From Legacy to Modern: How WorkGenius Automated Payroll with Zeal

About WorkGenius

WorkGenius is a technology-driven staffing platform that combines the efficiency of freelance marketplaces with the tailored service of managed staffing solutions. Their clients are typically enterprise companies operating in the United States and Europe who are looking to fill white-collar roles in industries like tech, fashion, retail, automotive, and luxury.

Founded by Marlon Rosenzweig and Daniel Barke as a tech company, WorkGenius quickly transformed by acquiring traditional staffing firms and streamlined their operations by replacing the back office with WorkGenius’ own technology.

The Challenge: Manual Processes and Disjointed Systems

Before partnering with Zeal, WorkGenius relied on Evolution Payroll Services for payroll software. The system was cumbersome, outdated, and not built for staffing — creating friction at every step. As a company deeply rooted in technology and automation, WorkGenius faced significant challenges due to:

• Lack of transparency and poor API capabilities: Payroll data became fragmented and siloed, making it hard to track or access crucial information.
• High manual workload: Managing payroll required 5 to 7 people, leading to high costs, frequent human errors, and missed deadlines.
• Poor user experience: Candidates experienced payroll delays and inconsistencies, impacting satisfaction and retention.
• Inflexible cutoff dates: Limited ability to run payroll closer to deadlines, leading to earlier cutoffs and reduced flexibility.

“Payrolling is a big part of our business. If the candidate is not happy with the payroll experience, that reflects poorly on the rest of our business,” said Daniel Barke, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer of WorkGenius.

The Solution: Automated, API-Driven Payroll

WorkGenius chose Zeal for its modern, technical approach, which matched their need for data transparency and operational efficiency. The integration process was notably smooth, allowing WorkGenius’ engineering team to connect seamlessly with Zeal’s APIs. This transition enabled:

• Payroll automation: Automating processes allow them to reduce human involvement from 5-7 people to just 1-2, mainly to handle candidate questions.
• Data transparency: Easy access to real-time data on taxes, worker numbers, and payroll reports across 30+ states.
• Improved accuracy: Eliminating manual steps reduced errors to near zero, thanks to Zeal’s real-time payroll capabilities.
• Faster processing: The ability to run payroll closer to the cutoff time allowed for last-minute adjustments without errors.

“Because payroll is automated with Zeal, we can submit things until the very last minute. This reduces error because there’s more time to fix things if something isn’t clear or a timesheet needs approval,” said Daniel.

Results: A Future-Proof Payroll System

Since implementing Zeal, WorkGenius has achieved:

• 70% reduction in payroll management time: Automated workflows freed up significant staff resources.
• 0 manual payroll processing steps: Eliminating human intervention led to a drastic drop in payroll errors.
• Improved candidate experience: Faster, more reliable payroll led to increased candidate satisfaction.
• Seamless scalability: With Zeal, WorkGenius can onboard more workers without increasing payroll complexity.
• Data at their fingertips: Real-time reporting and payroll insights that support business decisions.

WorkGenius has scaled quickly, growing from $7M in revenue to over $100M in revenue in just 3 years. They've been able to scale their operations while reducing headcount using Zeal to automate onboarding, payroll, and compliance.

The Impact: Innovating the Staffing Experience

With Zeal as a strategic payroll partner, WorkGenius is well-positioned to expand its operations, both domestically and internationally. The team’s focus on global hiring strategies, AI-driven candidate matching, and streamlining user experiences aligns perfectly with Zeal’s commitment to efficiency and automation.

By leveraging Zeal’s technology, WorkGenius can confidently scale its workforce and enhance its service offerings without worrying about payroll complexities. The partnership ensures that as WorkGenius continues to innovate, their payroll system will keep up with the pace of their growth.

“We automated the entire payroll process from beginning to end, which is pretty cool. We could all go on vacation, and payroll would still run.”
— Daniel Barke, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of WorkGenius

Zeal is a financial technology company, not an FDIC insured depository institution. Banking services are provided by Bangor Savings Bank, Member FDIC. FDIC insurance coverage protects against the failure of an FDIC insured depository institution.