appear to be without meaning. It's clear that leadership is scrambling to cash in on an IPO. - The company plays fast and loose with rules and regulations in the benefits department. - I saw another review mention the term "gaslight." While I think this term is overused, it's true here. You will be told one thing and then somebody will insist it's never been said, even if there are receipts. - Any forward-thinking values are nominal. The company does not practice what they preach. There are affinity group activities, but if you are an hourly employee you must choose between those and good metrics, which directly affect pay and treatment.

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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