Total Let Down - Anonymous employee Gusto Employee Review

1.0
4 May 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

It's a good product. They have a lot of perks like free meals, unlimited PTO and 401k matching - that's about all I can think of on the positive side.

Cons

They sold themselves on the company culture and values, but it all felt fake and forced once I started. People are solely resources there, which is everything they say they shouldn't be. No room for growth or career development, a ton of misguided and untrained management and zero work life balance. They push you to your limits and show no appreciation for it and then let people go without the blink of an eye.

avatar
Gusto Response
10y
We are truly sorry that your experience at Gusto was a letdown. We have grown a lot in the past year, and it did stretch us thin on the career support side as you pointed out. This year, one of our top priorities is to provide better training and resources for PEs and give more support and guidance for individual career tracks and development. In terms of working to your limit, that does not sound good. The intent in having an open vacation policy is based on ownership mentality that Gusties are empowered to take the time they need to rest and recharge to be the best version of themselves. If any Gustie feels that they are not receiving support from their PE on this matter or any others, we encourage them to reach out to the People Team for support and guidance. Thank you for the advice - this is a priority. As mentioned, we are developing more support for our existing leaders, in addition to hiring more experienced leadership. In terms of values, it is something we discuss frequently, and we’ll keep improving and iterating on how we can best embody them.

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
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All