Paychex reviews

3.1

45% would recommend to a friend

(5,989 total reviews)
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John Gibson

47% approve of CEO

45% positive business outlook

Paychex has an employee rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars, based on 5,989 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Paychex employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Tecnologías de la información industry (3.9 stars).

Reviews by job title

6K reviews
1.0
May 27, 2010
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Very stable. I am not aware of any mass layoffs that have become ubiquitous in industry today. Adequate benefits. No, they are not great. Simply adequate.

Cons

There is a reason for the fact that Paychex does not perform mass layoffs: the incredibly high rate of natural attrition puts Paychex is in a continuous hiring mode. The quintessential revolving door. So many people quit they do not ever have to lay people off. The pay is so far below industry standards that their pay scales do not even show up on most salary sites (salary.com, Dept. Of Labor, CareerBuilder.com). Many Paychex employees take the job only to avoid unemployment and then spend all their free time surreptitiously looking for a real job. I know that’s what I did. That’s certainly the same thing the other software developers did that also quit in my very short tenure at Paychex. I was there 10 months and 5 developers quit in that short time. I have never worked anyplace in which the demographics were so skewed away from middle age males. This is typically the largest demographic in most industry but the salary is so pathetic no middle age male could raise and support a family on this pittance. Promotion is based on longevity, not ability. The result is that the management is comprised of those people that have no motivation or qualifications to look for a “real” job so they muddle along mindlessly for years until a management job appears. They typically have no current skills or knowledge other than the small slice of work environment they have been resigned to. Nepotism runs rampant at Paychex. It is irrelevant that somebody may have extensive education and experience in dealing with the many problem areas in software development but that is roundly ignored. I have personally witnessed decisions on major architectural changes handed over to QA leads that happen to be personal pets of the current manager but do not posses even the most fundamental development skills. Paychex was definitely the most depressing place I ever worked. The vast majority of the people in the I.T. group I was in simply went through the motions on a daily basis with a total lack of work ethic and pride. Nobody felt it was worthwhile to help one another or pass on knowledge. It was considered a waste of time since the majority quit as soon as possible.

1.0
Feb 18, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Friendships Built on Shared Suffering – You won’t just gain coworkers—you’ll gain fellow survivors, trauma-bonded by the sheer absurdity of this place. A Crash Course in Spotting Toxic Leadership – After working here, you’ll recognize red flags from a mile away and appreciate any job that isn’t actively trying to destroy you. Great for Character Building (Through Corporate Abuse) – If you’ve ever wanted to test your patience, endurance, and ability to function in complete chaos, this is the perfect training ground. A Live Exhibit of Narcissism in the Workplace – If you’re intrigued by psychology, crime documentaries, or the way unchecked power transforms mediocre individuals into full-blown tyrants, this company offers an exclusive, all-access pass to corporate dysfunction at its finest

Cons

If you’re looking for an unforgettable crash course in corporate dysfunction, congratulations—you’ve found it! This place doesn’t just lack ethics; it actively destroys any remaining faith you have in corporate morality. The only guarantee? You’ll leave with anxiety, burnout, and a paycheck so low you’ll wonder if you accidentally signed up for an unpaid internship. Florida Channel Sales Dept: Where Ethics and Sanity Go to Die The FL region, in particular, is a masterclass in toxic leadership. Management operates like a cult of power-hungry con artists, where fraud, deception, and blatant favoritism dictate who succeeds. If you’ve ever wanted to witness a group of middle-aged narcissists role-playing as mob bosses, this is your chance! Policies? Ethics? Those are just words thrown around in corporate emails. And let’s not forget their “cutting-edge” sales tactics—ripped straight from a sleazy 1985 used car lot playbook. Outdated, shady, and borderline scammy, these tactics reek of desperation and incompetence. You’d think senior leadership would step in out of sheer embarrassment for the brand’s reputation. If you’re here for a paycheck, prepare for disappointment. Quotas? So absurdly inflated they defy basic math—hitting them would require either a miracle or outright fraud. Pay structures? As reliable as a rigged slot machine, ensuring no one actually makes a livable income. And the best part? Lead distribution is run like a middle school lunchroom by egotistical, power-tripping clowns. —if you're one of their sheep, you eat. If they don’t, good luck paying your bills. Enjoy cold-calling dead leads from a database so outdated it might as well have been carved into a stone tablet. At this point, you’d be better off panhandling on a freeway exit—at least that has higher earning potential. HR? More Like Corporate Witness Protection they exist—but think of them as glorified note-takers rather than problem solvers. If you report an issue, congratulations—you’ve just been added to management’s “People We Plan to Destroy” list. The only thing HR excels at is watching from the sidelines while the most unethical behavior imaginable runs rampant. They Treat Customers as Badly as They Treat Employees The dysfunction isn’t just internal—customers get the same nightmare experience. Expect to spend your days dodging complaints, apologizing for things completely outside your control, and pretending the company has a soul. It’s an emotionally exhausting cycle that leads to the rare but special moment when you and a customer silently acknowledge the absurdity of it all. At that point, all that’s left to do is cry together and laugh through the pain. Final Verdict? If you thrive on chaos, enjoy being micromanaged by emotionally unstable people, and love making less money than a teenager with a lemonade stand, this is the dream job. Otherwise? Run like your life depends on it—because your sanity does.

1.0
Oct 16, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Unlimited PTO, dedicated employees, pay is decent

Cons

Since Marty left, it’s gone downhill. Seemed ok till Liz Roaldsen came in with no sole, and started leading by firing squad. John Gibson chuckled when talking about recent layoffs, he cares nothing about employees, and only getting rid of enough us employees to ramp up payroll operations in India and the Philippines.

Viewing 37 - 39 of 5,989 Reviews

Glassdoor has 6,161 Paychex reviews submitted anonymously by Paychex employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Paychex is right for you.