Case Study
Gusto
About
Gusto
Gusto is a multi-billion-dollar HR and payroll technology company that supports hundreds of thousands of U.S. businesses. Its platform brings together payroll, HR, benefits administration, time tracking, compliance, and financial tools into a single, intuitive experience used by startups, growing companies, and established brands. With a workforce of more than 4,000 employees—across Customer Care, Operations, Partner teams, and global vendor partners—the company required a more sophisticated and consistent way to train people on complex workflows, internal tools, and customer-facing processes.
Gusto partnered with LAAS by Genius not just to “build courses,” but to create a repeatable, scalable training ecosystem that could keep pace with product evolution, business growth, and the day-to-day realities of high-volume support and operations teams.
Context and Challenges
Gusto did have an internal training function, but it was a small team supporting a fast-growing, 4,000+ person company. Trainers and subject-matter experts understood the content deeply, yet they simply didn’t have the bandwidth to keep up with the volume of requests. Turning that expertise into polished, learner-ready materials—videos, eLearning, guides, and job aids—was time-consuming, and it often had to compete with urgent operational priorities. As demand for training grew, a gap opened up between what teams needed to know and what the internal training team had the capacity to design, produce, and maintain at scale.
On top of this capacity challenge, training content itself was fragmented. Critical know-how lived in slide decks, internal documentation, ad-hoc recordings, and one-off sessions led by busy experts. As Gusto grew, this made it harder to deliver a consistent experience—especially when onboarding new employees, ramping vendor partners, or introducing new internal tools. The complexity of the domain only amplified the pain: payroll, benefits, compliance, and HR workflows are sensitive and detailed, and errors can have real financial and legal consequences. Teams needed training that was not just accurate, but also clear, visual, and easy to revisit. At the same time, Gusto was rolling out AI tools to boost Customer Care productivity, which required simple, intuitive training that showed employees and vendors exactly how to use these tools in real workflows, not just high-level feature overviews.
Why Selected LAAS by Genius
Gusto chose LAAS by Genius as a partner because they needed more than a content vendor. They were looking for a fractional L&D team that could combine strategy, instructional design, and high-volume production into a single, reliable relationship.
On the strategic side, LAAS helped Gusto make decisions about what to build and how to build it: which topics should live as interactive eLearning versus short videos or live sessions; how long each piece should be; what level of detail was appropriate for different audiences; and how to structure a learning journey so that people could move from awareness to confident execution. On the production side, LAAS took responsibility for turning this strategy into concrete assets—SCORM modules, video trainings, facilitator guides, student workbooks, and branded slide decks—that felt like a natural extension of Gusto’s internal brand and voice.
Equally important, the LAAS model allowed Gusto to scale training without adding internal headcount. Instead of staffing a large in-house production team, Gusto could rely on a dedicated external partner that already understood their brand, tools, and way of working, and that could move quickly as new training needs emerged.
Solution Overview
Together, Gusto and LAAS designed and implemented a multi-format training ecosystem that served both internal teams and external partners, while staying fully aligned with Gusto’s brand identity and operational realities.
Learning Architecture and Strategic Guidance
The work began with structured conversations around audiences, goals, and constraints. LAAS helped Gusto identify which teams needed which types of training, what success would look like for each initiative, and how to break down complex processes into clear, digestible learning units. This strategic layer included advising on whether a topic should be covered through a short explainer video, a scenario-based eLearning module, a live session supported by a facilitator guide, or a combination of all three.
For each initiative, LAAS recommended the ideal length, level of interactivity, and sequence of content. For example, some topics were best introduced through a high-level overview video, and then reinforced with detailed, step-by-step eLearning. Others were better suited to guided workshops with accompanying participant workbooks, where managers could facilitate discussion and practice. In every case, the goal was the same: choose the right format so that employees and vendors could understand, remember, and apply what they were learning.
eLearning Modules and SCORM Content
Once the architecture was defined, LAAS converted that strategy into structured online learning. Using tools such as Articulate Rise and Storyline, LAAS developed interactive modules that walked learners through Gusto-specific processes, tools, and scenarios. These modules were built to be LMS-ready, with SCORM packaging, assessments where appropriate, and clear navigation.
