I learned about GoCo after reading about them on Forbes. Like all small businesses, we’re budget-conscious and need high impact software when we do make the investment. This means easy to use, best in class support, plus a measurable impact on our company.
We used to run payroll and benefits management through a PEO, but I could never get someone on the phone when I needed help with a benefits function. As a lean team, we wanted to automate and streamline HR operations. We needed a solution where everything HR-related could live in one efficient, organized and reliable place: payroll, compliance with I-9s, recruiting, employee engagement and onboarding.
For context, six years ago, I founded a company that delivers expert takes on HR and benefits software directly to an audience of over 100,000 HR professionals. After looking at a few thousand of these solutions over the last few years, it takes a lot to impress me!
That said, GoCo meets that standard and more. So, I wanted to share why I think companies under 500 employees should be taking a look at this solution for HRIS and payroll (they are one of the few payroll agnostic HR suites, more below).
Small Businesses Need Big Support
GoCo is clearly aware of the necessity of good customer support, and judging by the overwhelming sentiment of user reviews, it appears they are doing it right. Software review site G2 awarded GoCo the title “Best Support.” Not to be outdone, Forbes named GoCo “The Best HR Software For Your Business.”
I had to dig into this further. What I found is that GoCo is one of the few solutions that:
- Gives you a named rep you can call/email/text that actually knows your business (vs the black hold support@domain emails most vendors have)
- Guarantees a response in four hours or less!
- Doesn’t charge for unlimited support
The quality of their support actually enhances the quality of their software.In addition to the person-to-person assistance, the AI-enabled self-service employee support covered below is next-level.
Standout Features & Benefits
I like how you can take a tour of the software on your own or book a demo with someone to walk you through it. I personally prefer demos where I can ask questions.
The first thing that strikes you is GoCo’s modern look and feel. The interface is well-designed, with intuitive color coding to help users navigate features. It was easy to find and use the Core HR Services feature, which manages data like employee info and profiles, org charts, company documents, and e-signatures.
Workflows is another one of their best built modules. I was impressed with how it prioritizes two common problems I’ve had: efficiency and risk management.
Companies of all sizes use automation for tasks that are repetitive or time-consuming. Automation boosts efficiency and can protect small businesses from the fallout of compliance mistakes—I’m not an expert here but you can read more about how they store forms like W4s, W-9s, and I-9s so you’re always compliant.
GoCo is flexible when it comes to core HR functions. Customers can decide if they want an all-in-one experience powered by big-name partners like Gusto and JazzHR or if they can choose to bring their existing tech to the platform.
Payroll built in, but not required
Most HRIS’s I’ve toured require you to switch payroll providers. GoCo has built in payroll if you’re looking for a new vendor. Most impressive though is that they are payroll agnostic through a series of API integrations. So, if you want to switch from an outdated HRIS without disrupting payroll, that is very doable.
Recruiting
If you need an ATS, GoCo has a partnership where they white label JazzHR. I find Jazz is more than adequate for most SMB recruiting. They also have integrations with more powerful solutions like Greenhouse if you need it.
Employee Experience
Even though we’re a smaller company, employee experience is very important to our team. From onboarding to employee engagement surveys, GoCo has what we need. More than that, the modern interface is what our team expects (no offense to the older brands in this space…but I’m sick of hearing how unintuitive it is to even take PTO).
By far one of the coolest features is that they’ve built a chatbot that will read our employee documentation and then be able to answer the questions we get every week from employees about PTO, onboarding, open enrollment, etc.
There are lots of other features that aren’t as important to me (so I can’t speak that in depth) but may be for others: time tracking, PTO, team surveys, performance management, ability to create custom fields and reporting. Here is a full list of features.
Additionally, GoCo has integrated ChatGPT-enabled document templates, which is incredibly useful. These templates, including customizable job offer letters, are easy to edit and distribute. The platform also includes a directory, birthday reminders, time tracking, and a streamlined process for requesting time off.
GoCo has provided a great experience for all employees, and made our growing company a better place to work! We’re also leaving better first impressions on candidates and new employees with a more modern hiring experience where we can send offer letters for e-signature and benefits previews to give new team members a clear understanding of their comp and benefits. GoCo is enabling us to grow faster and smarter.
Update: The team at GoCo really liked this article and is extending a special offer to our readers! Follow this link to get a demo of GoCo and free implementation (save up to $2,000)!
