The Challenge
Free State Growers is a Kansas-based agricultural operation with a team of approximately 50 employees and fluctuating seasonal demands. When they partnered with Gró HR, they lacked an HR system that could effectively support employee management, payroll and tax administration, and performance management.
Payroll was manual and time-consuming—including paper checks—which created inefficiencies and risk. As staffing needs changed throughout the year, leadership also needed support with recruiting, onboarding, and coaching to ensure the right people were in the right roles at the right time. Workers’ compensation costs and safety consistency were additional concerns.
Our Approach
Gró HR partnered with Free State Growers to manage the entire employee lifecycle, from hiring to payroll to ongoing development:
HR & Payroll System Implementation
Implemented Gusto, replacing manual processes and paper checks with a streamlined, compliant HR and payroll solution.
Employee Lifecycle Management
Centralized onboarding, employee records, payroll, tax management, and performance tracking to create consistency and accuracy year-round.
Onboarding, Coaching & Growth
Supported leadership with structured onboarding and employee coaching to improve retention, performance, and engagement.
Safety & Risk Reduction:
Implemented safety practices and guidance to help reduce workers’ compensation exposure and long-term costs.
Results
The partnership delivered operational stability and scalability:
Efficient, paperless payroll and HR processes across all seasons
Improved accuracy and compliance in payroll and tax management
Consistent staffing pipelines with better-aligned candidates
Stronger onboarding and employee development, supporting long-term retention
Reduced administrative burden for managers and leadership
Lower workers’ compensation risk through proactive safety efforts
Having someone you trust who handles your personal needs and makes sure you are doing it right, but also makes sure that the employees are taken care of, that is something we really value.
The Value of Partnership
With Gró HR as a full-service partner for HR, payroll, and recruitment, Free State Growers now operates with confidence—knowing their people operations can flex with seasonal demands without sacrificing efficiency or compliance.