The eLearning experiences combined concise explanations, visual walkthroughs, and practical examples. They translated operational detail into structured learning paths that people could complete at their own pace and revisit whenever needed. Each module was written in Gusto’s tone of voice and laid out using a visual style that matched other internal communications.
Video Training and Internal Tool Adoption
For key initiatives like AI software rollout, LAAS produced dedicated training videos that explained what the tool is, why Gusto chose it, and exactly how to use it in day-to-day work. Rather than simply listing features, these videos showed real workflows, demonstrating how speaking naturally into the AI tool could be turned into high-quality text directly in the tools employees already used.
By clearly framing the “why” and the “how,” these video trainings helped customer care teams and vendor partners adopt the AI tools more quickly and confidently, contributing to reduced handle times and a smoother overall experience. Similar process-focused videos were created for other internal workflows, giving Gusto repeatable, on-brand assets that could be shared with new cohorts of learners without extra effort from internal SMEs.
Training Collaterals and Enablement Assets
In addition to digital modules and videos, LAAS developed a full suite of training collaterals to support live and blended learning. For major sessions and internal academies, LAAS created detailed facilitator guides that walked trainers through each activity, talking point, and transition. These guides were complemented by participant workbooks designed to help learners take notes, reflect on concepts, and practice applying new skills.
LAAS also produced polished PowerPoint presentations, job aids, quick-reference cards, checklists, and process maps that could be used during and after training sessions. Each asset was designed to be visually coherent, easy to use, and simple to update as Gusto’s products and processes evolved. The result was an ecosystem of materials that trainers and managers could rely on without having to reinvent content for every session.
Branded and Consistent Design
Across all formats—eLearning modules, videos, slide decks, guides, and workbooks—LAAS ensured strict alignment with Gusto’s branding. Colors, typography, iconography, and tone were carefully matched so that every asset looked and felt like it came from Gusto’s internal team. This consistency gave learners a sense of familiarity and trust and made it easier for different departments and vendor partners to work from the same source of truth.
Partnership Model and Governance
The collaboration between Gusto and LAAS was structured as an ongoing fractional L&D partnership rather than a series of isolated projects. A dedicated LAAS project manager served as the primary point of contact, coordinating priorities, timelines, and feedback with multiple stakeholders inside Gusto. Instructional designers, content writers, visual designers, eLearning developers, and video producers worked together behind the scenes to translate Gusto’s needs into finished deliverables.
This model allowed Gusto’s internal subject-matter experts to focus on defining content and reviewing drafts rather than building assets themselves. LAAS took responsibility for the heavy lifting: clarifying requirements, proposing formats, writing scripts, designing layouts, producing media, and ensuring everything was ready for deployment. Over time, the partnership meant LAAS gained a deep understanding of Gusto’s operations and standards, which in turn accelerated future work and reduced friction.
Outcomes and Impact
Although the work with Gusto spans multiple initiatives and is ongoing, several clear benefits emerged from this partnership.
First, Gusto now has a coherent, scalable training ecosystem instead of a patchwork of materials created in isolation. New content slots into an existing structure, making it easier to manage, update, and roll out across teams and vendor partners.
Second, internal experts have been able to reclaim time. Instead of spending hours building slide decks or recording rough walkthroughs, they can share their knowledge in focused conversations and review well-designed drafts. LAAS turns that expertise into polished, reusable learning assets.
Third, the training experiences themselves have become more consistent and more effective. Whether a learner is watching a training video, completing an eLearning module, or attending a facilitated session with a workbook, the messaging, visuals, and expectations are aligned. This makes it easier for people to understand how tools work, how processes connect, and how their role contributes to customer success.
Gusto now has a practical blueprint for future training. For any new product, process, or internal tool, there is a clear starting point: clarify the goal, choose the right formats with LAAS, and then build out a combination of videos, modules, and collaterals that can be reused across cohorts.
Summary
Through a fractional L&D partnership with LAAS by Genius, Gusto transformed a highly technical, high-effort training landscape into a structured, branded, and scalable learning ecosystem. LAAS did not just produce content; it helped Gusto decide what to build, how to build it, and how to deliver it in the most effective formats for each audience. From AI tool adoption to internal process training, facilitator guides, student workbooks, and LMS-ready eLearning modules, the relationship has allowed Gusto to support growth without expanding internal production headcount—while offering employees and partners a more consistent, high-quality learning experience.